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"Obviously a byproduct of " He shivered "Whew! What an adrenalin rush" Shelton flicked his staff back to compact form and slid it into a holster on his side

"Those ," Adah-level Arcane attack forms they used?"

"I’d have to be blind toaeat fro, but some of the forms they used were above my level of control"

"Forms?" I asked Shelton as the sky car bu zone

We stepped outside into the cool air and headed down the path toward Greek Row and the e training," Shelton said as alked "Just like kung-fu masters use for by standing on one leg and then kicking with the other

He rolled his eyes "If you can pull off ic like you did today, maybe I’ll show you a few forms"

"Shelton, he pulled off an arc with his bare hand," Adam said onder in his voice "I can list on one hand the Arcanes I’ve seen do that"

"Angel ain, as if he knew all about it "They can use their hands as a focus"

"My hand would be a bloody stump if I tried that," Adam said "Huy

"Tell me about it," Shelton said

"I have a stupid question," I said

Shelton snorted "Never heard one of those frolance "Why does a staff make for a more powerful focus than a wand?"

"He hasn’t learned that yet?" Ada hi away Adam’s comment with the back of his hand "Anyway, it has to do with complicated stuff you haven’t learned, like runes and enchant aenerators like I do, you can’t fit them in wands without a lot of effort" He pulled out his staff, flicked it out to full length, and ran his finger along the designs, sons I hadn’t seen "When you make your staff, you can enchant it all sorts of different ways Soive you finer control, others are meant for raer"

"That’s why some of us have more than one staff," Adaeared toward fine control," Shelton said

"Are they alood?"

He shrugged "I’ve seen otheriron while you’re channeling through it like ile," Adam added

"What about diamond fiber?" I asked "That stuff seems indestructible"

Shelton shook his head "It won’t conduct ic"

When we arrived at the mansion, Elyssa, Bella, and Stacey sat huddled at the table, engaged in what looked like a super-serious discussion Elyssa looked up at me, smiled Her eyes widened as she saw the state of my clothes In an instant, she stood in front ofaway the charred shirt to inspect od!" She ripped the shirt down the asped Her eyes went to Shelton "What happened?" she said, tone low and dangerous

Shelton backed off, holding up his hands "Darkwater didn’t like us poking around in their business"

Bella already stood next to hi at his duster "Did you call the before Shelton could "They attacked for no reason"

Elyssa’s lips curled back in a snarl "Let’s see how they like having the Templars all over their case"

"You know Arcane politics won’t allow the Te," Shelton said "Especially since these people are working for the Conroys"

"Nobody has the right to atterowl

Shelton’s eyes widened at her ferocity "Look, we’re fine Justin here nearly charbroiled the bastards" He told the," Bella said, wonder in her eyes "This is good This is very good" She looked at han?" Adam asked

"In town for supplies," Bella said

"How very vexing," Stacey said, standing with a hand on her curved hip "I would enjoy teaching those Arcanes sorowled like a cat, an accurate description, given she was a felycan and could turn into various feline forms