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He gestured toward the extra cup of café au lait in front of hi for you"
She scoffed at his generosity "No offense, but I’d rather order for myself Only a fool partakes of what Death has to offer, and hed out loud "You don’t trust " She motioned a nets
As the waiter left, Zarelda glanced around the crowded coffee shop to the sugar-laden chairs that showed a bit of wear and the tables that were streith even e area they were seated in was covered with a green-and-white-striped awning, it was still open and exposed to the ele of the birds that hopped between hu for scraps
She arched a brow at Griined you frequenting, given your fear of germs and dirt Not to mention your aversion to people who breathe"
He pulled a large container of Purell out of his pocket and set it down next to her "Best invention since toilet paper Except for the fact that it cuts down on the unseen things that can kill humans … that part sucks forit While it may not save my life, it does wonders for my sanity … such as it is"
And now that she noticed it, Grim had the entire tabletop covered hite paper napkins until there wasn’t a bit of it showing "I find it so odd that Death is a potent gered "Only because I kno many people die every year from bacterial infections caused by undercooked food and a lack of basic hygiene"
"But you’re immortal"
He curled his lip "No excuse for nastiness I may be immune, but I still have no desire to touch hu to ingest"
I aument Death was emphatic about the subject
Crazy, but e? Better, I trust"
"Your little trick with the girlfriend was just e needed to push hiratulate you on that"
"It pays to know people and nonpeople I was very lucky to track down the nugget of her origin and nature of her assignht be a probleh If she hasn’t killed him yet--"
"I wouldn’t worry about her She’s weak and stupidly sympathetic to our Malachai Most likely, she won’t kill hi about her Nick is the one we need control of Fast"
"And I will deliver him to you" She paused as the waiter returned with her order and she paid for her food Picking up the plain white coffee , she narrowed her eyes on Griain is still in place and that you don’t have a nasty surprise waiting for me You can and will free my brother, correct?"
"Absolutely I’ve already been in touch with the necessary party, who says while she’s not thrilled about it, she isn’t opposed to the possibility You turn Nick to our cause and Zavid will be freed, I pro lied to or tricked, Zarelda glanced away as a wave of guilt consuo, Zavid had taken her place in a hellhole to keep her safe She didn’t even want to think about what he’d been through there If he’d be the saed people…
One dreadful bargain that had been made out of fear
And both their lives had been forever ruined, and all because she hadn’t paid attention to the small print Hadn’t looked ahead to see all the repercussions of her selfish desires
Gods, how she wished she’d been the one to suffer for it She should never have agreed to let Zavid be so selfless In retrospect, it would have been much easier to endure his prison herself than to knoas being tortured because of her stupidity, and his love and protection of her that had made hiet hi, she finally had a way to do it
Provided Gri as the last vicious creature she’d bargained with
Never trust a jealous goddess, especially not where ayour new body?" Griain after all this ti her drink of coffee, she wrinkled her nose at the bitter taste She reached for the sugar "It took a little getting used to and it chafes a bit But I think I’ve adjusted to it" That only after she’d bitten a giant hole in her tongue the first tis about being locked inside a corporeal body that she’d forgotten Bad breath Hair tangles Hot liquids Scalding bath water Furniture lurking in dark rooms, and that so misaptly named funny bone
Not tofor a semi-clean public rest roo, Gri raving lunatics? Uh! I’ive anything to bypass thisdown "I have got to kill her parents once all of this is finished They are … ridiculous" She deepened her voice to mock them "Clean the dishes, take out the trash, do your horimaced "On and on, they rant Just the sound of her father’s voice makes me want to blast him into oblivion No wonder you want to end the world When did hed, then changed the subject "Is she fighting you for control?"
Flexing her hand to make sure she had one hundred percent of the control of her body, she sighed wearily "Soot to have my brother suck her soul out ofand begging She’s so needy and cloying I’ll be so glad when I won’t need her memories anylanced over three tables to a group of giggling teenaged girls who e
Gah, how she despised all of theh "But, the little twit has her uses right now I turn her loose whenever I have to have private tinance "I’ll never understand omen put up with ani for taste"
She saluted hio back in ti back in his chair, Grier do you think it’ll take?"
She sipped her coffee slowly as she considered it "Hard to say As you know fro-willed But for all his braggadocio and posturing, he has no confidence whatsoever And that,He doesn’t think he deserves anything so it leaves hi his opinions are"
"Sneaky … I like that"
"Well, you know the old saying Build them up to tear them down You tell the to those who tell theo and jealousy The twoany huods and deht over her plan "I should warn you that I’ve already taught him about the powers of persuasion"
"This isn’t persuasion, sweetheart It’s about the power of the huo and its voracious need to be fed"
Griet on your bad side"
"Don’t worry You uphold your side of the bargain and don’t betray or trick me, and I will be your eternal cohort to ruin and/or enslave anyone you send irl?"