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“Who’s co?”

“The Royals”

A secretive smile played at the witch’s lips, and no wonder The Shadow Royals were the elite rulers of the ical realm that, within French borders, was called the Haute—?and they had never dined at the Rue des Amants townhouse It had only ever hosted the occasional Goblin tea party, the guests with their dusty top hats and garish makeup, even on the men (Especially

on the ht look perfectly human, save the almost imperceptible point of their ears, but they were just as likely to gnaw on the table as on Anouk’s fruit tarts

She’d need to order better wine

“How many?” she asked

“Six all together,” Mada Vittora said, unpinning her hat “Now, be a dear and fetch us so, he’s had a devil of a day We’ll take it in the salon And here Put this away Carefully”

She handed Anouk her bag, parting with it as though lending a treasured book Today it was a black Her gold hardware Yesterday the sa had been a crystal-studded clutch The day before that, a crocodile Gadino The witch’s oubliette: Mercurial and ically vast, it held the deepest of secrets

Viggo strode into the hall next, tossing his hat to Anouk without a glance, but Hunter Black paused long enough to look her up and doith those dark eyes that always made her anxious

“You’ve never worn that necklace before,” he said