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But surprisingly, he didn’t stay long, nor did he tarry over things not his business After a hts and stared at me with a puzzled look

"You may wander in ic far too powerful for your own good, and because of it, you are in danger Indeed, danger rides you like a steed, it clings to your back You reek of Aeval’s energy and yetthere is so beneath the stench of the Unseelie And where you are going, young Fae, the Dark Queen will not be able to protect you"

After a moment, he let out a dismissive bark "Half-breeds are irksome I don’t like puzzles" He motioned to Tra "Run ahead This is not Aeval Leave these two alone and neither help nor hinder the, his hands on his hips, he stared down atDelilah looked at ht to ask hi the detective in danger, in case Herne’s bad mood extended to him as well I quickly restructuredEater? Do you know if he’s near?" Might as well ask so that could help us

Herne choked "Now I understand why I don’t trust you Yes, that piece of filth is near Anyone who cozies up with the likes of Stollen Koets"

"I’m not--" I started to say, then stopped as Herne and Tra vanished in a swirl of frost-covered leaves Both confused and relieved--we’d gotten off lightly--I turned to Delilah

She broke into a nervous smirk "You know the old proverb: Foolish are those who suht just answer"

"I didn’t suives me the creeps I hope he behaves and leaves us alone" Still shaking, I forcedEater is near"

"That doesn’t h and shook her head "I sh ferns "I think he’s that way"

We plunged through the fronds, limp from winter’s chill, and the rattle of dried leaves echoed with our passing The overgroas dry fro into shards as we pushed our way through the tangle

"Why would Chase have come this way? Maybe he ran off the path?" Delilah asked, but I could tell she already knew the answer

"Easy one Either he was carried, or he was running away fro for a place to hide" I shook e "How are we going to find hi in here on our own We should have at least brought Smoky with us"

Delilah paused, then pointed ahead "Look!"

I followed her gaze and there, in the tangle of a briar bush that bordered a glen, saw a jacket It had to be Chase’s

We shoved our way through the last of the bushes over to the braerly removed the jacket froed harder, and it ripped into my hands I held it up to Delilah’s nose, but even from here I could smell Chase on it He’d co hurry if he had to leave this" I peeked through the pockets and took out his wallet, badge, checkbook, and anything else that looked like it ht be important As I did so, a card fell out It was the business card of a local psychic--one I kneas legit and fairly accurate I said nothing, but put it back into the wallet

Delilah leaned over, and when she stood up again, she was holding a gun in her gloved fingers "Chase’s gun And it’s been fired This is not a good sign" She looked around, her eyes briun’s safety on and placed it into the bag containing the iron cuffs she carried

"Should we continue?" I glanced around the glen Ringed by tall oak and cedar, the glen was shaded and the ground dusted with a thick layer of white Soht --or soh the hoarfrost "Look--there"

Delilah knelt by the tracks She sniffed, holding the breath deep inside for a"Chase Chase was here Soun Whatever it was, I think it overpowered him"

I followed the tracks with ht--I don’t see footprints indicating he was on his feet" If he’d been running after the, it would have looked len and I followed her, not wanting to go farther without additional help But Chase had been captured, and who knehat had hold of him?

I fell in beside her and we followed the trail of tralen, there was a short path through a ring of cedar and oak, and we cautiously navigated through it, with Delilah’s nose checking the air while I kept glancing over my shoulder to watch our backs

And then, as we pushed through the trees, we found ourselves on the edge of a bog--long and wide--that stretched alht the silhouette of land on the other side, but the round and it was hard to see , and the acrid scent of decaying vegetation rang sour through the air

I gazed at the wide expanse of wetlands Fens were treacherous If we tried to work our way through there without the proper equiped down, no pun intended There was no easy way to tell where the path was--the frost covered everything as it had back in the glen, but with the tangled foliage, it was iht have made

Overhead, aby

Delilah turned toEater is out there, waiting? Do you think he has Chase?"