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Death steepled his fingers Such a condescending, king-of-the-castle gesture "Before taking your head, they had intended to torment you with theircontraptions" In a dry tone, he added, "I’m told capture by the Lovers is a fate worse than Death"

They were the ones who’d tortured Clotile, Jack’s sister I sed Had she experienced their contraptions? Oh, God, that poor girl Jack er for pain" Death rose, staring ame so rife with it?" With that, he strode away, his boots echoing through the corridor

28

"What the hell was that?" I de roar had just tolled over the entire co the kitchen, the media room, and, yes, the pool after breakfast, Lark and I had just started touring the huher conore the food chain and play nice

At the roar, Lark had ducked behind a stock-still lioness Even Cyclops hunched down, his frizzy fur quivering See its tongue

"Tell en He’s pissed about so"

"But he sounds a thousand tied "Look, we can take the grand tour another ti a fit"

"Does he have them often?"

"There are a ton of dates that are sacred to him, annual Sabbats And not like cool Wicca Sabbats either These are dark I try to keep track of them, but I haven’t been with him for a full year to chart them all Botto"

"Will he hurt me?" I asked

"Death ordered hien follow orders?"

In a low voice, Lark said, "There’s a reason the Devil’s horns keep changing lengths Whenever Ogen disobeys him, Death lops off an inch Once there’s no ets beheaded That’s their deal"

How sick "Why did Ogen agree to a deal like that?"

"Death had hien he’d spare his life for a time--on a couple of conditions, of course"

I heard those towering gate doors groan open, then slahtened her cap and stood "He’s off the grounds"

"Why would you stay in a place like this--with hi on here Death is holding these ani you to work for him"

"He’s not like that, at least not to erie for him At least Dad had before he went on a surprise acquisition run and bit it in the Flash"

"So if Death isn’t pulling the strings, then screwing us over is all on you?"

"I never said he didn’t pull the strings He does, often" When a peacock strutted over to her, Lark skie of its tail fan "For the record, after I o forith the plan if you were all going to die"

This was surprising, soothing a bit of uess--he assured you that we’d be fine?"

She lifted her chin "If you think back, I was the one who got Death to spare you in the beginning And then to save you fro"

"I wouldn’t have needed help if you hadn’t betrayed us in the first place! I can’t believe I took up for you against Selena Unlike me and Finn, she had your nuher,her protectively

"You’re not going tofor you, but now he knohat you did" The second girl to hide her true nature froht left in the world, but he was a bright spot He may have survived, but you still doused hione "A sht I watch a newfire At any tirilled cheese, and have fresh ers to dine on ue" She jerked her chin toward Ogen’s guardhouse "The Devil you know, baby"

"You didn’t just say that? I hate you" I pinched the bridge ofhere What about the cons? You have no free will and no future Death will kill you eventually"

"Well, then, I’ with you I’s, she marched up until ere almost toe to toe "For better or worse, we’re rooe at the da distance between us to stare her down--challenging, since ere about the saht, not a--ow" Pain flared in lance down, I spied two puncture usting!" I sidestepped with a shudder "You made it bite me? Hate to tell you this, but I’ot hed "Calm yo tits, unclean one Those were dry bites Nonpoisonous"

I narrowed et this cuff off me one day Keep this up, and you’ll find yourself mummified in vine"

"Noted Now, come on, there’s a ton more to see" She opened the barn door "Admit it, this place is badass Some steel baron built it for his wife in the twenties, but she died ht even be haunted! They had cold-war renovations er than Warehouse 13"

"Death lived here before the Flash, prepping everything?" Must’ve been nice to have ti?"