From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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anguish, the bitterlyy cold pain that pelted myy skin. It was sharper. This waswhere his pain stemmed from.He’d lost a brother.I reacted without thought to what he would think or to the fact that wewere not alone. It was an uncontrollable urge, as if the gift itself had ahold of me.I touched just his hand with mine and squeezed it in hopes that itwould be construed as a gesture of syympathyy. “I’m sorryy,” I said, and Ithought of warm beaches and saltyy air. Those thoughts quicklyy changed tohow I’d felt when Hawke had kissed me.The taut lines of Hawke’s expression smoothed out as he stared outthe window. He blinked, not once but twice.Lifting myy fingers from his, I clasped myy hands together, hoping thathe hadn’t realized that I’d done something. He stood there, though, as ifhe’d been struck immobile. I lifted myy brows. “Are yyou okayy?”He blinked again. This time, he laughed softlyy. “Yes. It’s…I just hadthe strangest feeling.”“Is that so?” I watched him closelyy.Hawke nodded as he rubbed the palm of his hand over his chest. “Idon’t even know how to explain it.”Now I was starting to worryy that I’d somehow done something otherthan relieve his pain. What, I wasn’t sure, but if myy gifts were evolving,anyything was possible. I reached out with myy senses once more, and all Ifelt in return was warmth. “Is it a bad feeling? Should we find a Healer?”“No. Not at all.” Hawke’s laugh was stronger then, less uncertain. Hiseyyes, now a warm honeyy, met mine. “Myy brother is not dead, byy the wayy.So, no need for syympathyy.”Now it was myy turn to blink repeatedlyy. “Oh? I just thought…” Itrailed off.“Are yyou sure yyou wouldn’t like to visit the garden?”Thinking it was far past time for me to lock myyself awayy before I didyyet another reckless thing, I shook myy head. “I think I would like to goback to myy room now.”He hesitated for a moment but then nodded. Neither of us spoke as wemade our wayy. Apparentlyy, Hawke was tryying to figure out whyy he felt…happier, lighter. And I was left wondering what exactlyy had happened to
his brother to cause that kind of reaction, especiallyy if his brother was stillalive.
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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
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I wasn’t sure what it was about m
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With my sword and with my life, I v
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“I know. I know. It’s forbidden
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“Although, he might not have reco
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Hawke.It was strange to glance over
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Or do yyou…?” Pressing a hand t
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He stood with feet shoulder-width a
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Surprise flickered across both her
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involved, but I would have to know
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about the Red Pearl? Myy stomach dr
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Myy breath hitched, and onlyy byy t
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Chapter 13Cold to myy veryy core, I
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The tips of his fingers pressed int
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I opened myy mouth and then closed
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Ascension. Apparentlyy, I’ve been
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He almost sounded like he believed
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“Did he break yyour skin?” he d
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Three dozen torches blazed beyyond
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I pulled myy hand awayy. I wasn’t
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Dozens of fieryy arrows shot into t
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pillows—”“Please tell me yyou
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exaggerated the killing me part, I
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Chapter 15And now, theyy swarmed th
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A round of fieryy arrows lifted onc
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I glanced behind him, searching for
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How had he…? Myy gaze flicked to
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
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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
Page 245: lush greeneryy or because it was so
Page 249 and 250: thinking I was inside. Vikter was
Page 251 and 252: something for me. If so, that would
Page 253 and 254: The meaning was clear. If there was
Page 255 and 256: I flushed as I tried to pull awayy.
Page 257 and 258: Chapter 22Myy heart was pounding so
Page 259 and 260: “And that was how yyou escaped ab
Page 261 and 262: “I will if yyou read it for me. I
Page 263 and 264: “‘The things the man did with h
Page 265 and 266: “Come on.” Tawnyy caught myy ha
Page 267 and 268: curious to see me. Didn’t that me
Page 269 and 270: The hairs on the back of myy neck r
Page 271 and 272: “It’s nothing.” Myy thoughts
Page 273 and 274: “It’s not,” I said. “Whatev
Page 275 and 276: attention, and that was a shame bec
Page 277 and 278: Myy attention shifted as the Duches
Page 279 and 280: I felt Hawke step closer before he
Page 281 and 282: “It used to be a place of refuge,
Page 283 and 284: Chapter 24“That sounds like fault
Page 285 and 286: I nodded.“It took me a veryy long
Page 287 and 288: He nodded. “Never saw one until I
Page 289 and 290: I had no words. He was still holdin
Page 291 and 292: Tawnyy had once said about not bein
Page 293 and 294: The corners of myy lips started to
Page 295 and 296: 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
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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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