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Chapter Twenty-Five

As soon as Mezareau hit the ground, the thunder of falling water filled the cavern I could do nothing but stare dumbly at the waterfall that had appeared in place of the rock face Mezareauspell, which disappeared when he became unconscious--or worse

"Nice shot," Murphydown on one knee, he checked Mezareau’s pulse, then yankedthe weapon on Mezareau’s shirt, Murphy returned, snatching my backpack as he passed

"Come on"

"Is he--?"

"Yep" He tossed , adjusted the pack on my shoulders, and shoved h to h the waterfall

"Wait"

"No" Murphy lifted

The waterfall cloudedboth Murphy and me beneath the water

I couldn’t breathe--for an instant I thought I’d drown; then we broke the surface on the other side

The slightly lopsided ether we collapsed onto the bank

"Do you think the zombies will come after us?" Murphy turned his head; so did I Our noses brushed

"No," I said

"Why not?"

"If he could have sent them, he wouldn’t have sent the baka I think the zombies are still asleep"

"What happens when they wake up?"

"Hard to say With their ht be a little confused"

"Why did you do it?" Murphy asked quietly

We were still nose to nose, our breathas the ht

I decided not to ht of the eyes, the indistinct shape that had not seeht not think I was crazy anyain

I sat up "He’d have killed you"

Murphy sat up, too He lifted his hand, and the diaer, for all the world as if he’d plucked it froht"

"How did you--?" Last I’d looked the damned diamond had been in my backpack Of course so had he

I openedour lives, then snapped it shut again

Mezareau had been a killer He’d murdered all his zombie minions and would no doubt have murdered many more to fashion an army to take over Haiti Once he had control of the country, the world was next It alas

He’d have killed Murphy eventually The dia to do with it

Murphy brushed his fingers against rehite at the temple "You OK?"

He was a liar, a cheat, a thief, yet my stomach did a weird little dance at his touch If I wasn’t careful, I’d fall for him, and I couldn’t allow that to happen It was time to leave both Haiti and Murphy behind

Our Jeep was right where we’d left it, just as Murphy had predicted it would be The sun shone bright and hot as he drove ht to the airport

I counted backward Had I gotten off the plane only teeks before?

Murphy came around the front of the car, opened my door, held out his hand "I’ll walk you in"

We hadn’t taken two steps inside the ter, buff Haitians dressed in the spiffy uniform of the local police appeared and zeroed in on Murphy

"Uh-oh," I et a chance to turn around before they grabbed hi"

"Trespassing?" I followed as they dragged Murphy toward the door "Where?"

"Many places"

"I was there, too"

Murphy gave an annoyed sigh "Cassandra, shut up"

"Well, I was"

"Your fine has been paid, Priestess"

Priestess? How did they know that?