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As if breaking the surface of the water, Ashburn rasped. He turned to Violet. “What is it, Violet?” He smiled at her, but it was a troubled one.

Violet whirled Ashburn around and turned his back toward Lucienne. “You fixed it, Ash, just as you promised. You can do anything. We don’t need anyone.”

Lucienne was relieved the redhead had broken the spell. She walked away from them. The snuffed-out torches were piled everywhere. The citizens of Nirvana were laughing and dancing. Their joy was contagious, but Lucienne was in a world of her own.

Then Violet’s voice cried amid the crowd. “Ashburn is blessed! The gods made him walk again.”

Lucienne snapped her head toward Violet, who stood alone atop a stone bench at the border of the front yard. Where is Ashburn? Lucienne looked around.

Violet cupped her hands before her mouth. “The gods let Ash bring back the light! He’s no longer an Extra. He’s a valuable citizen!”

Idiot! Lucienne stormed toward the redhead to stop her. Violet felt so threatened by her that the girl would do anything to prove her worth to her boyfriend, but this was the worst time to bring the volatile mob’s attention to Ashburn.

“The gods’ light went out only when Ashburn the Extra stole the magic box!” the prince screamed to make himself heard, but his objection was drowned out by Violet’s high-pitched voice, “Ashburn is blessed! LET THE GODS BLESS US ALL THROUGH HIM!”

When Lucienne was ten yards away from Violet, she felt the familiar energy pulsing around her. She turned toward the pull and saw Ashburn walking intently toward her and Violet. He must want to stop the girl, too.

A fellow near her cried, “Look! Ashburn the blessed!” Then more fingers pointed at him, followed by more cries of “The blessed!” Like sharks in a feeding frenzy, the crowd swarmed toward Ashburn, hands stretching out to touch him in order to get a piece of the gods’ blessings.

Kian and his men moved, blocking the mob from reaching Lucienne and Ashburn, but wave after wave bore down on the flesh wall of the warriors with a unified purpose: touch Ashburn and be blessed.

The human wave broke through the warriors’ defense line.

“Get into the house!” Lucienne shouted at Ashburn several feet away. As she moved toward the Fury’s house, she found Clement and Peder cowering behind her.

“Follow me,” she told them.

Peder and Clement stumbled after Lucienne toward their house.

Ashburn fought to get to his parents and drew near.

He and Lucienne shielded Peder and Clement as best they could.

Peder, Clement, and Lucienne reached the house, where Lucienne pushed the door, only to find it locked.

Peder tried it, and the blood rushed from his face. “It’s bolted from the inside.”

Lucienne glanced at a side window. Prince Felix wiggled a finger at her, smirking. Lucienne tried to kick the door open, but the crowd was on them, surrounding Ashburn, a few feet away from her.

Lucienne looked around. Her warriors, who were unsuccessful in warding off the descending bodies, were more than ten feet away. Even if she opened the door, the mob would follow the Furys in, and Ashburn would have no place to run.

“Go! Go!” Lucienne shoved Ashburn’s parents to the side of the house, out of the mob’s way.

She now faced the thickest line of the crowd and became the only obstacle on their path toward Ashburn.

They crushed against her, ramming her away.

Lucienne staggered, struggling not to be stamped by the mob.

Ashburn called her name amid the noises, hands reaching for her, but the crowd separated them further, and the vultures instantly fell on him.

“They’re going to tear him apart!” Violet screamed. “I said blessing, not tearing!”

All because of your big mouth! Lucienne thought furiously.

She pushed a big man out of the way. Taking advantage of the momentum and the space she gained, Lucienne used him and another man as a hoist to leap up.

In a second, she landed on the fellow’s shoulders, ignoring his fierce protest. Lucienne pulled out her Armatix pistol and shot into the air.

Another shot hit the side window of the Fury house where the prince stood watching in fascination. The prince jumped back with a yelp.

The sounds of the shots and the shattering glass got the mob’s attention.

Seizing that second when the crowd froze in motion, Lucienne shouted, “Back off! Or I’ll blow your brains out!” and trudged on top of their heads toward Ashburn, her whip slashing the hands that tried to grab her or throw her.

Amid the curses, Lucienne reached Ashburn’s side, whipping anyone still grabbing at Ashburn. “I’ll turn your blessing into a nightmare if you don’t leave him alone!”

Cursing furiously, the mob started to scatter, stomping on each other in the process.

Ashburn shoved off two middle-aged women.

Though his clothes were torn, Ashburn didn’t seem injured.

Lucienne also noticed the absence of the black electricity at his fingertips.

He’s kind and disciplined. But Lucienne believed he’d definitely fry the mob if his parents were in danger.

After Lucienne cleared the path for Ashburn, she spotted King Henry huddled with his guards on the clearing where the crowd was thin. She snapped her whip at the king. “Order your people to leave the Fury house. Anger the gods and they will take away the light again. ”

“Leave the Fury house. All of you!” the king yelled. “Leave! Now!”

The guards shouted, “The king has spoken. All who stay will be put in the dungeon!”

The frenzy had departed the crowd, and they moved away from the Fury house, carrying their wounded with them.

Kian’s men helped the trembling Peder and Clement up. Peder’s hand was bleeding; Clement had some bruises on her cheeks.

Ashburn ran to his parents’ side, shaking in fury. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t protect you well.”

Peder and Clement looked only relieved to see their son unharmed.

Kian looked Lucienne over. She gestured that she was all right. He then turned to Ashburn. “My medics are on the way. They’ll tend to your parents.”

As Ashburn looked for Violet, she ran toward him.

“Are you all right?” he asked her.

Violet nodded. “I tried to come to you, but I couldn’t get to you in time. Everyone went mad. Did those barbarians hurt you?”

Ashburn shook his head and said darkly. “They injured my father’s hand. My mother has some bruises, too.” Then he darted his eyes toward Lucienne. “You’re hurt.” There was unmistakable concern in his voice.

“I’m fine,” Lucienne said. “But thank you.”

“You’re not fine. There’s blood on your pants,” Ashburn said. “You need to get checked, too.”

“That’s not my blood,” Lucienne said.

“What about the scratches on your left shoulder?” Ashburn asked.

She did feel slight burning there, but how did he know? Her collar covered it.

“Lucienne?” Kian asked anxiously, walking toward her.

“Just some scratches, Kian. ”

“They’re not just some scratches,” Kian said. “They could become infected.” He pulled out his radio and ordered the medics to speed up.

“You’re worse than Vladimir.” Lucienne shook her head, remembering when Vladimir had a gash above his eyebrow and Kian said, “A small wound is nothing for a warrior.”

Then she saw a strange light flickering in Ashburn’s eyes as he heard her mention Vladimir. She held his gaze for a moment and pulled hers away before the heat burned the fuse.

Violet watched, her green eyes turning the shade of a dark, menacing forest.

Prince Felix opened the door and sauntered out of the Fury house, stretching his limbs and yawning. “It’s a shame I missed all the excitement.”

“You’re a piece of work, prince,” Lucienne said.

“Back at you, Queen Lucienne.” Prince Felix smirked, then cringed, probably recalling how she had humiliated him, but then he grinned again.

“I’d have opened the door for you if you weren’t with Ashburn the Extra.

” He looked at her boldly. “In fact, I’d do just about anything for you.

You’re the most fine-looking girl I’ve ever seen. ”

Vladimir would beat the crap out of this brat if he were here, Lucienne thought, but she didn’t want to bother with the prince right now. She turned away from the blond boy, only to find Ashburn glaring at the psychopath. A dark storm rolled inside Ashburn’s eyes.

Lucienne had seen what the Eye of Time could do.

She didn’t want Ashburn’s anger running wild, at least not yet.

She laid a hand on his arm above his wrist. As their skin touched, a delicious feeling buzzed through Lucienne’s body.

To her, his skin was like honey to a bee.

Light swam in Lucienne’s champagne colored eyes, and she let the sensation rock her.

Ashburn’s full attention snapped to her, a raptured expression rippling across his unearthly gorgeous face.

“Necisenous,” he whispered, his fingers curved around hers.

‘Necisenous’ must be part of their native tongue, and it sounded like music in Lucienne’s ears. Her half-shut eyes widened a little, moving onto Ashburn’s soft, sculptured lips.

“No, Ash!” Violet lunged, catching Ashburn’s hand, her other hand brushing Lucienne from his arm. “Don’t you see, Ash?” Violet pleaded. “She’s trying to bewitch you. She’s not your darling!”

So ‘necisenous’ meant darling in the Nirvana tongue.

Her face flaming, Lucienne said, “I was only trying to tell Ashburn the medics are tending to his parents.”

“Thank you, Queen Lucienne. I’ll be with them,” Ashburn said politely and moved toward his parents, away from Lucienne.

The prince glared at Ashburn’s departing figure. “Be careful, Queen Lucienne. Ashburn the Extra is more deceptive, dangerous, and vicious than he appears. I’m speaking from personal experience.”

“Whatever,” Lucienne said in a suddenly dark tone. She headed toward Kian, wanting to be among her own people.

King Henry followed her. “The gods’ light has come back. Where’s the gods’ token?”

“The gods’ token isn’t supposed to be seen by mortals,” Lucienne said. “The lights have come back, which means the gods’ token has been returned to the gods.”

“How?” the king asked.

“The gods’ affairs aren’t for mortals to know either,” Lucienne said. “Just enjoy the benefits.”

“Then when are you going back to your land? Your mission is accomplished, Queen Lucienne. Your people need you at home. Your land can’t be without its queen.”

“My land and my people are fine,” Lucienne said. “As for when I should leave Nirvana, only the gods can decide. Now, we should both leave the Furys in peace.”

After the king and his guards left, Kian ordered two commandos to guard the Fury house. Lucienne and the rest of the warriors returned to their encampment in Hell Gate.

“What’s going on between you and the Fury kid?” Kian asked when they were alone in her tent.

“Is it that obvious?” Lucienne sighed.

“You’re not yourself when you get close to him.”

“I don’t know.” Frustration edged Lucienne’s voice.

“He activated the Eye of Time, and he inherited some of its power. Somehow, my body responds to him or the power in him. I guess it’s this damn Siren thing.

” The irony was, she realized, she wasn’t the Siren, but the power was, and it sang to entrap her.

“Did he use the power to compel you?” Kian’s voice turned hard.

“I don’t think either of us have that kind of capability over each other.”

“What can I do to help?”

“Nothing, until we figure it out. We have to stop this . . . thing.”

“We’ll stop it.” Glancing at Lucienne, Kian added, “And don’t worry about Blazek. He’ll have to suck it up.