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"I think we should let these rogues go," called an oldera pack member anywhere Put out the word"

Van closed his eyes I couldn’t tell if he was feeling relief or round Not s your life or death

In the end, they were released It was unceremonious Roy untied them and said, "Git"

Eric looked away to hide his appalled reaction to such a lack of ritual Laidlaw took off toward the east, running aardly because of his bandaged shoulder Coco and Van went north In a ues, as far as the Long Tooth pack went

Jannalynn reesture from Alcide, Roy untied her hands and she stood to her uni

Mustapha stood to face her on the sanded volleyball area

"I will kill you," he said in his deep voice He was not even wearing the dark glasses

"Try, jungle bunny," Jannalynn said, and held out her hand She got a sword, too, handed to her by Roy I was a little surprised; execution seeht But nobody had asked me

She was trying to rier with her insult, but the epithet didn’t have any effect on hiusted The rest lookedlike people waiting for a sporting event to begin I looked up at Eric, who see hi fairy blood and seducing a vaht have been reckless enough to risk her own death, but that didn’tany less pernicious, or the pain I’d felt as a result any ht she deserved to die for what she’d done to Sa in his feelings My heart hurt for him

The two combatants circled each other for aleaps, hoping to come down on top of Mustapha The lone wolf pivoted, and his sword blocked hers She went spinning to the ground, but she was up in a second and back on the attack Mustapha had told ht with Jannalynn, and for a few seconds she had the advantage Not only did she hack away at hi, not like Robin Hood-but she shrieked, she screa she could to confuse and distract her opponent

I noticed that she orking gradually closer to the edge of the sand Closer to Alcide and Sa I couldn’t , and just as the words left my mouth Jannalynn leaped, spun, and came down on Alcide, who leaped aside at the last fraction of a second

She got Saround as his blood spurted Jannalynn paused in shock at having cut her lover, and in that rabbed her by the hair, threw her to the sand, and beheaded her I’d seen beheadings before, but they’re pretty spectacularly horrible I didn’t even remespace to crouch by Sarass by the patio I heard so and kneas me Alcide crouched down by me and reached out to touch Sam, but I shoved him away Sam’s eyes ide and desperate He knew the severity of his wound

I started to call for Eric, so he could give Sam his blood, but as I put my hand to Sam’s neck, Sa else in the world did, too

Infell silent I didn’t hear the chaos aroundmy name I shoved Alcide away for a second tiht pocket, pulled out the cluviel dor, and put it on Saold radiated light

A in nized my own voice I didn’t have spells, but I had the will I had to believe that I pressed the cluviel dor to Sam’s heart, and I put my left hand over the terrible wound in his neck "Live," I said again, hearing only my own voice and the silence in Saold seaic inside it flew out and poured into Sah ers and into Sam’s neck, and it vanished into the terrible wound It filled Salow The cluviel dor, now eht hand, which rested still on Sam’s chest I felt ash and watched

It was like watching a film run in reverse The severed vessels and tendons inside Saan to knit I heldin to beat under ers

"Thanks, Fintan," I whispered "Thanks, Gran"

After a small eternity, Sam’s eyes opened "I was dead," he said

I nodded I couldn’t talk to save my soul

"Whathow’d you do that?"

"Tell you later"