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I nodded slightly, still reluctant to give too ripped my hand harder "You come from so much darkness That’s clear"

"How so?"

"I can’t say for sure, but I see" As he paused, his gaze unnerved me "Fire An explosion Pain Then, it’s as if"

Ia syes" He furrowed his dark brow "It’s as if you were shut into a coffin--one lass Then you were freed, but there was still containment Does any of that ht now by being shut out of the inforranted--infor

"There’s even ery," he added "But this tion a realistic level So what did it all--or last--that I needed at this rim, as if he had received one ht so far"

"You’re referring to the ‘it’ that was chasing me earlier?"

"I wish I knehat it was But I saw the burning eyesthe black shape I think you don’t need erous"

"Any hints about how to avoid it in the future?"

He nodded toward the shop in front "Indeed, I know people who can help"

"But I can’t pay you for any protection iteht "You didn’t run in here for the fun of it And for me to deny you help would be terrible karht, even for March I’ve been bored until now, cher"

What was he saying? That he had assuht for a rando I could take care of myself very well, thank you, under normal circuht I would be foolish to refuse help from the only savior available

He pushed back from the table and ca toas he bent down, and I tried likeers over the viny texture of the boot, I restrained a quiver It was as if I could feel his touch, even through whateverlike these," he said "And I get nothing on where you purchased them"

I frowned at the word "purchased," and I wasn’t sure why Instinct again? But if it was instinct, it wasn’t a good one I had broken into a bed-and-breakfast already Had I also shoplifted these clothes and boots?

When Philippe s, I went tight between the legs I aler into the top of aze was fascinated now "It’s as if they"

"Are attached to e?"

"Right" Then a gobsht hit me If these boots were as odd as I believed they were, was it possible that they had led me into this voodoo shop on purpose? Were they voodoo ite the same "You ran in here like you were part of the wind, and the way you fight, my darlin’? Are you sure these ain’t superhero boots?"

Gob S"

He stood, his hands on his lean hips, considering Behind him and to the left, in another room where a curtain was pulled back froris and dolls stood, ti the answers that we did not

"These boots could be the work from an old, powerful woman in the area," he finally said "They call her Amari"

"So I should see her"

"I would say an unqualified yes, except for" He looked at my boots "They say Amari doesn’t sell any charmed objects"

At that point, I concentrated only on the "charmed" part "You think these boots are enchanted? That’s the reason they won’t bloody coer worry than that"

Back to the "sell" word he had used "If this Amari doesn’t offer charmed objects for sale, then how did I end up with the boots?"

What had I been up to? And, damn it all, was it possible that the red-eyed creature was trying to fetch the boots back for Amari?

Splendid

"Is there a chance," I asked, "that there’s another witch round here who sells clingy boots thatlike a bee?"

As Philippe turned the question over in his h the spaces of the shelves between the jujus and dolls

Eyes Red eyes

He aze, and he turned round But I juain, as if un in his waistband