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Kalon raised his baton and moved toward Vale, but three southern soldiers blocked his path. Liv stepped forward.

The guard at Vale’s throat sneered. “Stay back, sweetheart.”

Rage warmed the bond before pink light rolled across her skin. “I’m tired,” she said, voice shaking, “of men using pet names because they think I’ll shrink into them.”

His eyes dropped to her mouth, and that was a mistake he would never forget. Her aura slipped across the lobby, warm and sweet, pressure entering the blood. Men faltered mid-fight. The guard holding Vale blinked. His knife lowered a fraction.

Liv smiled through her fear. “Move the knife away from his throat.” The compulsion struck. Silver wards flashed at the guard’s cuffs while he fought her command.

Vale’s good eye shifted toward me. He understood before anyone else. His bleeding hand found the cufflinks and twisted. He tore one free, then went for the other.

Liv’s command slid through the gap.

The knife moved away, and Kalon broke through the final soldier and caught Vale before he hit the marble.

Vale got to his feet with Kalon’s help and turned toward a guard. “You are going to undo whatever system change Scarn made to lock me out.” Kalon raised his baton threateningly.

The guard threw his hands up. “Listen, I barely have access to the system, and I didn’t really sign up for all this.”

“I was tied to furniture and used as a key.” Vale brought their faces together. “We’re all having a bad day. Now do it before I make you think the entire continent is trying to hunt you down and wear your skin.”

Liv blinked at him. “You’re terrifying.”

“Thank you.” He gave his best PR smile through a split lip and bloody teeth.

Liv was still beside me.

For once, victory felt less important than who survived it. Liv’s hand found mine. The contact cut through the noise in my head immediately. “You would have given them all up for me,” she said.

There was no accusation in her voice, which made the truth worse.

“In an instant.”

Her fingers stiffened. “You don’t get to do that again.”

“I will if it saves your life. Every time, I will choose you.”

“I mean it, Lux. You don’t get to turn me into the reason everyone else dies.”

“Then help me save them,” I said.

Her eyes lifted to mine. The Hound curled over us. I opened my hand and let her decide whether to keep holding it. She laced her fingers through mine.

“Beside you,” she said.

“Beside me.”

Liv’s fingers caught the torn front of my shirt and pulled me down.

The kiss was smaller than the one below. Quieter. No chains or silver collar, though the lobby still offered blood, broken glass, and a burning flag. Apparently romance required ambience.

Her mouth moved against mine with careful anger. She fed me a single thread of power through the bond, enough to calm the tremor in my hands. Enough to tell me she noticed every place I hurt even while she had every right to leave me hurting.

I kept one arm around her waist and let the other hand rest open at her back, waiting instead of taking. She pulled away first.

“I love you,” she whispered, eyes wet and furious. “Which is a horrible development, and you’re still in trouble.”

Chapter 31