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“Snuggle up to Sir Martin until I come back.”

“What if I fall asleep before then? You’ll leave and go back to your own tent.”

“You’re getting spoiled.” I frowned down at her. “But if that’s what you want, I’ll stay. Even if you’re asleep.”

“Promise?”

“Promise, angel.”

#

Gemma

I woke up when Kerry unzipped the tent opening and came in with an armload of cloth. It took me a second to realize it was his sleeping bag.

“Hey, you,” I said on a yawn.

“I had a thought.” He spread his sleeping bag out next to mine. “You’re the strongest healer anyone has ever seen and Travis is a walking, talking research library. Between the two of you, maybe you could come up with a way to free Clem’s Amanda.”

I turned it over in my tired brain while he slid into his sleeping bag and wiggled around to get comfortable.

“We could kill her by mistake,” I said at last.

“What difference would it make? Kill her or free her, either would be a mercy. For both of them.”

It was harsh, the way he’d said it, but I knew it was true.

“I suppose you’re right. Kerry?” I was determined to ask him this time. “The shadow prince. The avatar. What did he do to you?”

“Don’t worry about it,” he muttered.

“That bad, huh?”

“If I told you, you would cry and that would upset me. Then neither of us would get any rest tonight. You ’specially need to sleep. We’re relying on you to keep Jax alive.”

“Kerry—”

“Listen, you don’t need to burden yourself with every little thing that’s ever happened to me,” he grumbled. “Those memories are my weight to carry. But if it bothers you that much, one day I’ll strip down to my shorts and you can ask me about any scar you want and I’ll tell you everything. You’ve already seen most of them anyway.”

“You would do that for me?” I was awed by his offer.

“Like I said, you’re getting spoiled. But it’s too cold tonight and you’re exhausted.”

“And who’s the one spoiling me?” I purred.

“Hush up and go to sleep.”

“Kerry?”

“Yeah?”

He sounded wary and I held back a mischievous grin.

“You really shouldn’t give in to me so much.”

“Just go to sleep already!” he growled over my giggles.

13. A Traitor?

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