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“Well, if you’re not up for a midnight romp, then you want to talk. So, talk.”

“I saw you a couple hours ago, you know, when you commanded me to take off my clothes. If I wanted to talk I wouldn’t have left.”

“I did that to prove a point. And you know with the old mage and War around, excuse me,Thane,you can’t say how you truly feel about me. I’ve always wondered—who’s a better roll in the sack, me or him?” He rubbed the thin white scar across his chin, and the action reminded her of how Thane often had the same habit. It made her shudder. “It must be me. He’s so—formal. Translate that toboring.”

“A better—ugh. Considering I wouldn’t touch you even if my life depended on it, we’ll never know.”

“Oh, you know. And one day you’ll remember.”

Layala narrowed her eyes. “You know what, something’s coming to me.” His scarred eyebrow raised ever so slightly, and he leaned a little closer. “Thane’s is bigger, a lot bigger, and he knows how to use it better. No wonder I left you.”

Hel’s jaw muscles twitched, and his trembling fingers curled into fists, but his anger vanished as suddenly as it came. A civar appeared out of thin air, already burning, and he clasped it between his fingers. “Liar,” he said just before he placed it between his lips.

The thin line of smoke from it wafted her way. An image flashed across her mind of a male standing on a balcony with his back to her. He was entirely naked, and much of his body was covered in runes and other tattoos. The sweet smell of his civar wafted to her through open double doors. The night sky was full of waving colors. She blinked several times, clearing the thought.What was that?

With her stomach twisted into knots, Layala dropped her gaze to the grass. And for the first time since the fight started she heard the luminor crickets chirping and the sheep bleating quietly from somewhere near. The silence between them lasted too long and she knew without looking that he watched her and that made her skin crawl. “I was out looking for something and happened upon your creatures. So obviously I killed them. Even one less makes Palenor safer.”

“They’re yours too, you know. You could command them if you wanted.”

She lifted her eyes to him. “What?”

“Haven’t you ever wondered why they’re drawn to you?”

Yes, she thought but only clenched her teeth tighter together. Although lately the use of her magic hadn’t brought them to her. She wondered if it was because they weren’t close or if he’d commanded them not to.

“Because they are mine.”

She watched him skeptically, thinking there was more to that statement. There wasn’t. “Well, I’m not you.”

“Clearly.” He smiled slowly, reminding her of a wolf ready to pounce. A very beautiful wolf. “You’ll get it one day.” He took a deep pull of the smoke and blew a puff into the night.

Layala shook her head and turned away, stalking up the side of the house. She needed to put down the father left dying in the doorway before he had a chance to turn and get up.

“Where are you going?”

Layala halted and whirled on him. “Actually, I do need to talk to you. There was a lady slaughtered by a beast of some kind. What other evil thing have you created now?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. The pale ones may exist because of me but I don’t have any beasts. What did it look like?”

“I never saw it. Only the damage it left behind. But even the pale ones admitted they weren’t the ones to do it.”

Hel’s perfect lips twitched into a slight frown, but it wasn’t much of an emotion to get a read on. “That could be a problem.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know for certain, and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

Layala groaned and started off again. It wasn’t like he’d been forthcoming about anything since he arrived. She glanced back to make sure he wasn’t following her, and he was gone, thank the Maker. As she turned back around she skidded to a halt and stopped millimeters from a blade sinking into her throat.

“I forgot to tell you the first rule of training. Never turn your back on your opponent.”

“That’s my dagger,” Layala breathed. He’d taken it right out of her hand without ever touching her.

“It certainly is.” He brushed it under the left side of her jaw. It was a caress, gentle and seductive. “I’m sorry, love, but I can’t wait any longer.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You remember the tower, don’t you? How you woke me?”