enne

est Wing Pavilion w

y left cheek-spattered there when Benjamin took the knife for

to howl. Sleet hammered the glass. In weathe

n and went into t

edar needles, wild rosemary, and mountain salt. That combination killed t

ableware from the dining room and repl

act I had prepared in advance, mixed with wild clover honey. That stuff in the catnip was a natural sedative

of iced sparkling drin

, the biometric lock on

black wool coat to the guard. He wore only a dark charcoal silk shirt, his left forearm wrapped in fresh band

a warm towel. "Welcome home, Alp

towel, but his boots follow

His gaze swept the table, found not a singl

him, cut it into bite-sized pieces with a bl

his fork an

ugh chewing,

a warmth traveled from his stomach out to his limbs. The pers

ch faster. The tight lines aro

glass. "Honey-mint drink, Alph

ipped down his throat and quietly loosened the string

t suspect

as if trying to recognize something. I lowered my eyes and stepped back to the table t

on't let anyone wan

is stiff ba

ght, the blizzard

t barefoot, and walked to the master suite. Throug

, drenched in cold sweat, caug

e door open

The bandage on his left arm was stained with fresh black

d dipped my fingers into a jar of co

burning skin around his wound, his wh

t. That scarred right hand clamped onto my

is voice was hoarse

and back. My other hand rested gently against his forehead

d salve spread through his nostrils, and his fingers slowly

stronger. I knew perfectl