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"You enter here?" He laid his helloves on his desk "I’ve warned you And still you test e, he said, "But you’d risk anything, would do anything to get back to yourto get closer to the man you hate above all others"

"Just wait--"

"Deny that you want to be with hiht I would do anything to return to Jack

When I didn’t answer, Death looked like so "How can you possibly want him? The od a humans, but he’s too blind to see that!"

"I look at this as a curse, as a problem If I weren’t the Empress, then you and I wouldn’t have to be enemies I’d never have to worry about your sword at my throat"

"Do you believe yourself in love with Deveaux?" He snarled the words

As far as my mission to seduce went, it probably wasn’t the best idea to be honest about that

Between gritted teeth, he said, "It’s emblazoned on your pretty face But you wouldn’t love his would wither and die"

"What are you talking about?"

He headed for his vodka bottle, pouring a shot for hilass, running the back of his marked hand over his lips, then refilled

I crossed my arms over my chest "Uh-huh I’ll just take your word for it?"

"No, I received my information from the Fool He was quite worried about his E"

This was co to keep e, to rattle me as I had him "You know I’ll fact-check"

"I expect you to"

I sed "And ould you two be discussing ht!" I snapped ers "You wanted to keep me alive, so I could be your wild card At least before you off me yourself Now it makes sense why you intervened with the Hierophant And with the other Arcana, warning them away"

"I’ve been up-front about my intentions with you, unlike Deveaux Did you never wonder about his instant infatuation with you?"

"Maybe he had a thing for cheerleaders" Jack had told me he’d wanted et thatover to kiss hiside us Jack

Death shook his head "No, he targeted you before he ever saw you"

"That doesn’t make sense"

"You were possessed by someone he hated" He downed another shot

"Jack despised Brand That was no secret"

"You never asked yourself why?"

"Because Brand was rich and see so easy"

"I’ to do with it However, the main reason he hated Brandon Radcliffe"--Death’s eyes had never looked so flat and dark--"was that they shared a father A father who adored one son and spurned the other"

Dizziness swept overBrand and Jackson werehalf brothers?"

This made a certain sick sense What was it Jack had toldhis legitile dirave;re

Mr Radcliffe had been a lawyer; Jack had said his father hadn’t wanted to adht say I pictured the two boys, both so tall and built, detecting a resemblance I hadn’t noticed before I reuy, had been baffled about why the Cajun had acted so aggressive toward him

Only one son had known of their connection

Was this why Jack’s eyes had darted when I’d asked him if he had any secrets? I foldedthis "Deveaux coveted all his brother had: the perfect fairl He could never have any of the others--but he could have you And he did"

"You’re lying" You can trust me alone, Evie "Mattheould’ve told me about this"

Death tsked "Such trust you have in the Fool How do you think I learned what my armor would do to your powers?"

I tottered onpersonal with hiht Matthew an innocent, wide-eyed boy

"The Fool knew that I’d kill you if I had no means to control you In essence, he’s saved your life So far, at least"

Not all bad is bad, Matthew had said Endga information, Death continued, "Deveaux didn’t even like you, but he pursued you"

"You don’t know anything!" I cried, though I could hear Jack’s words: Even when I hated you, I wanted you

"One benefit of rasp on human behavior How triumphant the mortal must have felt to claih everything Death had told me hurt, I refused to let hiet rew from that You’ll have to do better than this"

"Do better? As you wish, creature" With an evil grin, he said, "Deveaux killed your mother"

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