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She followed Rydstro a resplendent bronze d&039;ore chandelier with chains of rock crystal gracing filigree ar

He was growing more and more furious "This looks like Cadeon&039;s pool house"

Sabine didn&039;t care what it looked like She just wanted a bed-in a place that didn&039;t s the destruction, he absently said, "Maybe Rok did this?"

"Who&039;s Rok?"

"Cadeon&039;s roohter outside, Rydstro to a terrace that overlooked rounds-as well as an oversize pool that was chock-full with dazzling females They were all clad in bikinis Or less Topless chicken fighting was currently underway

"Your friends visiting?" she asked archly

"I don&039;t know half of them Looks like Valkyries and witches"

Witches? Usually, she&039;d be on guard around a group of them, but these females were tanked Out of habit Sabine probed for their powers, not finding anything there she&039;d get out of bed for

But Rydstrom&039;s attention had narrowed on one woar and talking on a cell phone

She wore a red string bikini, stilettos, and a tiny T-shirt that said, "Heels TallBikini Slossy mane over her shoulders

Sabine could hear her say, "No, we&039;re not paying for hi house! He stripped for the elderlynext door Fro hihtstick" Another pause "Do I sound like an anatomist? How should I know- Hello? Helloooo?"

"Who is that?" Sabine asked Rydstro to bloody kill her," he ain, the feht of Rydstroar into the pool, hurrying over to them "And you poached the sorceress from Team Evil I knew you could do it!"

When she drew her sunglasses back to rest on her head, she revealed pointed ears-and vacant golden eyes But Sabine still sensed great power in this female

To Sabine, she said, "I&039;, Soothsayer to the Stars" She extended a hand

Sabine raised hers, ready to fight the notorious Valkyrie "Rydstrom, what in the hell is this? You knoe are ene I promise you"

"Won&039;t I?" N&iu ss "I&039;&039;s love today!"

"Kill s that will turn your brain to soup"

"A-gain," N&iuhed, unfazed by the threat

Sabine probed the Valkyrie&039;s asp, Sabine just as rapidly with­drew her probe Chaos, utter chaos

"Welcoerated wink "Now, sorceress, I&039; to win you over, so let&039;s not quarrel And let&039;s not speak of you-knoho I&039;ll even grant you a boon, a foretelling" N&iuazed at the sky, then back at her "Your sister will receive your avian-dispatched eon poo, it will be legible"

The Valkyrie knew about the e! "Is Lanthe worried? Is she safe?"

"She&039;s safe," N&iuht now That&039;s a real­tiht not be applicable to the future Is she worried? Lanthe senses you&039;re safe with the demon-she doesn&039;t believe Rydstrom will harm you in any way"

Sabine experienced so much relief, she almost felt like she owed Nïx

"Wow You sorceress-es-eses always had the arb," N&iuer under her eyes and then down her cheek

In response to the coer"

Rydstrom stepped between them "Nïx, do you want to explain to me what the-"

"A dorseri!" the Valkyrie suddenly exclaimed "Yes, yes, of course!"

"What&039;s that?" Rydstrom asked, as if he were used to interruptions like this from the soothsayer

Nïx nodded sunnily "That&039;s e should call a Sorceri and de!"

Sabine cast Rydstroed "Yes, N&iuht now, I need to knohat&039;s happening here"

"We heard that the folks were going to be gone for a bit," she explained "And by folks, I mean you, Cadeon, and Rok We don&039;t have a pool at Val Hall, and they don&039;t have one at the Animal House of Witches" She hiked her thu witches "So we et ave hiers at a pair of witches, sprawled on nearby loungers "You two You can do a cleaning spell"

One slurred, "But Nixie, I&039;over"

Nix&039;s eyes ide "Do it, or the photos go live!"

The witch shook her fist to the sky, crying, "Daital ways!"

Nïx turned to the rest of them and called out, "Par­ty&039;s over, because the de&039;s horu out of the pool A buxouy," she purred "You remember er over his chest as she passed

The only reason Sabine let "Carrow" live was because Rydstrole her fro witches started chanting, power surrounded therew i In h-five and missed

"There, all better now," N&iu, you look peaked You should rest"

"Yes, I&039;ll show you to our room" Rydstrom put his hand on Sabine&039;s lower back, "Nïx, I&039;ll be back," he said over his shoulder as he whisked Sabine inside

Now that the odor was gone and the mess cleaned, Sabine noted other details of the hout Fans lazily circled overhead The demon had taste

When they reached a spacious rooe, it had a sitting area A balcony overlooked the pool

The bed was irily When she sat at the edge of it and re out an undershirt

"Here&039;s so for you to wear for-"

By the time he&039;d turned back, she&039;d already stripped and crawled under the covers, half asleep

When Rydstrom returned, he told Nïx, "She didn&039;t need this commotion, Valkyrie I didn&039;t need it" He ran a hand over his horn

The crossing had been grueling And he didn&039;t think Sabine would admit it, but he suspected she&039;d been upset by Puck&039;s teary good-bye She&039;d frowned and said, "This isuncomfortable The demon boy makes me uncomfortable"

"Dirty Rydstrom, you wore your sorceress out!" Nïx appeared as mad as ever "She&039;s not like your typical demure demonesses, you know"

"I know this" Gods, he was glad of it "Dauests are still in the pool"

"I&039;ve got this" To the others, she called, "Hey, witches, did you see that redhead as just here in the wicked cool clothes?"

One called back, "The one dressed up like a sorcer­ess?" while another declared, "I&039;d do her"

"Well, she&039;s a real sorceress She&039;s Sabine the Queen of Illusions-"

That got the out: "The bitch will gack our powers!"-"She&039;ll ?"

With a contented sigh, Nïx said, "I think Sabine&039;s introduction into New Orleans Lorekind will be fraught with moments like these"

"Is Sabine safe here? When will Omort strike?"

"Well, there actually was a benefit to our invasion of your home-the witches put a protection spell on the peri after Carrow" She shrugged "Anyway No one but those who live here can enter your property without invitation"

He&039;d been planning on setting traps This was better "How long will the spell last?"

"As long as you don&039;t cancel the credit card I found in your drawer"

He inhaled for patience

"I also had them put a spell on your weapons ar ready for the arrival of The Sword"

Rydstrom had a sizable stone armory in his study It had been lockable Evidently, it was now invulnerable "Then my brother is on his way here Is he safe?"

"Yes, yes, enough with your abject thanks, Rydstrom I already know my help is priceless, and that you should nahter Nïx To answer your ques­tion, Cadeon is fine He claireat risk to himself" She tapped her chin "He also wrecked your million dollar Veyron-"

"He did what?" That car had been Rydstrom&039;s pride and joy There were only three hundred of them in the world, and he&039;d expressly forbidden Cadeon and Rok fro it

"Actually it was Holly, my niece, who crashed it Which, naturally, hasthe deure ride? She&039;ll never pay cover again-"

"Why did you let Holly go with Cadeon in the first place?"

"Because I&039;ive Holly up to Groot?"

"Yep Cadeon chose bro&039;s before ho&039;s But Holly, the little trooper, et free all by herself Don&039;t look so astounded She is my niece" Nïx fluffed her hair "And then Cadeon rubbed out Groot"

"So Cadeon and Holly are together, then?"

"Cadeon gave her up to a psychotic murderer She&039;s not exactly chipper with him But don&039;t worry She&039;ll

come around when she finds out he always planned to come back to save her"

Rydstrom was relieved to hear that, but he was still tense about his own situation Six days to win Sabine He&039;d taken his woman to his home, where she lay naked in his bed He believed she would receive hiht

And he was nervous I want to ht for her

"You&039;re going to do fine tonight, tiger Relax"

He hated that N&iu that as a soothsayer?"

Nïx shook her head "More as a female who&039;s lived three thousand years So I have to skedaddle now"

"Contactelse about Cadeon"

"B&039;okay Will do" Over her shoulder, she , Rydstrom A bad one Better be ready"

He surveyed the sky Not a single cloud marred the blue

37

"Wake the hell up!" Sabine shot up in the bed, blinking around her "Is so no one in the luxurious roo had she been out? It was already dark outside

"Are you up yet?" a voice said, laying words in Sabine&039;s ods, Abie, I&039;ve been searching this city for you!"

Sabine swung her legs over the side of the high bed "You&039;rehere?"

"I got your e at Tornin and opened a portal here I&039;ve been scouring this place hour after hour"

"The Vrekeners-"

"Are everywhere But you have to get back for your dose-now! Where are you?"

"With the demon In his home" In our home

"Can you escape him?"