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I turned toward him. “What was down there, Alaric?”
His jaw tightened. “Nyssa—”
“No.” My voice surprised me. Not loud or angry…just finished. “Answer me.”
His eyes closed. Only for a second. When they opened, I saw the answer already there. He just wouldn’t give it to me. Something inside me went very still.
“Did you have Knox remove it?”
His face changed.
That was enough.
Still, I waited.
I needed the word.
Needed him to give me this one fucking thing.
His throat moved. “Yes.’
There it was.
One word.
Not a lie.
Somehow that made it worse.
I nodded.
Slowly.
“You knew.”
He frowned. “Knew what?”
“That I might look.”
“No.”
“Then why now?’
Silence.
“Why empty it now?”
HIs gaze moved toward the opening in the floor. Then back to me. “Because it wasn’t safe.”
A laugh almost escaped me but it died somewhere in my chest. “For who?”
His expression hardened. “You.”
Of course.
Always me.
Always protection.
