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This was ht, sometimes with more ferocity than folks believed possible While I hated the necessity, I wouldn’t shrink froone too far I didn’t want this I hadn’t started it But from this point on, I would make an implacable adversary; I would protect the people I loved
I set the bags down and scoped out the place thoroughly--two bedroo room, kitchen, and bath One bedroouessed this here they stashed their wohborhood, and the door had a heavy steel core Seven dead bolts, plus a chain and crossbar reinforced it Clearly they didn’t
"You know he ht have family there," she said softly "People who haven’t done anything There , only that he pays well"
"I considered all of that"
"And you’re still going through with it?" I hated the disillusionment in her voice She rested her elbows on her knees and wouldn’t look me in the eyes
"Escobar made it clear I need to drive Montoya crazy I have to push hie a"And I don’t kno to accomplish it other than to pay him with his own coin There may be casualties I accept the risk"
"I see your point," she said dully "But I’lad it’s not onI could say I had already let slip the dogs of war, so I ot out my cell phone I called the FedEx custo transferred around, while I gave people the tracking nue Tia had sent frorie in the et souess"
I hesitated, wishing I couldbed if you want"
"Whatever I’ to check my e-mail"
Her attitude hurt, but I couldn’t rouse any anger It was a good thing I wasn’t officially a witch, part of so the "do as ye will, an it harm none" tenet I took the lower bunk bed as a sort of penance, and , I awoke to pounding on the apartment door I’d slept in my clothes, so I rolled out of bed fully dressed withNobody should knoe’re here Still, I stopped off at the kitchen for a knife Stupid as it seemed, I felt better with a weapon in hand, even if I couldn’t use it expertly Anything that could break down the door would likely eat me in one bite Nonetheless, I braced nized Petrel first His heightall the locks, I let them in They carried the smell of fire and smoke with them, and they all olfish smiles No visible injuries
I asked nonetheless, "How’d it go?"
"No major hitches," Morales said
"Do you have a phone?"
He nodded, so I extended a hand for it and prograet in touch with me, that’s how"
Hesitantly, Santos offeredthis? Should we dunk it? We pulled up just as the delivery guy was about to leave"
"No, don’t" I snagged it fro on the label "It’s definitely for otten there was no way into the building from the front Those doors were boarded up, as if the place had been conde the parcel over I couldn’t worry about a FedEx driver’s bad day, however
"García wanted to chuck it," Petrel said
"Well, you wanted to open it, cabrón"
They were like children, fighting to ih
"Good work, all of you Head hoht for round two, because that was only the beginning" IMorales on the shoulder, because he was young and cocky, and he’d least suspect a casual touch Sure enough, he smirked as he made his way to the door
As the soldiers left, Shannon stue Tia had wrapped the griers I washed my hands after I threw the paper away; I didn’t want to stain the pages These books were incredibly old, and they sue of my mother as soon as I took the first one in my lap
"Oh, ," Shannon breathed Frorier "Can I see?"
"Sure, but don’t read any of the incantations aloud"
I handed her the blue one--with runes etched in silver, it was the smallest and contained thetiic work at all
"Okay I’ll be careful" She touched the engraved cover with reverent hands
The one I held was oversize and bound in vermilion leather; before she died, my mother had let me practice sootten one to function properly I just knew I’d enjoyed spending ti the words These were blessings, mostly, and mild spells With these, I could entle run of luck; it was suitable for children
Taking a deep breath, I opened a spell book for the first time in many years Even the sia I could al, Be careful with that, Corine
I flipped through the book until I found the spell I wanted Nothing heavy, nothing difficult or sophisticated Eyes fixed on the page, Itest