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Exciteether within me "I’ll be ready"

He touched my cheek then turned and departed without another word

I watched hi to ely tender? I shook ht now all I wanted to worry about was getting my ass back ho at the simple, pretty pullover dress laid out on the bed I’d been thinking jeans, a zrila-shirt, and sneakers would be ideal for going honificance in deetting ho left to do but wait iress of the sun toward the horizon

Shortly after the sun began to set a faas burst through the door, baring teeth "Come! Come! Qaztahl waits!"

"Okay, okay!" I said with a smile The faas hopped out, and I followed it down the corridor It stopped at the open door to this wing’s smaller library and pointed inside

"Here here heeeeere"

"Rhyzkahl’s waiting for me here?" I asked, brow furrowed

The faas peered at h I was a silly but very lovable hu!"

Doubt tightenedmore than the very simple dress with no bra, then entered the small library

Indeed, Jesral was there, draped casually in a chair, sitting partially sideith one leg over the other There was nothing casual, though, behind his eyes or in his aura Sliaze, he didn’t radiate scary the way Mzatal did but felt le cat--deadly, but able to hide it when he desired He wore a grey turtleneck beneath a dark blue velvet suit that did absolutely nothing to decrease the subtle aura of danger He turned his head to look at me as I entered, while the rest of his posture remained in total co me a smile "I aht to finally have the chance to meet you properly"

I inclined my head, wary "Lord Jesral, I confess I don’t know ave him a small and careful smile

His eyes widened "Rhyzkahl has not spoken of le tsk sound "He has spoken of you at length Though there was cause in that, and perhaps not so the other way"

I folded my arms over my chest as I studied him "And why have I been the subject of sothe ritual," he said, eyes on"To which I will escort you, that you may return to Earth"

"And why do you care whether I return to Earth?"

He laughed "What o? I aid because Rhyzkahl asks it"

I lifted an eyebrow "And do you do everything he asks of you?"

"Clever, clever girl" His face shifted fro look "Would you believe any answer I gave you?"

I affected a casual shrug, though inside ht conversational banter carried higher stakes than I could ever iine "Lies and truth are all information of so to the floor, gaze intense and flat out disturbing in a far different way than any of the others A strange sh I’d

"This is so very true," he said, standing and flicking non-existent dust froh it is helpful to discern a lie frolean the most refined information I can offer one as easily as the other"

I unfolded my arms "I’m a cop I’m used to lies But how about you humor me and tell me the truth" I lowered my head and kept the smile on my face His too-friendly demeanor disturbed the hell out of erly leap to do Rhyzkahl’s bidding? Do you fear hi up in order to keep in his good favor?"

He adjusted his clothing with a few sestured toward the door "We have arelationship," he said, "and he would just as readily leap at "