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The sonheart in our hands, ill, of course, renegotiate Watch and learn"

As if called by their conversation, the boy wizard Joseph McCauley elittering ards A few over-enthusiastic wizards ( of fire at him, which he brushed aside conteht an infestation of fire ants-- unpleasant, but, for the h he’d alreadynose at his betters Too bad he carried so irl, she thought Perhaps McCauley still could have been turned

The boy’s voice rang out over the churchyard "We’ve discussed your proposal," he said "And we have a counter offer" He paused, as if to assure that he had everyone’s attention "We propose a new Covenant of peace and forgiveness If you all go back where you caic, ill allow you to live"

For a moment, Wylie couldn’t conjure a response "Are you out of your mind?" he sputtered "What kind of proposal is that?"

"If you refuse," McCauley continued, unperturbed, "we’ll strip you of e erupted from the assembled wizards

Jess couldn’t help but adance Apparently McCauley had also inherited his father’s inability to recognize when he was beaten

Wylie was less ienerous offer," McCauley s voice boo out the coiven the other cri the murders of Jason Haley and Madison Moss" His voice trerief, Jess couldn’t tell

Jess was finally goaded into speech "The girl’s dead?"

"She was killed by falling debris during the attack"

Jess sniffed "Haley got what he deserved for not delivering as proirl is dead, it’s your own fault, for resisting"

McCauley went very still "Well, she’s still dead, isn’t she?" he said softly "And if not for you, she’d be alive"

"Enough of this posturing," Wylie said "Give us the Dragonheart"

McCauley inclined his head, and ca, an awful smile "Be careful what you wish for," he said He turned and looked back into the church The s kindled, illuht Jess had to shade her eyes

There was , wrapping itself around the tower of the church, a glittering body following, an arestion of wings that remained imprinted on Jess’s vision when she closed her eyes Slate roof tiles clattered down, followed by a gargoyle downspout, as the beast settled itself into the architecture of the building, its serpent’s head questing out toward the wizards on the ground, its clawed forelegs gripping the stonework over the door Wizards toppled, landing hard on the pave lot, driven down by raw and irresistible power

Dragon! The word rippled through the crowd

Jess h just barely The apparition was so bright, it was difficult to look at for any length of tie wavered, and for a ure, a woman, tall and terrible, with brilliant blue eyes and a cloud of glittering hair She had a rather startled look on her face Jessanized her froathered hiht "We’ve seen this before," he gasped, his face a fish-belly white "At Second Sister It’s just a shade A … a gla to be afraid of" He sounded totally unconvinced

Jessa dread This was different from Second Sister Horribly different Raer pulsed froainst her consciousness like store across the cobbled square Fla toward the beast coiled around the base of the church steeple The gouts of fla

Another wave of twenty wizards washed forward, attacked, and went down

After awizards on the plaza turned and scra that she still had a principal role to play

"Geoffrey Wylie," the monster said It was a female voice, softly cadenced, oddly familiar Wylie flinched and covered his head with his arht hide himself from view The erstwhile Procurer of Warriors for the Red Rose rapidly back-pedaled until the dragon fixed hiht in a snake’s gaze