na's

w seemed to scald my skin. My body hurt

breath I took reminded me of how weak I was, how powerless I would always be. My throat pulsed in pain with ev

aren

aughter that had haunted me as I had crawled on my knees in supplication. I clutched at my che

mised to destroy them all. But now, I coul

pack gone-everything I'd ever known, ripped from me. I should have die

ead, it

ass-cutting eyes, and his overwhelming aura seem

a

winced, grasping at my neck. The very thought was impossible. It had to be. Marcus, the only mat

ched m

a way to get this settled, get back at whatever had done this to Mom and Dad

at I tried to hold off, shoving my face against the

the overwhelming wave of grief, tha

the haze and I turned my h

ection, he was something that ought to be relegated to the shadows. sharp

e way he was standing now-reluctant, a

his voice low eve

His gaze flickered to my throat, and I saw something shift

self," he said,

and he froze, working hi

to hurt you,"

hat escaped me, I

my heart-regarding me. "You have been through hell," he said, in a q

a

was not laughable. What was I to be safe

it," he said, his eyes locking onto mine. "I'll pro

e eyes stirred an ember in me, o

ast thing in the world

with a tenderness that sent a shiver down my spine. "

less as his lips came int

tuttered i

this? Why did he

y, jerking back to see me. "I really can't

out a small notebook and pen, holding

the pen felt foreign in my grasp

yes scanning the page. "Alina," he said, the word lo

in his mouth caught m

a tray on the bedside table. "You need to eat,

gry, but he was already reaching

, holding the s

an answer. So I took a small sip, the heat of the soup feeling strange on

he anger gone, his

head, full. He didn't press it, instea

lly, eyes intense. "You'll be safe

ice lay something-quiet resoluti

g came out. In, caving in-my chest wei

'll fix this," he whispered. "You will

ere chipping at me. After everything that had bee

he asked suddenly, his eyes sha

ng heavy in the

s struggled to explain, an

htly in them. "You don't have to worry," he growled low, "

spine because of the in

ing man who'd somehow morphed into my protector.

what felt like an et