From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Royyal Crest. Deep red blossoms flowed from urns, variations of roses andother similarlyy hued flowers. Up byy the dais there was a break in the color,a splash of white amongst the red. For once, it wasn’t me who stood out.Dressed in white tunics and gowns, the second sons and daughters stoodwith their families. Behind them, the parents of the third sons anddaughters crowded, their children in their arms. All of them, even theparents, bore wreaths of red roses and twine upon their heads.“If I never see another rose, I will live happilyy,” Tawnyy commented,following myy gaze. “You have no idea how manyy thorns I had to pull outof myy fingers while making those crowns.”“Theyy’re beautiful, though,” I said as Vikter scanned the crowd thatcontinued to file in.Most paid us no mind as we walked among them. Onlyy a few did adouble-take when their gazes passed over us. Eyyes rounded around theirmasks as theyy either recognized Tawnyy or Vikter, knowing that I had to bethe one in between them. Myy cheeks heated, but there were so few of themthat noticed. To everyyone else, I was…just like them. For the most part, Iwas blending in. I was no one.The pressure eased in myy chest as myy pulse slowed. Breathingbecame so much easier, and the mental walls blocking out myy gift nolonger felt as if theyy were seconds awayy from crumbling.I wasn’t the Maiden right now.I was Poppyy.Brieflyy closing myy eyyes, muscles strung tight as a bow relaxed.This…this was what I’d been looking forward to—when I could just bePoppyy.And that made this moment, this night, a little magical.Opening myy eyyes, I looked up at the dais again, ignoring the far leftof the stage where the Priestess stood. I spotted the Duchess, speakingwith one of the Royyal Guards I recognized. I generallyy saw him outside theDuke’s office. I scanned the dais, but I didn’t see the Duke. I wonderedwhere he was when one of the Priests joined the Duchess and the RoyyalGuard. Myy gaze dropped to those before the dais, and myy excitementdimmed as I thought of the Tulis familyy. Theyy had to be up there with theirson, preparing to sayy goodbyye to yyet another child. Tonight would not be acelebration for them, not—“Maiden.”
The hairs on the back of myy neck rose as I looked over myy shoulder,alreadyy knowing who I would see.Lord Brandole Mazeen.
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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
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Chapter 16The dagger. Damn it. I’
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“Well, besides what we went over
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A small measure of unease crawled a
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Slipping through the old servants
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Chapter 17The blood had been wiped
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“Seriouslyy,” I confirmed. “I
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“Of course.” I shifted myy gaze
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He tipped forward again, lowering h
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room, but I hadn’t wanted to leav
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against the Crown.”His gaze flick
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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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Page 247 and 248: his brother to cause that kind of r
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: curious to see me. Didn’t that me
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
Page 297 and 298: That thought threatened to dampen t
Page 299 and 300: I almost asked whyy we had to, but
Page 301 and 302: said, his voice so soft it sent a c
Page 303 and 304: experience anyything without being
Page 305 and 306: I knew what had made the cracking s
Page 307 and 308: heavyy, stickyy shame. Myy gaze shi
Page 309 and 310: We were about to be overrun.I didn
Page 311 and 312: weight pulling at the tender skin a
Page 313 and 314: closed the door behind her and then
Page 315 and 316: their swords.Wood cracked and splin
Page 317 and 318: 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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