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"It’s worth a shot" There were tears in Mirri’s dark eyes "You don’t think soave her a reassuring smile and hoped it didn’t look as forced as it felt "I’ out of charge and her car breaking down"

A tremulous half s her phone run out of charge"

"Yeah, she does" But rarely to complete emptiness "We’ll find her, Mirri I pro"

"I will"

She hung up I pocketed lanced at Azriel "I don’t suppose you could do a sweep and see if you could find her"

"I’ll try" He studied me for a moment "What do you plan to do?"

"Go to the Brindle, as I said I vaguely reht shift this week, so I can kill two birds with one stone" My stohtened as the words left od I’d know I hesitated, then added, voice a little hoarse, "If she were dead, would you know?"

"No" He hesitated "But I could find out if you wish"

"That would be good Thanks"

He nodded and disappeared I took another of those cal breaths that did jack all to calot the hell out of there I left the Ducati where she was--right then, I didn’t particularly care if Rhoan saw it or not All thatto Ilianna’shad happened to her, surely she’d be the one person ould know

I zooht with all the speed I couldthe Brindle in record tiance onto the carefully , then thrust to my feet and pulled the remnants of my clothes into some semblance of order as I ran for the front steps

The Brindle was a white, four-story building that had once been a part of the Old Treasury complex It had been built in the Victorian era and was both beautiful and grand in design It wasn’t until you neared the steps and felt a tingling caress of energy against your skin that you realized this place was very different froe, and it was protected by a veil of power so strong that it snatched away the breath of those ere sensitive to these things I’d never considered ic, but I’d always been aware of it This ti eirdly different It wasn’t just awareness--it felt like the power of this place was alive Fingers of energy crawled across my skin, its touch sharp, electric It mademe The Brindle didn’t suffer evil to enter, but it had never troubled e? Did it have anything to do with the key quest or what the Raziq had done to me?

Possibly And yet Kiandra--as the head witch at the Brindle--had told ic around the Brindle was, it could not stop the Aedh froically, therefore, it shouldn’t be able to stop y

That will change, an inner voice whispered darkly

I shivered, but thrust the odd premonition out of e--alht-iron doors had been closed for the night, so I walked to the left side of the massive entrance and pulled the discreet cord Deep inside the building, a bell chimed I waited, and after a fewa brown-haired, slender, tunic-clad figure It wasn’t someone I’d ht" Her voice was soft, gentle Raised voices were rarely used in this place of power

"I know, but I need to speak to Custodian Zaira, please" I hesitated "It’s urgent"

"I’m not sure that she’s here--"

"Then check," I cut in Then, at the flash of annoyance that crossed her face, added, "Please Tell her it’s Risa Jones, and it really is ily; then she nodded and closed the door I listened to the retreat of her footsteps and wondered whether she was si what I asked After a few ht, and gave myself a mental slap After a few minutes, she returned and opened the door, wider this tireed to see you Please, coh the doorway The foyer wasn’t exactly inviting, even in the daylight, but at night, its sheer size seeh on the shadows, so that they almost appeared to loom over me It was a weird sensation--alment of not only me, but all those alked past

I veryAt least at the moment

"This way," the wo hall The energy of this place was so strong that every step was accoolden sparks The old-fashioned electric sconces threw just enough light to ensure we didn’t run into the walls, but they did little to otherwise lift the shadows

The young witch ledrooh the door behind the small desk and closed it firet past this area without either a witch escort or special dispensation fro held here this tiiven I’d ent

That she wasn’t probably