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I threw ? One thing I had asked of her One Let Mab rest And there she was, in the bedroo my aunt As I stormed down the hallway, Kane slunk off in the other direction, into the kitchen I couldn’t say whether he was avoiding ie" routine Either way, I couldn’t blame him

Outside my bedroom, I paused to take three deep breaths Calm I had to stay cal Mab because I was annoyed with Tina One h the doorway

Tina sat on the edge ofMab, who sat propped up against the pillows I flung a peeved glance at Tina "How about you let me talk to my aunt?"

Tina stood up slowly and stretched like a cat Well, stiffer than that--a zoet near Mab

My aunt didn’t look any better A little more rested, maybe, but so old and ill Her hands, folded on top of the sheet, were rough and crisscrossed with veins Those hands had always been so strong, able to deal any proble off Hellions Now they were frail and tre a cup of tea

I sat where Tina had been and patted Mab’s hands They were cold "How are you feeling? Are you warh I’ voice still h I turned around to tell her off at the sa lady"

"Sorry," Tinaroo "I’ll be there in a ave a sulky nod and stepped into the hall But she turned around i with you," she said to Mab

Mab nodded regally

"Andyou won’t forget?"

"I’ll not forget But you have sos to remember as well, do you not?"

Tina’s eyes flicked to me, then away She bit her lip and nodded Then she turned and fled down the hall

"That young lady--" Mab began

"I’ you But I don’t want to talk about Tina right noant to talk about you" I caught her hands and held the them

"I’m as well as can be expected under the circumstances Rest did help But unless the bloodstone is returned to e at an accelerated rate" She spokeon the weather But that was Mab No h emotional distractions to focus on the practical "So tell me, child, what have you learned?"

"We didn’t find the bloodstone"

"I assumed as much If you had, I’d have felt it"

I briefed her on what Kane and I had learned Since that was virtually nothing, it didn’t take long But as I spoke, I had an idea "Can you use your connection with the bloodstone to locate the safe house?"

Mab shook her head "Myrddin has cloaked it Its whereabouts are as et it back?"

"I’m not happy with your plan to put yourself at risk to draw Myrddin out Let’s be up front about that But I can’t see any alternative Myrddin intends, I believe, to pour your life force into Pryce and then shut e of your fate" Her cloudy eyes looked down at our joined hands "So there’s one piece of good news, at least"

I atteood news’ must be different fro out, but my mind is keen Now, let y" She drew her hands away Three quick pats on my arm let me knoas dismissed

The bed shifted as I stood When I was at the doorway Mab said, eyes still closed, "By the way, I told Tina you’d er"

"You did? Why?"

"She’s adequate on her overview of the Inienus but needs to spend more time on the characteristics of individual species If the child wishes to study dey on her own time, surely you can allow her to borrow a text that would otherwise only gather dust on your bookshelf"<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>