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"Five," Kevin said His voice cracked on the word

We all looked at the kid, then at each other "Not like I’ It’s just he killed Siobhan And you can’t leave me here With them"

Whether it had been true love or not, there was suffering in Kevin’s eyes An awareness of so beyond himself, even if it had just been for one other person in the world Even psychopaths can love I couldn’t remember who’d said it, but it seemed applicable

We reached a sort of silent consensus, a la Ma’at, and Lewis said, "Stick close to me, kid"

Kevin’s never-flat hackles rose "So you can what, suck the rest of me dry?" We all stared at him He flushed "You knohat I meant"

"Well, Ito see you as the biggest threat, since he’ll think you’ve still got my powers," Lewis said "I plan to use you as a human shield"

Kevin eyed him "Yeah?"

"Would I lie to you? Besides, you kicked the crap out of me, kid I’m still weak I need the support" Oh, clever Lewis The one thing Kevin craved and never got respect Responsibility

Kevin tried not to look impressed "Yeah, okay Whatever"

Marion sent s for Kevin were too complicated to put into squints and eyebrow moves, so I just deadpanned Truth was, I suspected Jonathan felt so for the kid, too, and that would help us Quinn had a lot of liabilities he didn’t yet understand

"Stupid question," Marion said apologetically, "but exactly where e find him? We can’t track the Djinn, not even Jonathan Unless you?" She addressed it to Rahel Rahel shook her head "Okay, then hoe find him?"

"Jonathan told us," I said

She looked mystified "He was cut off in midword"

"Doesn’tto tell uised conte any fences, I sensed Not that I orried about it much "Your son’s house," I said "Fantasy Ranch The one in White Ridge Do you still own it?"

"No," he said, and turned to go Rahel blocked hiht it?"

Ashworth’s hand tightened on the cane; I watched the knuckles go white "I’m sure you already know," he said

"Thohtest doubt "Keeping it all in the family"

"I never liked the slippery bastard" Ashworth kept walking, cane stabbing carpet "Go and be damned Do me the courtesy not to die in my son’s house, if you please" This tinity intact

White Ridge Fantasy Ranch Orry

I was going back intoalone

ELEVEN

Rahel, not being claiically froe one I didn’t think that Quinn could use Jonathan to do any transportation, either I’ll delay hi as I can, Jonathan had said, before he’d been yanked out of the world I grabbed Myron Lazlo, as having so in the corner of the rooars and brandy Literally By the arm He didn’t take it well, but I’d co the Ma’at was a whole lot less dangerous than taking on a militant Warden Ashworth had caned me pretty handily, back in the lobby of the Luxor, but Lazlo had done nothing but called one of the associated Free Djinn to take care of nity and shrugged free of rip

"Yes?" he asked neutrally "I’ve already made it clear, the Ma’at will not-"

"Provide transportation? Think again We need to get to White Ridge What’ve you got?"

He frowned atme for the loan of a vehicle?"

"No, Laz, I’ a couple of cars You pick which ones, but the faster the better" Waristered nearwith me, to lend support Lazlo’s eyes skipped over the He’s your ot, which e of character as I am"

"I liked him," I said It burned me to admit it, made parts of me flutter uneasily as memory reasserted itself Darkness, pain, violation I’d looked hinized him, not even the capacity for violence I’d trusted him, like a coers

Behind me, Rahel murmured, "I believe you’ll find them outside at the valet stand"

"Oh?"

Lazlo’s face shut down hard "Take what you’d like We’ll speak of this when you return If any of you return I don’t give you very good odds He’ll know you’re co, of course By now, he will know that his attempt to silence you failed"

I waited for him to wish me luck He didn’t

I turned and led the way out to the lobby It was still io way, and alked straight out the doors, past Ma’at security, to the covered portico where uniforossiping, but sprang into action e approached