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sitting quietly between Che and Eli. His light blue eyes hadn t left her since she d
entered the room.
Are you all right? Skylar surprised herself by asking Jax directly through telepathy.
She d been inadvertently worried about him ever since Bale and Ainge had met them at
the docks. In the car ride on the way home, Jax had sat in the front seat while Bale
drove. No one had spoken. Skylar had seen the way Ainge sadly avoided Jax s eyes,
and the way Jax had accepted it without question.
When they d exited the elevators, Sherry had greeted her with a hearty hug. Skylar
noticed with half attention that Ainge gave Sherry a smile that reached all the way to
his dark eyes, chasing away some of the sadness about Jax. Ainge had stroked Sherry
quickly on the shoulder with what appeared to be a very corporeal caress.
Well, here was a bit of news since she d been gone.
She couldn t help but be reminded of Duse presently as Jax s eyes held hers steadily
from across the room. I m all right, Skylar. Don t worry. I don t think they re going to kill me,
which is what you seem most concerned about.
Skylar s focus intensified on Jax. She scowled. Did she actually sense a note of
gentle amusement in her brother-in-law s voice? How could he be joking in these
circumstances? Her eyes flicked uncertainly around the group of men who watched her.
Skylar took a step backwards. Suddenly, the terrifying feeling that she d had when she
realized Duse was coldly going to kill Rolland Ockley hit her awareness. These men
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were so beautiful, so kind. But Skylar clearly felt their inhumanity at that moment. She
would have called it alien-like if Duse hadn t clearly corrected her once. She was not a
weak woman, but she was suddenly frightened down to the marrow in her bones by
their eerie, watchful presence. Still, she forced herself to hold her ground.
She glanced at Bale. I assume that you ll take my testimony into account about
Jax, she said determinedly.
Of course, Skylar. We ll definitely ask you about what happened. How couldn t
we? But now, you should rest. You look exhausted. Jax has told us about your illness on
the boat.
Bale noticed Zep s, Os and Paim s alertness leap up in magnitude at Skylar s
behavior. Every Watcher present had been apprised of the information that Jax was as
likely a candidate for Skylar as a mate as Duse. Bale knew that Skylar s concern for Jax
was nothing more than that of a sister s for a brother. But her timing as they discussed
matters seemed highly unfortunate. His normal powers of diplomacy seemed strangely
absent in his anxiety for his brothers.
And by the Fathers, had Skylar and Jax just been having a telepathic shielded
conversation? Bale wondered. He prayed that no one present had caught wind of that
besides himself.
Batos sensed the discomfort of the situation and Bale s temporary loss of royal
manners. Skylar, when King Ammadon told you that you were one of the most
revered members of our number at your Second Change Ceremony, he spoke only the
truth. Please believe me that we would grant no sentence at these proceedings without
your involvement.
The room was silent as they listened respectfully to Batos. Before Skylar had a
chance to fully absorb them, Jax spoke. You miss the point, Batos. To Skylar s
surprise, Jax stood to face her. He still seemed young in comparison to the rest of them.
But an obvious change had been wrought deeply into his spirit. He seemed calm,
graceful, almost haloed in his suffering and a newfound acceptance of his fate. Skylar,
I ll be the first to inform Duse how urgently you need him if he should attend us before
he comes to you. Having been the only one to experience your pain during his absence,
I would be the first, even if I be the one to argue most heartily against Bale, to say that
you are his priority when he returns. Jax gave a small smile into her eyes. Trust me, it
will be so.
The rest of Jax s communication was private. But I also know that you haven t slept or
eaten for the past forty-eight hours, and that you ve thrown up almost every thimble of water
that you ve drunk in as much time. You should be concerned for your child, Skylar. Not me. Or
Rolland Ockley, either, Jax stated dryly. And Skylar, please rest comfortably. Duse is okay. I
can sense him better than anyone here, due to the circumstances. He s just seeing to Ockley,
that s all.
Skylar breathed in raggedly. Her eyes skittered uncomfortably away from Jax.
Nobody else seemed aware of the personal communication.
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Her voice sounded vulnerable and shaky before she turned to open the mahogany
doors. Just tell Duse I m waiting for him, Skylar told Bale before she left the room.
Skylar met Sherry and Ainge in the kitchen. Sherry took one look at Skylar
Ammadon s pallor and got up to put on water for tea. Skylar sat at the kitchen island
with Ainge while Sherry and he filled her in on how their search for her had finally
panned out when they reached the Monroe Street Harbor. Yeah, we talked to this
woman and her husband who were getting ready to take out a dinghy to their boat.
And I ll be damned if Sherry wasn t right about the shoes! Ainge said with a proud
look at Sherry.
Ah, well. They probably would have noticed Skylar and Rolland anyway, Sherry
said modestly as she got down a cup for Skylar. The woman said you were pretty
unsteady on your feet. They just thought you d had too much to drink, or something,
the way Ockley was practically holding you up as you went down the dock.
Yeah, Sher, but we couldn t have been sure it was her without the lady giving a
hundred percent positive identification of the shoes. They said your head was down,
Skylar, and that your face was covered by your hair. And Sherry, you were right about
Ockley trying to hide her dress, too, Ainge reminded her. He turned back to Skylar.
He d put his suit jacket around you.
Why do you keep talking about my shoes? Skylar asked, mystified.
Between the two of them, Ainge and Sherry filled her in about Sherry s theory.
Skylar listened, smiling for the first time since she d come home. She sipped at her tea
and watched them. They were a cute couple. How much had Ainge told Sherry about
being a Watcher? How much was he even allowed to reveal, according to the laws, or
perhaps more importantly, Duse s preferences?
Skylar did a double take when the kitchen door swung open and Duse walked in
almost casually. Somebody told me that my wife was looking for me, he said.
Skylar called out his name and launched herself into his waiting arms. A moment of
silence ensued as Duse and Skylar hugged, touched and kissed, unconsciously
attempting to reestablish the severed links between them. Finally, Duse looked up and
acknowledged Sherry and Ainge. His hand delved into Skylar s hair in his characteristic
gesture, as much a habit as a means of reassurance for him of his mate s safety at that
moment.
So I guess Sherry was telling you about how she figured out which harbor Ockley
took you out of, which led to the police s eventual identification of Ockley s yacht?
Did they get Ockley, Duse? Sherry asked intently.
Duse nodded. Yep. He s locked up tight, at least for tonight. His hand slid across
Skylar s waist and hip. The police would want to talk with her in the morning. In the
meantime, Duse figured that the cocaine and the guns were enough to keep Ockley
from roaming free for a while. Duse didn t know how long his forced cooperation
would last for, but Ockley had been pretty quiet and sullen when the police finally
boarded the yacht. Briefly, he pressed Skylar close to him again and put his cheek
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against her soft hair. She must have showered when she got home. He could smell the
fragrant shampoo that she used. Duse had sensed none of Skylar s earlier fear in regard
to him. He d only felt her intense relief and love when he entered the kitchen. Still, the
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