Page 91 of Rule

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Court

Bran was silent when I led him into the livingroom. He stared at the fire as I stood near the window. For weeks now, we hadbeen calling Evelyn our sadora and wrapping our tails around her waist, the petname and the gesture both something Draax only did with their mates, butneither of us would admit our love for her.

I would no longer deny it. I couldn’t denyit. “I love Evelyn.”

I waited for him to call me a fool, to remindme again that she belonged to the king, but his shoulders slumped, and I feltthe weight of his sigh from across the room. “I love her too.”

“I will not give her up to the king,” Isaid.

“We have no choice.” Bran continued to stareinto the fire.

“When the storm ends, I could take Evelynand leave. We could stay hidden. You can tell the king that we fell in loveand that you tried to stop me, but we would not listen. Once the king gives upon finding Evelyn and brings in another human female for his queen, we willreturn to you and Bella.”

Bran turned to face me. “It is notpossible, Court. Even if the king finds a new queen, you and Evelyn wouldstill be punished for what you did. You would most likely lose your head, andEvelyn would go to the earth prisons for breaking her contract. You would neverbe able to return home, and you would always be on the run.”

“It is better than living without her,” Isaid as panic ran rampant through my veins.

“We cannot do that to Bella or Evelyn. Bellawould miss you terribly, and Evelyn…”

He took another deep breath. “Our sadora’slife has been one of pain and hardship and I will not do that to her again. Shedeserves to be queen, Court. She deserves to be cherished and spoiled and livea life free of fear.”

“Even if that means being apart from us?”I said.

“Yes,” Bran’s voice was low but firm. “Wemust give her up, no matter how much we love her.”

“You love me?”

We both turned at the sound of Evelyn’s softvoice. She was standing in the doorway, and Bran gave her a guilty look. “Whereis Bella?”

“In the kitchen eating lunch.” She crossedher arms over her torso. “Do you both love me?”

Bran didn’t reply but I could not deny mysadora anything she asked. “Yes,” I said. “We love you, Evelyn.”

“I love you too,” she whispered before startingto cry.

Bran and I reached her at the same time. Wecrowded around her, hugging her between us and taking turns pressing kissesagainst her soft mouth.

“I love you, Court,” she said.

“I love you, sadora,” I replied.

She kissed me and turned to Bran. “I loveyou, Bran.”

“I love you, Evie,” he said.

She kissed him but she was crying, and werubbed the tears away from her cheeks.

“Do not cry, sadora, please,” Bran pleaded.

“We can’t be together,” Evelyn said. “I loveyou and in a few days time, I’ll never see you again.”

I glanced at Bran and he shook his head, butI forged ahead anyway. “Evie, you and I could leave when the storm ends. We couldhide and -”

“No,” Evelyn said. “You and Bran and Bellaare a family and I won’t break you up like that or do anything that would putany of you in danger.”

“You are a part of our family too,” I said.“Is that not true, Bran?”

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