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"I win"

She slapped the ground with the pal "I’m happy you can actually defend yourself," she said, her expression clearly anything but happy "But now you’re pissing uttural "Looks like we’re tied to"

"Not for long" She sprang to her feet, looking

I had a sneaking suspicion she had a dozen ways to take th and stability it affordedfootsteps in the hallway outside Shelton rounded the corner, huffing and puffing

"I just found out so over to catch his breath "We’ve got a ht"

Chapter 11

I letback toabout the battle ht earlier" He drew in a deep breath and continued "Re up the aisle near the end?"

"The one who looked like he owned the place?" I said, thinking it would be hard to forget a bald man ielded dual staffs and had bizarre eye tattoos "What about hie," Shelton said,us to follow hi at the three-die of the man as it hovered above his arctablet Stacey and Bella stood behind him

"Meet Maulin Kassus," Adam said without preairls allowed?" Elyssa said, narrowing her eyes at him

"They have feed their name like the Assassins Guild"

"These people are the Arcane mafia," Shelton said "They don’t play by the rules"

"Okay, so he’s dangerous," I said "It’s not like we haven’t faced scary supers before Why the rush to tell lance with Adam Looked back to me "Because they will find out e are They atch us for an opportunenew," I said

"I disagree," Elyssa said "This is coets These people are hunting us"

"And we’ll never see the," Shelton said

"So let’s find theave me a crazy look "How do you propose we do that?"

"Don’t they work for Darkwater?"

"Well, yeah--"

"And you knohere they’re headquartered," I said "Noe have one o up against Kassus’s level of badassery yet, kid" Shelton stared at the e "You rees who’d mastered all the Arcane attack forms?"

I nodded

"Yeah, well he’s one of them"

My confidence crumbled like a dry biscuit "Maybe we should ward the peri," Shelton said "I used to train under Kassus He knoho I ah me "Did he see you?"

"I don’t think so," Shelton said, rubbing his jaw "Adam and I were behind the column when he appeared, and he was focused on you when I attacked with the meteor"

"It’s not like they know our na here"

"Lornicus sure did," Adaht?"

"I’ll put up soh her duffel bag "I have access to a number of other defensive devices that should be helpful"

"I’ve had a lot of practice at hiding," Adam said "I’ll put down some diversion wards around the periht to fend off anyone cruising the area"

"Let’s not forget we have an arch that can take us anywhere and an underground tunnel to the school," Elyssa said "We don’t have to use the front door all the ti his staff "I’ll get started arding"

"Me too," Elyssa said, following hi look "How do you do it?" he asked

My eyebrows pinched "Do what?"

"Take us froonna die’ in less than a week?"