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“You must know you are my heart’s choice, Luc.” He opened his mouth to speak and she put her hand over his lips. “Wait. I want you to hear my heart’s song. I want you to understand you never have to fear me. I have only ever worked magic for your benefit. And if there is ever any reason for us to part ways—I hope there is not, but to put your mind at rest—I swear now on the memory of my grandmother and mother, I will never harm you.”

Her fingers were still pressed against his lips and he took hold of them and kissed them, one by one.

“That is the heart song of a very strong heart’s choice.” His eyes danced. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard the like.” Then he grew serious. “I promised I would always come for you. That was my own heart song, but I will add, I will never fear you. I love you in all your strength and power.”

She leaned forward, and touched her forehead to his shoulder, too embarrassed by the tears in her eyes to let him see them. When she had herself under control again, she pulled back, and found she had squashed her pie.

He laughed at her soft swearing, and then fed her the broken bits.

“Heyla.” Massi’s call caught Ava by surprise, and she felt herself tense.

Luc’s friend was smiling when she pulled up beside them. “You are doing a good job of lifting the column’s spirits.”

There was no sarcastic edge to the words.

“Why were they low?” She addressed the question to Luc.

“They weren’t low, but the daily grind of packing up and moving every day, with weeks of more of the same in sight, wears everyone down.” Luc seemed relaxed with Massi again.

Ava looked between them.

“Massi found a cup in front of her tent the day after you arrived with the Venyatux,” Luc said into the silence. “It had her name carved into it. She’s been using it every day since then.”

Ava turned to look at him.

“We threw it in the fire last night.”

“Who gave it to you?” Ava asked.

“I don’t know.” Massi looked away. “It seems weak to say that was the excuse for my behavior. I take responsibility for my actions.”

“No.” Ava reached out and gripped her forearm. “We must find out who made it.”

Massi’s horse shifted uneasily. “Luc also thinks this is serious.”

“It is,” Ava agreed. “We have a spell caster with evil intent.”

“As apposed to one with good intent?” Massi asked.

Ava drew herself up. Before she could speak, Luc leaned closer.

“Still listening to Haslia, Massi? Or Revek?”

Massi shook her head. “I spent the night thinking of spell castings, of people doing things they wouldn’t do of their own free will, and I remembered Derek, and the way he sobbed when we caught up with him after you were captured by the Kassian.”

“You think he was enspelled?” Luc sat back in his saddle, clearly horrified. “That whoever this is has been with us for that long?”

Massi nodded. “But I also remembered how he kept saying they had cut you to the bone, that he could see down to the bone on your arm.”

Ava looked down at Luc’s left forearm.

It felt like a very long time ago she had stitched it, but it was only two months.

Massi reached out and touched Luc. “There should at least be a scar.” She ran a finger over his smooth skin. Look over at Ava with brows raised.

“There will be a scar on Revek’s shoulder and on Frederik’s cheek.” Ava kept her voice soft.

She hoped.