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"Well I’lad," I said as evenly as possible "She probably would have betrayed you, in the end"

"That’s true," he said with a sideways smile "She probably would have Not that you’re jealous or anything"

"Just thinking about the facts," I said "And she would have sh, and I had to join in It was pretty funny, froician, a fortune-teller, and a professional mermaid, two of whom drank blood and one of as an alien frohtened the mood considerably I think we both felt a little like idiots One of his hands crept over to hold e lurched over a rock, and he needed both hands to keep us on track

"I don’tthis," I said, "but can I take a little nap?"

"Let’s see" He chuckled "You went four days without sleep, then you swanawed on by beasties, then you were nearly scared to death by a ghost, then you were ravaged by a suitor in a submarine, and then you were nearlyspy Oh, and then you lost a couple of cups of blood on your way to go face an evil Copper"

I giggled He had a point

"Yes, sweet tangerine I’d say you deserve a nap"

We had to stop several tiest Criain, and I was too weak to be helpful I slept throughnoise of the winding key dragged me up froging so on stale shortbread cookies that Master Haggard had found in soe I did wake up once with the frantic need to pee, only to run screa out of the copse withfaht fell, we stopped to build a fire Criht and roasted a bludbunny for s, warish fairy tales and little stories from his childhood in Devlin He was such a natural entertainer that I nearly forgot my proble with laughter and tears and i him as a child, handsome and mischievous on the streets of a far-off city

"More," I said "Please Don’t stop"

With a grin, he danced and dida plaintive lullaby in the low, slurry tongue of the Bludlitter that er sinning to think that there was nothing he couldn’t do Here ere, on the road, on the run, and he couldtrip It was a valuable gift, and not his only one

"Enough, love Plenty of tiht you needfun," I said "I don’t want tomorrow to co my mind "That this is all there is? To be in theto say Easy things aren’t worthout reat deal, Letitia," he said, helpingfor tomorrow"

For e, crushed together at odd angles I was afraid it would be aard, but ere so dusty and exhausted that we crumpled into a companionable heap and went insensible after a kiss as brief and bright as a snuffed , I ithMy drea vineyards and far-off ht me how to conjure a butterfly I didn’t want to wake up But I did anyway, because I felt as if our ti out

As I yawned, Criminy’s eyes popped open, and he reached out to stroke my cheek I smiled back at him as he sat up to stretch

"Ti that any blood-hungry ani outside for a taste of , "Bunnies, prepare to meet your doom!"

He froze

"What is it?" I asked

"Stay here," he said, his voice low

He stepped down froh the curtains and foundcould be so impossibly bizarre

Dozens of bludbunnies surrounded our carriage, all dead Parked on the opposite side of the road was an old-fashioned gypsy wagon hooked up to a white bludn nailed to the faded red wagon read, Madam Burial’s Snake Oils: Liniments, Salves, Potions, and Tinctures for Ev’ry Malady of Boddy and Spirit The wagon was locked up tight, and the driver’s box was eently in a hammock chair on a little back porch, a thin strea for you," called a rich, husky voice

"I see you changed your last name, Hepzibah," he answered

"Merrywell didn’t suit," she said "At least it almost rhymes"

"I’m here, madam," he said, his voice tired and annoyed "What ," she said The shape in the chair unfolded and stood in a haze of smoke I couldn’t see her face froht at me The pipe pointed inIs it not so?"