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"Oh, I have a laundry list," I said, evading the question "But going through Tessa’s library is an adventure in disorganization How did you knoas here?"

"You weren’t at your house or at the station, so I figured you’d be here"

My car was in the garage, but he’d knoas here When he called he hadn’t asked where I was; he said that he’d been knocking He would never hurt me, I reminded myself, somewhat surprised at how certain I was of this I turned and headed down the hall, hoping I wasn’t being hopelessly naïve Just because I felt safe with him didn’t mean it was actually safe to be with hiet into her library," I said over ured I’d do as much research as I could"

An aard silence settled around us as I gathered my stuff up It seemed like both of us wanted to pretend that the weirdness of yesterday hadn’t happened, which was fine with e conversational li to fill the void with any noise "I never thanked you for co to the funeral with me the other day I’m … not sure I could have handled it alone"

He shook his head, looking briefly haggard "You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for"

I shrugged, picking up the stack of books that I wanted to read more carefully "So what are you up to now?" I wanted to ask him why he was here, why he’d wanted to track me down so badly, but I was a bit afraid of the answer Or, rather, I wasn’t sure I was ready for the answer Chickenshit

"Oh, well …" I could see hiif you wanted to get so too Part of rin, but I could sense the faint edge to it

I gave hi-free hed "What, you didn’t like the entertaina to tellattacked us?"

His smile faded "I can’t … truly can’t"

"Can’t or won’t?" I challenged

"Can’t I promise! I honestly don’t know"

I exhaled and nodded, but a knock out front stoppedon the order of How the fuck are you able to change uys!" Jill’s perky voice chirped from the porch Ryan stepped out into the hallith h the open front door "There’s a party and no one invited ?"

"Ryan thinks I’e for food Wanna come?"

Her eyes flashed mischievously "I don’t want to intrude on y’all’s date"

"It’s not a date," we both said simultaneously, then turned to scowl at each other I looked hastily away, absurdly put out that he’d been so quick to deny the possibility that lunch with me could be considered a date It was beside the point that I’d leaped to deny it as well

Jill let out a snort "Oooookay, I can see that now Sure, I’m up for food"

I setin my pocket for the key, oddly conflicted that Jill would be joining us There was still a strange tension between Ryan and et us past what had happened in the past couple of days or if I would continue to react like a jealous third-grader every ti an insecure idiot? If he decides he likes her more than he likes me, then … rown-up about this

I just wished ht

I pulled the front door closed, then ju froain "That came from the library," I said I started to say that it was probably another book falling off a shelf, but an odd ripple of the arcane brushedthe back oflanced back at Ryan, not surprised to see his gun in his hand "You felt that?" I asked

He nodded, broered and gaze on the hallway I looked back at Jill, with the intent to tell her to stay on the porch, but was shocked to see that she had her gun in her hand too and an utterly calave a sot your back anyway"

I couldn’t help but grin, even as another bang sounded, this time accompanied by a harsh clatter and the sound of several objects striking the floor I gave e I hadn’t expected to need it inside Tessa’s house And the only way into the garage was either through the house--down the hallway that ran past the library--or with the garage-door opener Which was in the car

I scanned the hallway in search of anything that could be used as a weapon, but the only possible candidate was a flowered umbrella in the corner by the door No way But maybe I did have a weapon I had the ability to shape arcane energy, right? And I’d once seen Rhyzkahl use potency as a weapon Of course, that was in a drea ties to reality It was at least worth a try

I took a deep breath and focused on pulling potency tointoscattered energies slowly coalescing, becoht

Holy shit I was doing it I was controlling arcane power I felt a triulow sputtered out I frowned at hly as the power