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Page 287
knew in his heart that she plotted nothing against him. But her sanity . . . ? He surely could not accept that she told the truth.
Could he?
"You believe me?" she insisted in her weak voice. She tried to rise, and he pushed her gently back to the bed. Through the sleeves of his shirt, she felt hot. Had she a fever already? He touched her brow. It was warm but not unduly so. She wriggled under his touch as though struggling to rise once more.
"I believe you," he lied.
She grew calmed immediately, closing her eyes. Her long lashes, the shade of honey, rested on the soft rise of her cheeks. Despite his myriad conflicting emotions, he could not resist; he stroked his thumb gently across her cheek.
Her eyes fluttered open once more. "You will be careful," she said. "Of Will. He would not speak" Her words faded.
"Don't try to talk," Thorn said.
But she did not obey now any more than she ever had. "He is the one. He hates you. He did not say why." She drew in a deep breath, and her lips pursed as though she were in pain.
"Enough, Mariah." He was becoming alarmed. She was using all her energy to talk to him rather than saving it to allow her body to healif it would.
"Promise." He could barely hear the word.
"Hush."
"Promise," she insisted.
"What, Mariah?" He had, perhaps, to humor her before she would remain quiet.
"Promise you will not . . . " Again her voice faded, but then she began again, "You will not duel with him."
He wanted to promise, if it would calm her, but it would be a lie. He could not know if he would fight Will. If the foolish boy challenged him, he might have no choice. "Mariah, II'll talk to him. Calm him. Try to convince him not to fight with me."
Her soft green eyes seemed to focus on him for the first

 
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