Secretly Glorious: The Wife With A Thousand Masks

as completel

e bullets, while waves battered the rocks

y whittled a piece of wood with a dagger. Water stre

ong years since she'd lost a

ng in on the truth behind her mother's death and her own kidnapping-the very p

d surv

had

aving her washed ashore o

then. No sign of life. Not a

ging, and the raw strength to begin building a makeshift raft. She

g muscles, her gaze caught a dar

st tigh

cautiously-an

thly pale. A gaping wound at his waist leaked dark blood

ithout hesitation, she grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged his d

n ventured back out into the po

ured as she crushed the herbs against

is shirt. A quick glance confirmed her fears: th

eck his pulse, but an icy hand s

are

y a rasp, but his g

And if you don't let go of me right now, I'm going to have to

hing. His eyes slid to the

for? Take off your shi

gain, but he batt

l do

le's lips. The man slowly unbuttoned his soaked shirt, h

finally fell awa

full display-a perfect eight-pack, complete with a shar

s body was prac

flushing slightly as she pres

d, his deep voice entir

bs. They'll sto

re a

, Arielle looked up at him, exa

ink I'd have been stuck here for se

doctor to speak to a p

ous. "Is that how a dying man speaks

cked, sharp an

e inso

ou're

r the cave, thic

sting flickering shadows over two wa

Arielle r

guing with a half-dead man. She stra

g to get even colder tonight, so I ne

of the cave, but the man's de

ey

. "If I don't get this fire going, we

hesitated, then final

her eyes and go

re was only one way to

grueling effort, a tiny emb

nto the cave, snuffing out the fr

e man sai

apped, thorough

oed against the stone floor. Arielle looke

uh

avy silence passed.

re you messi

ed his eyes, a faint, mocki

heavy and

opposite sides

night, low groans j

face was deathly pale and slick with sweat. H

ot... are

shoulder, but

d her palm against his fo

d was in

n enough to fix this. But out here?

thing she could think of: she stripped off h

ened, his cracked lips murmu

ser to the fire, bu

n it

shirt, pressed herself against his bare chest, and wrap

etting him die. Saving a life was good karma. Maybe God wou

rifted back to

inging her home actually wanted her de

the one behind it, she

the stranger, Arielle finally succ

ere echoing outside the

prang

le?

an's jacket had been dr

n himself

back on, she crept cautious

em? The ones who

y didn't wast

the sight before her fr

suits stood at attention. Further down the b

king respectfully to

t, the man tu

elle saw his face clear

ownright intimidating. His deathly pallor had faded. H

overed

she b

ession completely impass

use

ife. I can gran

ed at him, d

Not even a '

o stare at her in sheer astonishment, a

o much as twitch. "You will r

, but forced herse

never going to make

eth, she blurted o

flickered with

t's

ant? I just want off

e an absolute idiot, then turned on his

he aircraft was flyi

asked, gesturing to th

yes," Ariel

ldhood, but she had done her ho

once belonged

dn't bothered to look for her during her e

wn," the ma

nodded imm

away,