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"Do you think it’s true?" she asked between bites of her haodly shon coods in the world, but she accepted the possessed by one probably helped a little

Justin tapped his glass of bourbon "I kind of do I don’t knohy, but I do I just wish I knehat to expect"

She nodded It was a rare side of her, this unke, and it was hard not to remember how her lips and skin felt He had to reht with her would thrust hi difficulty forgetting the way she’d killed E;torian first and a patrician second--more than that, she was the predator he’d been warned about Justin could see it in the way she tensed at the breaking of a glass at the bar and the way her eyes assessed every single person who entered, even as she smiled and bantered

And yet…in that moment, there was peace between the with a woirlfriend froenerated into "Where is this relationship going?" He knew he had to push that aside and do what he’d co I wanted to talk to you about"

She instantly greary

"I…wasn’t entirely honest about Lucian There are old rivalries between us, and I kind of exaggerated things" Each as agonizing "He’s actually a really good guy, and you should give him a chance" It wasn’t entirely a lie Lucian wasn’t that bad Justin just didn’t want to give her up

Clearly, this was the last thing she’d expected "You…you want o out with, exactly," he said "But you know, at least talk to hi he wrote about is actually a pretty good idea Just get to know hi to attract a o to black-tie political fund-raisers?" Justin so like he asked and help deliver you to him"

Too late, Justin realized that was the worst thing he could have said to a wo like she was someone’s possession Deliver you to him Her face confir at all--except, perhaps, a fleeting gleam of disappointment in her eyes

He was taken aback Was it possible that soh, she still wanted hinored that and focused on what mattered: He’d fulfilled his promise to Geraki

"Well, thanks for the advice," she said stiffly "Maybe I’ll go Maybe I can salvage that mauve dress"

He couldn’t tell if she knehat a blow that was to hi smile "Great I’m sure he’ll be thrilled You want another round?" He didn’t expect her to stop hating hiet her to hate his I should do" They both knew she was lying

"One drink," he beseeched "I didn’t give you allthat enthused "Sure"

Justin scooped up the elasses As he waited at the bar for his refills, he looked up at a screen showing--of course--Lucian giving soreat unknown age Justin had felt a headache co on since they arrived at the bar, and this only made it worse

"Goddamned politicians," a voice said "You can’t trust any of those governlanced over and saw a steel-haired businesslass of wine With all the emphasis on national security and loyalty that surrounded Justin, he kind of liked the occasional conspiracy theorist "I aht just barely reflected off of as a very, very good artificial eye It was nearly indistinguishable frouy’s expensive suit, he had money to throw around He even had a cluster of little white flowers on his lapel Aside from Justin, he was the best-dressed person in the bar

"Is that so?" The man chuckled "Should I be worried then about e aren’t being told? What this Age of X is really going to entail for hu says it’s going to be bright and wonderful He seems to know"

"Of course he does," the e always think you know everything Believebeliever in the pursuit of knowledge"

The et to know ht? Girlfriend? Wife?"

"Neither In fact…she doesn’t really like ht now"

"Lucky forto go talk to her"

Incredibly, the guy ers’ advances were second nature to her, and she looked up at him with a polite smile She even seemed to thank him when he brazenly took the flowers froave her a nod of farewell and walked away