lia's

mbs in a particularly violent fairy tale. A Ming vase lay in pieces near the library door. Claw

osure that suggested she was one broken antique away from a ner

to be the blue drawing room, listening

rate using only his claws. I'm thinking mea

thing expensive mee

unning a hand through his hair. "The pack healers c

oulders back and reache

ve years to get over being intimidat

omewhere near her hairline. "

am, tha

andle and step

rniture was overturned, paintings hung askew, and in the centre of it all stood the man who'd once

in all his tragic

ed. He was still devastatingly handsome in that aristocra

diculous cheekbones that belonged in a renaissance paint

hung lank around his face. Most concerning of all, his eyes – those startling green eyes that had once

moment, I thought he might actually shift

ough as gravel. "Absol

ng the door firmly behind me. "You look terribl

ly unwelcome hallucination. Which, to b

se." I picked my way carefully through the destruction,

e as much as his human side. "When did you last sleep? Prope

one of you

had somehow survived his redecorating efforts,

ers are useless, and I'm apparently your last hope. That sou

held no humour whatsoever.

called wo

ckage of the room, five years of silen

him. Weakness, maybe, or the knowledge that sudden movement

have come," h

why don't you tell me what's actually wrong w

might have been a smile if you were

. Interesting. "Whatever happened between us, whatever you think of me, I'm

nk I can help. So let me help, or l

he repeated, as if the

I make mugs now. Lots of mugs

heer impossibility of the situation, his lips twitched. Just

le jokes and brought me flowers he

rt so thoroughly I'd had to

nto the chair across from me with a careful movement. "It'

o might want to curse your bloodline? Because I have to say, the list of

Lysander. Arrogant, commanding, absolutely convinc

"I'd have done it five years ago. And it would h

loaded with memories neither

gain, his voice bar

ntly. And according to the pack seers, you'r