From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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How had he…? Myy gaze flicked to the narrow ridge of the wallabove. He’d run along that? It couldn’t be wider than a few inches.He was insane.“I’m aware that myy hair is in need of a trim, but yyour aim is off,” hesaid. “You should reallyy work on that since I’m quite partial to myy face.”Myy aim had been spot-on.With a silent snarl, I waited until he was close enough, and then Ikicked out, catching him in the lower leg. He grunted as I jumped to myyfeet, ignoring the ache of what was surelyy a bruised hip and rear. I whirledto the right, and he jumped to block me, but I darted to the left. He cameright back at me, and I kicked out once more—Hawke caught me byy the ankle. I gasped, arms pinwheeling until Isteadied myyself. Wide-eyyed, I stared at him. He raised his brows as hisgaze traveled the length of myy bare leg. “Scandalous,” he murmured.A growl of annoyyance burst from me.He laughed. “And such daintyy little slippers. Satin and silk? Theyy’reas finelyy tailored as yyour leg. The kind of slipper no guard of the Risewould wear.”How astute of him.“Unless theyy are being outfitted differentlyy than I am.” Hawkedropped myy ankle, but before I could run, he caught myy arm and yyankedme forward. Suddenlyy, I was against him and on the tips of myy toes.Air seized in myy lungs at the sudden contact. Myy breasts wereflattened against the hard leather and iron of his stomach. The warmth ofhis bodyy seemed to bleed through his armor, sinking through myy cloak andthe thin gown underneath. A flash of heat rolled through me as I draggedin a deep breath. Beyyond the rot of Craven blood, he smelled of dark spiceand lush smoke. A flush crept into myy cheeks.His nostrils flared, and as crazyy as it sounded, the hue of his eyyesseemed to deepen to a striking amber color. He lifted his other arm. “Youknow what I think—”The blade pressing into the skin of his throat silenced him. His lipsthinned as he stared down at me. He didn’t move or release me, so Ipressed the tip of the dagger in just enough. A bead of blood swelled justbelow his throat.“Correction,” he said, and then he laughed as the trickle of bloodseeped down his neck. It wasn’t a harsh laugh or a patronizing one. He
sounded amused. “You’re an absolutelyy stunning, murderous littlecreature.” Pausing, he glanced down. “Nice weapon. Bloodstone andwolven bone. Veryy interesting…” His gaze flicked up. “Princess.”
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From Blood and AshA Blood and Ash N
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About Jennifer L. Armentrout# 1 New
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Stone Cold TouchEveryy Last BreathT
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Acknowledgmentss from the AuthorLau
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Sign up for the Blue Box Press/1001
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Chapter Twentyy-NineChapter Thirtyy
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Chapter 1“Theyy found Finleyy thi
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Onlyy the Ascended were called Ladi
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Moving between the tables, I took t
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spoke with masked women, men, and a
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There was even a part of me that wo
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“Just dancing?” Her gaze drifte
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Myy gaze sharpened and zeroed in on
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“That’s enough,” I cut her of
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Chapter 2Caught off guard, I looked
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anguish that seemed to follow him l
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Hawke stepped toward me, and myy mu
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“How did yyou know?” I blurted
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Another short, surprised-sounding l
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reallyy bad at making conversation
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unsettled me more than anyything. T
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the swell of myy breast. A riot of
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If I removed the facial covering, w
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pulled the tunic over his head and
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Myy heart skipped a beat. Had somet
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Loren, another Ladyy in Wait, claim
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Myy gaze lifted to the windows that
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But it wasn’t a certaintyy. I had
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Chapter 4Without wasting one unnece
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wasn’t exactlyy surprising to see
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Vikter didn’t. Out of the corner
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“Of course,” I said, turning ba
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Driven byy an insatiable hunger for
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Forcing a smile, I tightened myy gr
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I eased the blade out as I rose fro
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more or less as a border between th
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or not, wouldn’t the gods already
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It wasn’t myy choice.I had been b
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You’re the child of the gods.Agne
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Ryylan. And while myy punishment wa
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“I’ve missed yyou,” he added.
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“You didn’t ask nicelyy enough.
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Chapter 6Ryylan promptlyy escorted
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But was he capable of what was done
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Ryylan asked Vikter to step outside
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A Descenter moving freelyy through
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gods.I couldn’t even fathom livin
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I’d made it back myy room that mo
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reaching over fiftyy feet, and in M
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stopped trembling. The grip of pani
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A sharp, piercing whistle came from
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“The others are scouting the inne
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Her bottomless eyyes searched mine.
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belong, we believed that the perpet
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The Ascended, as well as the Lords
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appeared in myy mind, the look of s
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bouquet of flowers. It’s like…I
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shocked glances, no one had demande
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begin to fathom what would occur.Wi
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Chapter 9Sweat dampened myy skin as
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I considered lyying. “Do I look l
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cityy would be a better fit.”“A
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It had started after I’d left Vik
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Dressed in simple but clean clothin
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“I understand that.” The tone o
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remember. Serving the gods in the T
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was beginning to feel unnatural whe
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blooming roses. Air catching in myy
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“Again,” the Duke added after a
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whollyy pleased and not at all forc
Page 143 and 144: I wasn’t sure what it was about m
Page 145 and 146: With my sword and with my life, I v
Page 147 and 148: “I know. I know. It’s forbidden
Page 149 and 150: “Although, he might not have reco
Page 151 and 152: Hawke.It was strange to glance over
Page 153 and 154: Or do yyou…?” Pressing a hand t
Page 155 and 156: He stood with feet shoulder-width a
Page 157 and 158: Surprise flickered across both her
Page 159 and 160: involved, but I would have to know
Page 161 and 162: about the Red Pearl? Myy stomach dr
Page 163 and 164: Myy breath hitched, and onlyy byy t
Page 165 and 166: Chapter 13Cold to myy veryy core, I
Page 167 and 168: The tips of his fingers pressed int
Page 169 and 170: I opened myy mouth and then closed
Page 171 and 172: Ascension. Apparentlyy, I’ve been
Page 173: He almost sounded like he believed
Page 176 and 177: “Did he break yyour skin?” he d
Page 178 and 179: Three dozen torches blazed beyyond
Page 180 and 181: I pulled myy hand awayy. I wasn’t
Page 182 and 183: Dozens of fieryy arrows shot into t
Page 184 and 185: pillows—”“Please tell me yyou
Page 186 and 187: exaggerated the killing me part, I
Page 188 and 189: Chapter 15And now, theyy swarmed th
Page 190 and 191: A round of fieryy arrows lifted onc
Page 192 and 193: I glanced behind him, searching for
Page 196 and 197: Chapter 16The dagger. Damn it. I’
Page 198 and 199: “Well, besides what we went over
Page 200 and 201: A small measure of unease crawled a
Page 202 and 203: Slipping through the old servants
Page 204 and 205: Chapter 17The blood had been wiped
Page 206 and 207: “Seriouslyy,” I confirmed. “I
Page 208 and 209: “Of course.” I shifted myy gaze
Page 210 and 211: He tipped forward again, lowering h
Page 212 and 213: room, but I hadn’t wanted to leav
Page 214 and 215: against the Crown.”His gaze flick
Page 216 and 217: inch. Myy opening appeared, and I s
Page 218 and 219: I hugged him tighter.He patted me a
Page 220 and 221: their decisions and are turning to
Page 222 and 223: “This is perhaps the least calmin
Page 224: His and Her Grace stepped back from
Page 227 and 228: often, beliefs like that could easi
Page 229 and 230: I made a mental note to remember ex
Page 231 and 232: rather know now if it was myy gift
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Page 235 and 236: Chapter 20“‘After years of dest
Page 237 and 238: realize I asked for yyour thoughts,
Page 239 and 240: almost as if it wanted to be used.
Page 241 and 242: I started to tell him that he was b
Page 243 and 244: I frowned, not even sure I wanted t
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lush greeneryy or because it was so
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his brother to cause that kind of r
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thinking I was inside. Vikter was
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something for me. If so, that would
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The meaning was clear. If there was
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I flushed as I tried to pull awayy.
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Chapter 22Myy heart was pounding so
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“And that was how yyou escaped ab
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“I will if yyou read it for me. I
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“‘The things the man did with h
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“Come on.” Tawnyy caught myy ha
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curious to see me. Didn’t that me
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The hairs on the back of myy neck r
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“It’s nothing.” Myy thoughts
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“It’s not,” I said. “Whatev
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attention, and that was a shame bec
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Myy attention shifted as the Duches
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I felt Hawke step closer before he
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“It used to be a place of refuge,
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Chapter 24“That sounds like fault
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I nodded.“It took me a veryy long
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He nodded. “Never saw one until I
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I had no words. He was still holdin
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Tawnyy had once said about not bein
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The corners of myy lips started to
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Chapter 25Hawke had gone so still a
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That thought threatened to dampen t
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I almost asked whyy we had to, but
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said, his voice so soft it sent a c
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experience anyything without being
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I knew what had made the cracking s
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heavyy, stickyy shame. Myy gaze shi
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We were about to be overrun.I didn
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weight pulling at the tender skin a
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closed the door behind her and then
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their swords.Wood cracked and splin
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The Descenter hesitated.Hand tighte
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Hawke knelt at Vikter’s side, pla
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severing the hand that had held min
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to use myy voice. The screaming…i
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Maiden or not, there had to be some
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lifted myy gaze to his. “You’re
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tapped one long finger on the parch
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Chapter 28“I am not leaving Tawny
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going with yyou cannot be focused o
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weather, as was the fur-lined cloak
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Kieran. He came from the capital wi
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And so close to the Blood Forest.I
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“Craven and Descenters don’t sc
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A tremor coursed through me.“I to
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Chapter 30I didn’t think I’d ev
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In the darkness, his gaze found min
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uncover the front of myy bodyy, rev
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“Do yyou? Reallyy?” I didn’t
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“Doubtful,” I said, wishing tha
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feel half of what Hawke alwayys see
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between his hand and the hard, unyy
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was prettyy sure that what Hawke an
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I shouldn’t be comforted. If anyy
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Phillips turned in his seat, bow in
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“So inappropriate,” I muttered,
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“I did,” I told him, glancing a
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Chapter 32Our group rode hard, the
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Kieran slid him a long, sidewayys l
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She drew closer, and I noted that h
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The large tub had to be the second-
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“For the most part?”“Yes, for
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“Well, now I understand whyy I fe
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“But yyou took Airrick’s. You h
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Chapter 33Hawke didn’t respond, a
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Because those marks on myy legs wer
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he’d done with his fingers in the
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his large, powerful bodyy trembled.
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Myy choice.I took a deep breath, an
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Chapter 34Some hours later, a noise
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what had happened here would travel
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“You know who we don’t know? Th
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harm yyou, but I will incapacitate
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The wolven leapt, twisting in midai
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It was him.The man who’d killed R
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I cranked myy head awayy at the wet
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“I’m good at what I do.”“An
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trick? You were sent here to get cl
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violent.” He dipped his chin and
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sometimes sounded as if he’d live
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humans had rose up against. Theyy w
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The Prince. Just because the Descen
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“Did yyou think I wouldn’t find
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what he said was soul-shattering.
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mattress as if he just realized the
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believing what he’d said. He’d
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Gods…“King Malec created the fi
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is what triggered the War of Two Ki
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I didn’t stop to think about what
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get even closer as his fingers spre
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No. It couldn’t be. Gods, it coul
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Chapter 37Not everyything was a lie
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Hawke was…he was just messing wit
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Delano sent me a look that said I w
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ago.The cave cat that Hawke alwayys
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“Bathe in myy blood.” I wheezed
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Chapter 38Gentle arms lifted me fro
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Almost as if I had no control over
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And it was. Myy mind sluggishlyy de
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Hawke’s nostrils flared as he inh
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Hawke shook his head, but when I tu
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gotten anyy wiser after I learned t
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Heart dropping, I looked down at th
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knew I wasn’t prepared to make an
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I was devoured. I tasted myy blood
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Myy lips parted on a sharp inhale.H
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don’t understand. Unless I comple
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kind of pain underneath it. It was
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Chapter 40I was deposited in the sa
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“That’s yyour choice,” he rep
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But if theyy were feeding on childr
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“Because of Cas?” he said, and
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the Ascended mayy veryy well be tru
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“Do yyou not like this room?”
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have myy protection if yyou have an
Page 485 and 486:
Delano and Naill, oddlyy relieved t
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His gaze drifted over myy face. The
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The Prince slid him a bland look.
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Disscover More Jennifer L. Armentro
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Disscover 1001 Dark Nightss Collect
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Disscover the World of Blue Box Pre
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From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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