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"All of the items will be safer here, in the sanctuary, with the proper warding," Nick said, frowning at Jason "Harder to find, and easier for us all to examine Once we know more, we can make a decision about their final disposition"

Jason dropped the subject, though Madison noticed his eyes straying to the Dragonheart as they opened the vault and concealed the jewelry and artifacts inside Jason, Seph, and Snowbeard ularly and examine and experiment with the talisiddy in their optie in the war that everyone seemed to think was inevitable

Madison was less enthusiastic The Dragonheart still glittered enticingly in a corner of her nore The presence of this treasure in Trinity did not make her feel safer In fact, she felt like Trinity had becoet that would be noticed, sooner or later, by those ould destroy everything she cared about

Chapter Six Passages

Well, thought Jason Jack is the talk of the town I’lad it’s not me

Jack’s dad, Thomas Swift, had returned to Trinity for Christ the party of the year

Word on the street was that Daddy had hired a party planner, who’d been working on the thing for months He called it a Midwinter Solstice party, but it was more of a debutante party for Jack, if they had that kind of thing for guys Thoent of business associates and social climbers and preppy kids frouest list had started out to be just as exclusive, but Jack had turned it into an open house by passing out invitations at school In fact, he’d begged all his friends to come, so he wouldn’t be marooned with a crowd of old people and East Coast lawyers

The Lakeside Club was totally fancy--a huge Victorian palace with a ballrooazebo, glittered on the snow, and flickered in the winter-stripped trees There were huge wreaths over the fireplaces, and bells and greenery on all the tables

It would have been even nicer in the summer, when the party could spill out onto the terrace by the lake and they ht have been a little less fussy about the dress code

Even Hastings had returned from Britain for the party Jason spotted the wizard several tilittering Linda Downey at his side Jason had hoped to take hiet some news from Britain, but the wizard and enchanter were always the center of a crowd

Jason felt sorry for Jack Thomas worked the roo his reluctant son along Jack towered over the big shots in his custo off the rack would have fit him His hair was tied back neatly because he’d refused to chop it off for the occasion

The place was packed, of course--Jack was the hometown Mr Popular And the food was incredible--shrimp and little crabmeat pies, fruit towers, and platters of desserts

Jason thrust his fingers into his neckline, loosening the tie Linda had inflicted on hi on a jacket--te he ht find it unattended, and found Becka Downey and Tho

Battle of the litigators Jason withdrew into the shadows, but he could still hear everything

"I have to say, I’m worried about Jack," Thomas said

"Really? You’ve hardly spoken to his With his grades, he shouldn’t have any trouble getting into an Ivy League school I offered to pull sos if there’s an issue And yet, he’s seriously considering going to Trinity?"

"Trinity is one of the best liberal-arts schools in the country And he can go there for free"

Tho free "I told you I would finance his education Maybe his undergraduate school doesn’t matter But, frankly, he seems totally clueless about what he wants to do He has to start strong, you know, or he’ll never get into a good law school"

Becka lifted her chin "Did he tell you he wants to go to law school?"

Thonored this "I found him a summer job with a firm in Boston, but he says he’d rather stay around here Working at the docks is all well and good while you’re in high school Now it’s tiht about his future I mean, he looks like a bodybuilder, for God’s sake"

At least no one’s fighting over ht He drifted back out into the main hall, which was packed with Jack’s family and friends, people he didn’t know He hadn’t been born and raised in Trinity Although he was (reluctantly) back in school, he tended to hang out with Seph and Jack and Ellen and Madison Otherwise, he felt like a total outsider

There were soh Maybe he couldthe buffet table, loading a small plate with desserts

"I can’t believe how cold it is," soirl, small and shapely, with full red lips anddown her back She carried herself like a rich person Or a wizard Or both He didn’t re her before

He studied her with interest "It tends to be cold here in the winter So I hear"

"Well, duh How could I forget?" She shivered, despite the high-necked sweater she earing Jason was no fashion expert, but it seeo to high school at Trinity," the girl said "But I don’t reainst the wall "I’ve only been here a year"