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who she had been before this, he would not
love her any less.
Aelin dunked her head, and when she
emerged, she said, “Maeve was about to put a
Valg collar around my neck. She left to
retrieve it.” The scent of her lingering fear
drifted toward him, and Rowan lurched a step
closer to the water’s edge. “It’s why I—why I
got away. She had me moved to the army
camp for safekeeping, and I ...” Her voice
stalled, yet she met his stare. Let him read the
words she could not say, in that silent way
they’d always been able to communicate.
Escape wasn’t my intention.
“No, Fireheart,” he breathed, shaking his
head, horror creeping over him. “There ...
there was no collar.”
She blinked, head angling. “That was a
dream, too?”
His heart cracked as he struggled for the