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A pathetic creature, but what did it have to do with her? She returned her attention to the female at her side "Is hewith him, I would have killed hilanced toward the silent guard "Open the "

With a grilass open a few inches Iression--the only word that cas fully extended and aching for blood "Good lord," she rasped

Solaris hissed as her muscles tensed and her eyes swirled with the power of an approaching hurricane "He was in our territory for less than one day and he triggered a dozen fights that broke out a two of my Harpies, and caused an entire pack of hellhounds to turn on one another," she said between clenched teeth, as vulnerable to the evil in the air as Nefri "Four of them are dead"

Nefri took an instinctive step back She was close to snapping "Is he the only one?"

"The only one who has survived We found several corpses that had been drained and two others that looked as if they’d fought to the death"

"Please" Nefri clenched her hands, herwith a bloodlust that she hadn’t felt in centuries "Close the "

Solaris nodded toward the guard, who hurriedly slalass shut For a led to leash the violence that bubbled through their veins

At last, giving a low curse, Solaris turned to stab Nefri with a frustrated glare "Are you prepared to confess what is going on?"

Nefri gave a slow shake of her head, feeling a stab of betrayal What had the Commission done?

Thisspiritor whatever the hell it was, had been locked behind the Veil for endless centuries and never once had the Oracles warned her that it could be a danger to her people, let alone turn the that Gaius’s bitehumans

Holy hell

"I don’t know Truly," she told her companion, her expression troubled "I’ve never heard of a va this reaction in a hu?" the Harpy pressed

"Yes, but I had no idea Gaius was causing such da the conversation away fro consequences of the infection as ere traveling through the swa?"

Solaris’s lips thinned, but she allowed herself to be diverted "Yes Once the huan to lessen Hopefully it will be coht knot of dread in the pit of her stoh speed they could contain the worst of the plague

"What do you intend to do with hi toward the cell

"Study hi "He’ll be dead in a day or two"

Nefri was caught off guard by the blunt announcement "Dead? He’s not ill At least not physically"

"No, but he refuses to eat and he continues to dae himself no "

Lord, what a mess

Nefri pressed a hand to her temple, suddenly aware of her heavy weariness Daas approaching at a rapid rate and she needed to rest and feed to regain her strength

"I must speak with the Anasso," she said, more to herself than the Harpies who eyed her with open suspicion "He has to be warned"

"First, will you tellI can tell you is that I will do my best to track down Gaius and put an end to his contamination," she promised

Solaris arched a brow "And if I decide I wish to keep an insurance policy until I can be certain the vaaze without flinching She was an ancient clan chief who had faced down the most powerful demons She didn’t allow herself to be intimidated

Not by anyone

"Then I would have to confess that it wasn’t Styx who sent me to capture Gaius"

Solaris froze "Then who?"

"The Co lark

After being escorted into the Harpy nest, he’d found hi roos and jade figurines set on low lacquer tables The connecting bedrooold silk and the poofy chaise lounges covered in black satin