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Chapter One

“Where is Dawn?” Cree demanded so loudly that every warrior in the Great Hall turned silent and stared at hiht when Sloan had come to their bedchamber to inform him that his sister Wintra had been abducted He had ordered Dawn to bed and left beforeshe rarely did

He had been busy with plans to go after his sister and kill the idiot bastard who had unwisely abducted her Thoughts of Dawn had drifted in and out of his ined her tucked safely in their bed sleeping But sunrise usually found her up and about, after they made love, which they did often, and hat he wished they were doing right now Of course it would be a quick coupling, but no less satisfying It never ith Dawn, even though she could not speak a word It still amazed him that she had survived since birth, nineteen years, without being able to utter a sound Not a peep, a squeak, orYet to hiestures, even more clearly now that he was completely and madly in love with her—damn it

He had never expected to fall in love He had expected to take a wife and have her produce heirs Love had never been a consideration He had had no time for it Yet this voiceless woman had stolen his heart and he didn’t want it back It was hers to keep forever just as her heart—all of her—belonged to his He had no tiet with Dawn, if he could find her Where could she have gone off to? The snoas heavy on the ground and she should be careful, especially now that she was carrying their child

“Da him What if she was in trouble and not able to call out for help? He scowled and this time shouted, “Has anyone seen Dawn?”

Heads shook, but no one spoke up

Cree turned to Sloan “You haven’t seen her?”

“Not since last night”

“Find her,” Cree snapped, annoyed he had allowed soon her He hoped that he worried needlessly and she was still abed She could use the rest being with child, not that she would agree She was always off so hiain

“Afraid you’ve lost her?” Sloan asked with a smile, which faded quickly when Cree’s dark eyes narrowed and his scowl deepened Sloan turned and hurried off without saying another word He knew Cree too well to knohen to turn silent and retreat

Cree looked over a sathered in the Great Hall He would take only twenty of his warriors for now, though it would betroops His hly skilled, and they would follow hih they already had Endlesshad taken its toll on all of them, but at least it had not been in vein Now, after constant toil of battle, they had what they had fought so long and hard for—a permanent home A place they could always return to and where family and friends would welcome them back

Now, unlike other times, he was reluctant to leave Now he had Dawn, and she had been through her own hell with her trueto take her mother’s life to protect herself