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Kane ground his ether Just how many "mines" were they supposed to have?

"Taliyah Skyhawk," he acknowledged She was Sabin and Strider’s sister-in-law, as well as a Harpy known for her cold-as-ice deave me a heads-up"

His focus sharpened on her Well, okay, then "You got info for me?"

She motioned to the bartender, and waited, silent, for a bottle of vodka to be slid in front of her, as if Kane weren’t suddenly vibrating with i her thu Harpies couldn’t eat or drink anything without stealing or earning it, he threw a few bills on the counter without coht from the bottle, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and faced hi your Fae Her name’s Petra, and she’s a vicious little troll"

Not exactly a news flash "So, how did you know that?"

"You reiven to the Phoenix, even though she’s a Harpy, to savestolen from different clans--everyone wants a piece of her, which is so wonderfully ironic, considering her naets bored between travels and spies for me I knew the stuff about Petra would be important to you because my sisters told me about your encounter with the Fae"

Sabin and Strider were such pansy blabbermouths

"Anyway," Taliyah continued "The rest of the infor, "How much?" Whatever the price, he’d pay it

"I want the fortress in the Realm of Blood and Shadows"

A thirty-thousand-square-foot e, in his opinion He wasn’t sure his friends would agree "There’s a probleive"

Taliyah drained the rest of the bottle with a gracebusiness with you, Kane See you" She walked away from him without another word

Coldhearted As always

Kane leaped into action, dragging her back to the bar--and she let him She had more at stake than she wanted him to believe, then "It’s yours," he said to her "The fortress is yours When do you want it?"

Winter-blue eyes sparkled triumphantly "Three months and two days from now No sooner, no later"

"Fine I’ll kick my friends outthat hat she’d want to hear "They can--"

"Deal’s off Sorry" Once again she walked away, and once again he had to drag her back

"Fine," he rushed out "I’ll kick them out, too" They’d want to stay with their husbands, anyway

She nodded, satisfied

"Why can’t you stay there with everyone else?" he gru to tell anyone I’m there You do, and I’ll hunt you down Is I did to your entrails for centuries"

Harpies, th and stomach to back up their threats, and that was a serious dohen the women weren’t on your side "What do you need the fortress for?"

"None of your business Now, do you want the inforot or not?"

"I do"

"Okay, so, apparently, a Sent One--Thane, I think his name is--suddenly appeared in one of the Phoenix ca fit, and killed lots of the warriors One of the The Sent One was eventually subdued, and a new king took the throne This new king was finally able to clai’s wife"

"What’s this got to do with anything?"

"I’ took theas his concubine, but only a few days later, this Petra girl killed her As punish And now that Petra’s on the loose, the new king wants her back Like, bad The things he’ll do to her when he finds herit’s going to be legend--wait for it--dary Oh, and the concubine was Petra’s sister Meaning, there’s no line this troll won’t cross If your Fae is on her radar, she’s in trouble"

He would get to her first

The glass shattered in his hand, cutting his skin