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Mab’s plane was late We’d been waiting over an hour, sipping coffee fro the board for updates Kane ress of his assistants in setting up for tonight’s unity rally He evenon my shoulder, as we sat in hard plastic chairs Carefully, so as not to wake him, I curved ht fade through the big plate glass s

Kane snorted awake and sat up straight "Is she here yet?"

"The board says her plane landed a couple of et through customs"

He stood and stretched "Let’s watch for her, anyway"

"You don’t want to keep resting?"

He shook his head "It’d be better to move around a little"

His hair was ruffled where his head had lain on my shoulder I stood and sers went to his blue silk tie, ht "Don’t want your aunt to think you’re dating some slob"

We walked over to join the waiting crowd Kane stood besideI twisted to see beyond the people standing in front of me As I did, my shoulder brushed his side He put his ar with a deep-doarmth I hadn’t seen since our return from the Darklands I smiled back For a moment, it felt like ere the only two people in the airport--hell, in the whole world--as that warood This was us, Kane and s that stood between us ainst h-pitched voice A boy darted away, giggling

Kane straightened, but his smile remained He turned back toward the door

"Let me know as soon as you see her," I said Kane was a head taller than e point

He nodded, the sht, just

"There she is," Kane said, nodding toward the door

I caught a gli up and down and waving Strong hands closed around my waist and Kane lifted istered that she’d spotted rinner), and she raised her hand Kane putthe here she waited

Tiny sive her a hug She stood stiffly, as always, like she was allowingit But that was Mab The bones of her back felt sth in her that belied her age She gave me her customary quick pats on the back--onetwothree--and held th Her eyes sharp, she inspected h sleep?"

I s from my aunt Other people say, "Hi, how are you?" Mab asks about nightly hours of REM No surprise there She’s fought deh to kno it messes up a person’s sleep schedule "I’ But less traumatic than my previous journey here" The last time Mab traveled to Boston, she’d h the collective unconscious, the region that borders everyone’s dreaerous territory to cross, hohtht entertain forward and extending his hand "It’s wonderful to see you again" As Mab shook his hand, he pulled her into a one-ar I smiled to see my aunt’s eyes widen over his shoulder

"Oh,a hand to her chest, when he released her He flashed his e cart, which was loaded with a large suitcase and an old-fashioned trunk, the kind ladies in floor-sweeping skirts used to pack their tea dresses and ball gowns for ocean crossings With Mab, though, such a trunk could carry only one thing

"You brought weapons?"

"That’s what took so long in Custo they’re bound for an exhibit at the Higgins Armory Museum iner"

"Worcester It’s a city about an hour west of here" I’d given a couple of sword fighting demonstrations there In fact, I’d put the curator in touch with Mab when he expressed interest in one of her swords that I’d ive hi to be shown there, I mean?"

"Perhaps one day But I have use for theet theht now"

"You can keep them in my office," Kane said "It has a secure vault for sensitive papers and things" Good idea That would give us a cache of weapons--mine--in Deadtown and another beyond its boundaries

I linked my arm in Mab’s and we headed for the exit Kane folloith the trolley