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“Why did you change your hair?”

“I thought maybe it would be easier to hide,” I said, closing my hands into fists.

“Hide from who?” Rhyder bit out.

He was so close, his big body all I could see, the smell of his leather jacket invading my senses, the menace of that big cock pressing on my tits now.

“You,” I whispered.



















Chapter 5

He couldn’t controlthat flash of surprise in his eyes, or the way his fingers tightened on my chin.

“Me?” His voice was raw and uncontrolled.

“Sister, I’ve thought of nothing but finding you since the day they took you, and doing the Allfather’s will so he would reward me by leading me to you. And he has. And you—”

“The city—” I tried, but a muscle in his jaw twitched, the ones in his strong throat moving up and down.

“Whatever hold the city has on you will be broken.Do you understand me, Temperance? Your place is with me and always has been.”

“You can’t do this!” I cried.

But I knew he could.

Tears prickled at the edge of my eyes, and I pushed and shoved at him, trying to bring my leg up to knee him in the balls.

One of my sleeves fell further down my arm as I struggled, and Rhyder’s eyes sharpened as they saw the tip of what I always tried to hide.

With a glance at me, he put two big fingers out and curled them around my long sleeve.

“Don’t—” I began, but Rhyder slowly dragged the sleeve down, his eyes still holding mine.

His thumb gently brushed over the marks, the dark swirls of the End of the World Serpent just as sharp and black as when he had tattooed them on me six years ago.

The memory was still sharp, like the slice of a knife wound, and it still replayed frequently in my nightmares.