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--You both have waterfalls on your cards--

What does that mean?! You haven’t seen him with me He is cruel andyou All the ti about this with you

--You will not leave Death’s home until he trusts you Proximity Seduction Freedom It’s in your nature--

Matthew faded fro me more confused than ever

In my nature? No wonder Death had called me a femme fatale Because I’d been one! Had I coaxed him out of his armor, then tried to sink ive him reason to hate me above all other Arcana

I couldn’t decide as : how diabolical I’d been in past lives, or that I was even considering repeating history in this one I gazed out the turretat the dark sky and recognized the truth I would do anything to get back to ht named Death

I now had a oing to be my last meal?" I asked Lark as we descended the turret steps She’d just unlocked me and Cyclops from my cell for breakfast

When she pulled her silky black hair over one shoulder, a gecko peeked out from her purple turtleneck "If it is, I’m not aware of the plan" Lark looked me over "You don’t seem crushed by all this"

Now that I knew my friends were alive, I’d allowed myself to enjoy the shower and the clothes Tops, jeans, shoes, underwear, and nightgowns--all in my size I’d dressed in a white cashmere sweater, warm slacks, and boots of butter-soft leather Even with only a couple of hours of fitful sleep, I felt alain

"You’ve heard from Matthew, haven’t you?"

In a confused tone, I said, "And ould I tell you that, Judas?"

She just shook her head like I was being unreasonable "No one got their icons Which means we left them alive"

"How do you know they’re not still trapped there?" I asked, hoping she roiled with guilt "Or that they didn’t die horribly over the last week?"

Had she paled?

Once we’d arrived on the , my attention was less on her and awk as we passed a library filled with books, a media room with thousands of DVDs, a billiard rooym But when food scents reached us, ive this place half a chance, you’ll really like it here," Lark said, leadingroo coffee, reading a faded newspaper

No armor! He was dressed all in black--button-down, leather pants, and boots No hel his jawline, creating a perfect frame for his chiseled features

Naturally he could pull off leather pants and long hair He looked like a nor man, as at home here ahborn

And still, my first impulse was to stab him with a table knife But I kneas too fast forup, he said, "I go without armor in my own home, creature Especially since there are no threats to contend with" Arrogance rolled off hie-taker The jailor The reigning victor over a defeated foe

At the very least, I needed to slap hi e Why would he be interested in old news?

"Reading an outdated newspaper, Death? How expectedly retro of you"

Lark said, "He reads anything and everything He’s already lower

I noted this chilly exchange Infor It was time to bite back bile and cozy up to Lark

When she padded over to a sideboard topped with silver wars, french toast, and, yes, bacon I picked up the pitcher beside the coffee pot Fresh cream They had a dairy cow? "This is quite a spread"

"We’re not without resources here," Death said from behind his paper "We have luxuries--and the rabbed a plate Fine china Only the best

Lark speared french toast with a serving fork "Not quite We have a hu for him"

I turned to Death "Then where is El Diablo? If he sits upon Lucifer’s knee, shouldn’t he be at Death’s right hand?"

"He lives in the guardhouse," Lark ave Death a syht?"

Finally he glanced up, pinning aze "By your demeanor, I can assume you’ve been contacted by the Fool Perhaps all in your alliance survived?"

"Every last one"

Lark’s plate dropped, shattering Cyclops lunged forward to scarf up the food--and the pieces of china Crunch, crunch

"Sorry, boss," Lark said "Still tired fro "Finn lived," I said analyzing her expression "His leg’s healing"

She shrugged, but I could see her relief So the feelings had gone both ways Then ould Lark betray the boy she cared for? Maybe Death was coercing her

I turned back to the food In the last serving dish was fruit: y and potential in those tiny seeds,around to Death "These are fresh"

"As I said, we have luxuries My hoenerators for lights? Running water? Big deal Selena’s house hadpool I don’t suppose you have one?"

He waved a negligent hand "Fauna will show it to you later"

They had a freaking pool "How are you growing food? Where’s the garden? It can’t be outside" I narrowedindoor sunlath I needed to "chew offthis conceited man