Page 9 (1/2)

I didn’t care to do any such thing, but I couldn’t think of a reasonable response to the contrary He led ht I was treated to the strange theatrics of his tail, which was red and long, with a forked end It waved around behind hi sort of way, as if it had afor, there are several sets in this case But I lass, his eyes boring into oods I’m not ain my shop has a price Some pieces are cursed, some are lucky, most were taken off of dead bodies or stolen from the claws of skeletons Touch not, lest ye be touched"

"I understand" My nod of dis"

As I considered the case of sparkling jewelry, he loos curled around ical objects within? Surely he had sohter and more beautiful than the last Ges, a diade on the edge of hearing

And then I saw it

"That piddly little ring there, with the blue paste jewel How loved hand snaked in and pulled it out

"You have quite the eye, loves

Soers on each hand But that wasn’t i the Ring of Freesian Succession, the jewel that announced Olgha’s claim to our matriarchal throne Its very existence was a deeply kept family secret, or else it would have already been in Ravenna’s lacquered claws, and he surely wouldn’t have had it on display with the other baubles

"But I assure you that this stone is not paste This, ht diamond, perfectly for it are cold as ice and said to havepoielded by a true witch It is the finest piece in my collection"

"Bullshit"

I turned in surprise to find Keen standing there, her hands in fists at her sides

"Excuse me, Miss Lorelei I didn’t see you there, especially as you’ve been forbidden to enter my shop Perhaps you’d like to leave before I dise’s voice stayed cal the air So brushed s raised and sharp as hatchets,I took a step back

"First of all, don’t call me Lorelei, you devil bastard Second, we both know there’s nothing ical about that manky old trinket Third of all, you owe ain has been satisfied" He took a o find a Copper, and we’ll have a chat, yeah?" she said, her little chin jutting out

"Just because you foundillegal, child"

"I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what itI cleared , but I’d really just like to hear the price of that ring, assu that it is indeed paste, as it appears" I held up my hands in what I hoped was a harers into talons

The tasseinist turned tolike a sain," I said to ive "

"My true nahed "But sir, surely it can’t be worth that much to you"

"You look fa overinvasiveness of insect feet "And certainty is someti for my true name"

We shook But when I tried to pull my hand back, he held it firmly between his own His prehensile tail waved, the barbed point co to rest over my heart, in a place where the leather corset couldn’t protectAnd if you lie, I strike"

"I assure you I have no intention of lying" I shifted, his tail following me like a cobra "But ould happen if you did strike me?"

"The poison is insidious You would be nu but trapped within a useless body, ht end up hacked into pieces, or floating in a jar, or nailed on the wall Whatever I, and ine But since you didn’t ask about that bit before we struck our bargain, it’s too late to back out"

"You are very cunning, Mr Sweeting"

"I a the darkest of daimons, miss, and I do what I must to feed Now, look into ed breath, and I gave her a brief s’s acid-yellow eyes and said, "My name is Anne Carol"