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Chapters (86)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Booklist
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“Your memory would be an added bonus, but it’s not the only goal.” Rune looked out the stained-glass window toward the hill above Gothic. “It will help you recover yourself.”

“That makes sense. With no memory, I feel like a jigsaw puzzle that got dumped out of the box with pieces missing.” Elle inched her chair back, groaning at the stiffness in her joints. “That makes me frantic.”

Adam stood and leaned over her. “I have a suggestion of my own. After you’ve recovered more, the bruising fades and your pain has eased, I’d like you to take self-defense from Bendy Wendy.”

“Bendy Wendy?” Elle grinned at him. “Really?”

“Wendy is Gothic’s yoga instructor, physical trainer and self-defense artist.”

“You can teach me self-defense,” Elle said. “I know you can.”

“You heard what Rune said about not trusting men.”

“I trust you!”

“You have trust issues, well justified, and you’re not going to learn as well from me or any other man as you would from a woman.” Adam looked into her eyes, and he projected warmth and comfort. “I’ve taken Wendy’s classes myself. She’s an excellent teacher.”

“Journaling. Self-defense. Both of those are good choices, paths that can lead you from fear and back to who you really are.” Rune half turned from the window. “If all goes well, we can return to the process tomorrow and—”

The window shattered.

Glass flew across the room.

Rune screamed, spun and fell.

As if swatted by a giant unseen hand, Adam flipped sideways onto the table, then landed on the floor with a thump. He shouted, “Gunshot! Drop! Drop!”

31

ELLE DOVE UNDER THE TABLE. Her hip, joints and neck screamed for her careless disregard, and for a brief moment, she doubled over, holding her ribs, light-headed with pain.

Rune slid under the table like a runner going for home base, jostling her and hurting her more. Black spots danced in her vision, and she found herself leaning on Adam. When she caught her breath and focused, she saw red.

Blood speckled Rune’s face.

It oozed from Adam’s upper arm.

Rune had been struck by flying glass; Adam had been struck by the bullet.

Elle reached for Adam. “You’re shot!”

He craned his neck to see. “It’s not bad.”

“You mean it’s not life-threatening.”

He pulled away. “In the world of gunshot wounds, that’s a vital distinction. More importantly, are we safe? Are we out of sight?”

Rune shoved the table, blocking any view through the window. “Yes. Yes!”

“Adam, let me see your arm.”

Adam rolled up his sleeve and held still for Elle.

Rune glanced at Adam’s wound and turned subsequently lighter shades of pale. “Elle, you need to cover that. He’ll bleed to death!”

“No, he won’t.” Elle could breathe. Blood was flowing, but it looked like no more than a long scratch.