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“I’m fine,” she replied, but she was still coughing. Her arms came up to circle his neck. “I’m okay. I’m okay.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I don’t know what happened, though.”

“Come on, let’s get you out of here and get you dry.” With one arm hugging her waist, he used his other to propel them toward the edge of the pool. She clung to his neck, her body violently shaking from the cold. “Your necklace,” he said.

She peeked up at him. “What?”

“Your necklace is gone. Your talisman.”

Her fingers went to her neck, groping.

“Take mine and put it on, please.”

“Right now?”

“Yes.”

She reached behind him and unclasped it. It felt like a hug, and he had to fight the urge to lean into her, her cheek so close to his they almost brushed. She put the necklace on, then held onto him, her arms around his neck.

“I’m sorry.” Her apology was broken apart by chattering teeth.

“Sorry?” Darien repeated. He repositioned her, sliding her flush with the front of his body so he could see her face better, still kicking toward the edge of the pool. “What are you sorry for?”

Her fingers shook harder against his skin, the stupid water still freezing as hell. “For getting you all wet.”

“You can get me wet any time,” he said, the tip of his nose nearly skimming hers as they turned their faces toward each other at the same time. He kissed her on the damp cheek while he had his chance, the gesture warming her face with a flush of pink.

Fuck, he loved that.

“You’re not very good at the wholewe’re mad at each otherthing,” she said.

“You’re the only one who’s mad, sweetheart,” he said softly. “I’m just waiting for you to forgive me.”

They reached the edge of the pool. Darien helped her get out first, his hands gripping her hips.

Then he pulled himself up, his sopping clothes splashing water everywhere?—

And froze as a pair of unfamiliar boots stepped into his vision.

Slowly, he planted both feet flat on the floor and straightened…

And found eight fucking police officers surrounding him. Tanner was in the process of being cuffed. Logan and Sabrine stood near the edge of the group of officers, looking shocked and conflicted as to what they should do, whether they should stand back or try to intervene. Darien’s jacket was draped over Sabrine’s arm.

The pair of linked rings they were locking around Atlas’s wrists…

They were a shining black with glowing, orange-red lines, like hot lava forking through volcanic glass. Even from here, Darien could feel the raw, ancient magic pulsating through those lines.

His eyes briefly shuttered.

Fuck.He knew exactly what those were.

When Tanner’s eyes locked with his, they widened with a warning that seemed to say,Just behave. Don’t make a scene.

Fuck that. Making scenes was his speciality.

So Darien demanded, “What the hell’s going on?”