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"So you sent him away"

I tried not to put any particular es probably showed in my mind I don’t like that the sirens have historically consideredmore than tools of procreation Their female-centric culture throay male partners and male children like sopride, stubbornness, and hurt It was an old wound, but I could tell from her expression that it still ached "I did I let hiht back, reht I’d ht Okalani had teleported herself onto ster, thinking she was an enemy intruder

"You toldsent away?" I hed "Yes He was … is It , but he hated it even more when I rejected hihter by rejecting her?"

She shook her head and her expression grew hard and grim "Oh, no He won’t reject her He’ll use her"

The way she said that … an iures in black, and a floor-to-ceiling vault door Whether it was my own vision or projected into my head by Laka, I suddenly understood why she was so panicked

"You think he would use Okalani’s gift to steal things?"

Her jaw tightened, like it wasn’t so she wanted said out loud But I’m like that If it can’t be said out loud, it shouldn’t be thought "I would rather not think he is capable of outright theft"

A ht provided all too many ways Okalani could be of terrific use to a con man and thief--the possibilities were endless A si palmed and moved, the ball would simply disappear into Okalani’s hand while she stood several feet away An apartment full of priceless antiques onewith the owner throughout the robbery A ly in two places at once, itnesses in both places I hid all that in my mind as best I could, and erected what few barriers I knew to keep Laka out She didn’t need to kno dark ly at hter"

Scooting back my chair, I opened my center desk drawer and pulled out a leather case that held alphabetized business cards Flipping to "P," I selected one froators and handed it across the desk "Call Harry Carson He’s one of the best I know I’ll do so around and I’ll talk to Okalani if I find her, but he’ll find her if I can’t"

She took the card and stared at it with relief plain on her face Dark eyes filled with gratitude raised toI can ever do--"

I flinched involuntarily for at least the third time since she arrived "Actually, there is" I rose and stepped around the desk

She raised her eyebrows and cocked her head as I walked past her to the door, turned the knob, and opened it Mywas obvious; Laka stood and headed for the exit, pausing ere inches apart to repeat, "Anything"

I sighed and looked at her wearily "Stop callingfor siren trouble After Laka left, I started sorting throughto put them in order of priority The es frohter Adriana I knew Adriana was in the process of planning her weddings, plural, to King Dahlrets for the daylight cere yes to the church ceremony in Rusland because I’ve alanted to see Europe--I had no connection to the wedding Since Adriana and I aren’t close, that was no surprise

Still, they were calling Eight or ten times each That meant there was a crisis of some sort Crap I so didn’t want to deal hatever it was I wanted to ease back into my life, try to ht up in the crisis of the o I picked up the phone and dialed the nuot her assistant, who told me that the queen was unavailable, but would callup and dialed Adriana

Nowwell, despite the fact that she’s royal, and I’m an American and pretty irreverent besides But Adriana? That’s a whole ’nother story The princess can be very … princessy A diva’s diva She has a crown and an attitude, and definitely kno to use both On top of that she was busy getting ready for the iet shunted off to an even longer line of assistants Instead, she answered herself and on the first ring