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"Steel with a thin silver coating," she said "Silver won’t outright kill anything, but it does stop a supernatural fro as quickly"

"Why not make a bunch of silver bullets?"

"It would be very expensive"

"Well, at least some myths have a basis in fact even if you can’t insta-kill a vampire like Blade does"

"Blade" She snorted "What a joke" She pulled a couple of sheathed knives fro and added them to the pile on the table The last item she removed was a black ninja-like outfit, hoodie and all

"Are you sure you guys aren’t really ninjas?"

"Ninjas are a lot cooler," she said, a tiny s its way onto her stern face

I reached out a tentative hand and touched hers where she’d let it rest on the table "If we survive this, I’d really like to know hed and pulled her hand away "If we survive this, we can’t hang out or pal around, period My parents may not hunt you down, but that wouldn’t stoptheir little sister" She pshawed and looked annoyed

"I get it," I said "Two older brothers, Te a little sister has been quite a tribulation for you with those two beating the snot out of anyone who gave you a cross look" I laughed "No wonder you got so ticked off whenever I tried to protect you"

She blessed irl who can’t stand up for herself"

"Most girls aren’t varee," she said "Come on Let’s see how you handle a real sword"

We went into the backyard and fenced She was far better than I was, although I’d never practiced against someone who used two short swords, or anyone who used real swords for that o were of some use since the rapier was one of the swords we’d used After an hour, my muscles adapted to the feel and balance of the weapon It really was a superb piece of work My reflexes were quick, and ile, but Elyssa’s well-tuned muscle memory knew exactly what to do in situations I had never faced I thought she ht take my head off if I didn’t use every ounce of skill I had

"Are you really trying to kill ed attacks from her short swords

"Do you think the va both of her swords againstme on my back and placed a sword at rass in frustration If the vafor o either After countless lost bouts, I finally earned a draw fro from the exercise

"You’re not bad," she said as we sat on the porch swing to recover from the intense workout

"If by not bad you mean I’m a notch above useless, then thanks"

"No, I really think with some practice you could beat me"

"And your brothers are better than you?"

"Much better And stronger"

"Great I hope they don’t figure out where you are"

"They’re out of the state right now on assignht," said a male voice

Elyssa and I leapt to our feet, swords at the ready Shelton s at us

"How did you find me?" I asked

"I’m a detective"

"You’re a sorcerer, not a detective"

"There’s no reason I can’t be both, kiddo"

"Who is this?" Elyssa asked

"This," I said, waving my hand at Shelton, "is Harry Shelton He tried to capture me andhere, then?"

"Yeah, what are you doing here?" I asked hied "I got to thinking about things About how you got out of ot out of a circle?" Elyssa asked

Shelton gave Elyssa an appraising look "It held his dad just fine But not him"

"That’s impossible," she said "You can’t escape a circle if it’s done properly"

"Like I said, his dad was good and trapped, but he stepped across the line like there was nothing to it"

Elyssa’s forehead crinkled "That doesn’t make any sense"

"Sure it does," Shelton said "He’s part human"