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"Not yet" The hag’s ed face squinted atcheated at the market "I have a question for you"

"That wasn’t part of our deal"

"Even so Before I give up my newest hound, I must be satisfied"

"What do you want to know?"

"The white falcon has a role to play in the co to some of the old prophecies, you cannot ithout it So why are you willing to give me this bird?"

"If what you say is true, then why do you insist on having the falcon? Pryce and the demons in"

She snorted "What care I who rules this realhn, you do care So I ask again: Why give me this bird?"

In the darkness beyond the circle’s boundary, the hellhounds of Mallt-y-Nos paced and growled They sniffed the ground, their noses outside the peri with frustration I watched the which one was Kane My heart ached with not knowing

"Why? There can be only one reason For love"

"Love!" The falcon had to adjust its grip as the old crone doubled over, laughing "You would let this world be destroyed," she said, straightening and wiping tears from her eyes, "for the love of one of my hounds?"

"He’s not your hound You have the falcon Release him--now"

Her withered hand stroked the bird’s head I could alri to trick me? I ain at this time tomorrow If I’m satisfied, I’ll release the hound"

Tomorrow? Even Mab couldn’t make a shift last twenty-four hours I pushed down the panic welling up insideaway

"This isn’t a used car lot You don’t get to take the falcon for a test drive Either fulfill your promise, or return the falcon to me"

"And if I don’t?"

I raised my sword by the merest inch Not to threaten her--yet--but to remind her I had it The weapon wouldn’t kill her, but she’d feel its bite Trapped inside the circle and unable to set her hounds on me, she couldn’t keep the falcon if I wanted to take it froauntlet, and cast the severed liain" She shook the falcon off The bird jus for balance "My show of good faith," she said "I’ll call it toturned and walked to the edge of the circle "Let me out I need to touch the hound to release hie of the circle and made the motions to cut another door: up, across, down I paused, waiting for the Night Hag to signal she was ready to pass through before finishing the last stroke

Mallt-y-Nos nodded I cohounds Then, one foot beyond the circle and the other still inside, she turned toto trick me!"

"I’m not--"

"The eyes! The white falcon of Hells it away, outside the circle--"does not Our deal is void Kill her!"

As a single creature, the hellhounds leapt to their feet I ran at the hag, shoving hard with both hands to push her out of the circle But Mallt-y-Nos held her ground She raised an ar out

The circle was breaking

The cracks raced around the sphere, shattering it into fragy rained down on my face and arms like electric snowflakes

The falcon shot into the sky

The Night Hag grinned

And the hellhounds charged

36

THE BRONZE OF MY BLADE FLASHED AS I BROUGHT IT around to fend off the first lunging hound

Kane! screaaether an inch fro the leaping hound under its front leg Flesh sizzled as black blood spurted out The hound howled The rotten stink of sulfur