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"You need to rest," Corain

Fritz had just come in and taken away their First Meal dishes Bella had had steak and mashed potatoes and mint-chocolate -chip ice cream Cormia had had the potatoes and soht the M&M&039;s had been delightful?

Bella snuggled more deeply into her pillows "You know, I think you&039;re right I aht?"

"Sounds lovely" Cor?"

"No" Bella&039;s eyes closed "Hey, before you go What are those candles "

The feainst her white lace pillowcase "They&039;rethings Herbs and flowers in&039;s fountain"

"I knew they were special"

"I&039; to be far," Corood"

As Cormia stepped out of the room, she was careful to shut the door quietly

"Madaht you&039;d left with the tray"

"I did" He lifted the bouquet he was holding "I needed to deliver these"

"What lovely flowers"

"They are for the second-floor sitting room" He plucked out a lavender rose and offered it forward "For you, mistress"

"Why, thank you" She took the delicate petals to her nose "Oh, how lovely"

Cor down, she ran her hand over the black cat&039;s silky, resilient back "Why, hello, Boo"

The cat purred and leaned into her, his surprisingly strong body shifting her weight

"Do you care for roses?" she asked hi hied at her free hand, de more attention

"I adore this cat"

"And he adores you," Fritz said, then hesitated "Mistress, if I may"

"What is it?"

"Thecenter&039;s of fice, and I believe he could use some company Perhaps you would¡ª"

The cat let out a loud rand staircase, and flicked his tail It seemed as if, had he had ar down to the foyer

The butler laughed "I think his lordship Boo agrees"

The cat rip on the rose&039;s ste She needed to tell the Prirace, but are you sure now is the¡ª"

"Good, good! I shall take you to hi room and returned ain his step and a glow to his face, as if he were doing a job he enjoyed

"Coain and led the way down the stairs and to the left, then over to a black-paneled door tucked in a corner The butler entered a code on a numerical pad and opened what turned out to be a six-inch-thick steel panel Cormia followed Fritz down a couple steps and found herself in a tunnel that see around, she pulled the lapels of her robe e to feel claustrophobic in the midst of so much space, but she was abruptly conscious that they were underground and trapped inside

"The code, by the way, is 1914," the butler said as he closed theed "That would be the year the house was built You just enter it here on these pads to get through any of the doors along the way The tunnel is made up of concrete and steel, and is sealed at all ends And everything in it is monitored by a security syste¡ª"and otherdevices You are as safe here as you would be on the grounds or in the house itself"

"Thank you" She s a bit unnerved "

"Perfectly understandable,her hand and giving it a little squeeze of reassurance

"We go this way" The butler walked in a shuffle, his wrinkled face bea "The master Phury will love to see you"

Cor, she tried to cast the proper good-bye in her head, and found herself tearing up a little

She had fought this destiny of hers in the beginning, fought against being First Mate Yet now, as she was getting what she wanted, she mourned the loss that came with her relative freedom

Upstairs in the hall of statues, John opened the second door down froht

Qhuinn entered the bedroom with care, like he hoped there was no mud on the soles of his New Rocks "Nice crib"

I&039;ned

Both of their phones went off at the same time, and the text was fro on to secured Web-site for more information

John shook his head Classes canceled Clinic sacked Lash abducted and likely tortured The fallout from what had happened in the locker roo in more than threes

"No et a little too busy putting his duffel bag down "For anyone"

We need to hook up with Blay, John signed I can&039;t believe he hasn&039;t texted since night fell Maybe we should go over there now?

Qhuinn walked to one of the floor-to-ceiling s and pulled back the heavy drapery "I don&039;t think he&039;s going to want to seewhy behindto need some serious space"

John shook his head and texted Blay: ZeroSum 2nite cuz no class? Hav news bout o Assu him to meet up with us"

Qhuinn looked over his shoulder just as the phone beeped Blay&039;s text read: Cant 2nite busy w fam will hitchu l8r

John put his phone in his pocket What happened?

"Nothing Everything I don&039;t know¡ª"

The heavy knock on the door was clearly made by a fist the size of a male&039;s head

"Yeah?" Qhuinn called out

Wrath strode in The king seerimmer than he had been earlier, as if ain over the Brotherhood&039;s transole of leather

He lifted both up and looked hard at Qhuinn "I don&039;t need to tell you not to be an asshole with these, do I?"

"Ah, no sir What are they, though?"

"Your t best friends" The king put the case on the bed, flipped two black locks free, and popped the lid

"Whoa"

Whoa, John mouthed

"You&039;re welco, were a pair of stinger-lethal Heckler & Koch forty-five- the chamber on one, Wrath handed the black weapon to Qhuinn by theto draw up soets critical, you will flash it, and whoever is up in your grille has to deal with h aet a case of the jels" The king tossed what turned out to be a chest harness at Qhuinn "You are never not armed when you&039;re with him Even in this house Are we clear? That is the way it works"

As Qhuinn hefted the pistol in his palood to have big loads Instead, he said, "I want free access to the gun range I&039; to want to be down there at least three times a week Minimum"

Wrath&039;s mouth lifted on one side "We&039;ll name the bitch after you, how about that?"

John felt like a voyeur standing between the two of thee in Qhuinn Gone was the jocular front He was all business, suddenly more hard-core than his hard-core clothes