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When I got downstairs, Oas already showered and dressed He was on the phone ordering Chinese food--in Chinese I shouldn’t have been surprised As ht speak a few I sat on the sofa and allowed myself to admire him Even et hair that looked like it had been toweled halfheartedly but not coeous I waited for that usual jolt of insecurity to hit uy who looked like that who could taons and then order in Chinese would ith soiven me no reason to think he wanted anyone but s as another story

"I’ot off the phone

As I expected, he turned a fetching shade of pink He leaned against the edge of his desk like he was trying to look casual "Oh, yeah, well, I do speak a little, and it was easier than lish"

"You’re full of surprises Like whatever that was today with the dragons"

He brushed his damp hair out of his eyes, then frowned at thethat his hair was still wet "Rerand tour, and when you were in my lab Jake came in with his pants shredded?"

I nodded I was surprised he reue recollection toto do with dogs?"

"The spell was supposed to soothe wild animals, only it obviously didn’t hen Jake tried it on the dog that ca with it since then to see how it really worked I’m pretty sure it was aout, because it seeDo they even on Chow? I know they make just about every other kind of chow because we sold it in our store back horeat joke, but I’d hoped for at least a hint of a smile from him Instead, he pounded his fist on his desk "I can’t believe I was stupid enough to walk into that trap"

"Trap?"

"Ari’s trap You don’t think we accidentally stu her, do you?" He stood up and started pacing, the energy that usually bubbled just beneath his calm exterior now all at the surface "I should have known better What made me think that after our entire security force has spentthe city for her, she’d happen to cross our path? And then I was duer"

"I don’t know that we could have seen that co and looked at o into that tunnel You wanted to go the other way She had me totally fooled I should know to always listen to you I bet she sent an illusion for ht into her trap"

"I wasn’t totally sure which way she went I’d lost sight of her I don’t think either of us could have known, and we couldn’t have riskedthe chance to follow her to their hideout For all we know, the hideout could have been on the other side of the dragons, and they’re using the dragons as watchdogs"

That caluess we’ll never really know"

"Unless ant to do a littlein that area and see if we can find what sheto, in case it wasn’t a deliberate trap You already have the dragons eating out of your hand What other danger are you likely to stumble on down there?" The look on his face made me say, "Okay, scratch that I don’t want to know But surely it can’t be anything a pet dragon couldn’t scare away for you You knoe could have just ons on our own," I added "There is such a thing as coincidence"

He looked lost in thought while he pondered that, but before he could say anything the buzzer from the downstairs door sounded "That’ll be lunch I’ll be back in a second," he said, heading for the front door He was back not long afterith a giant paper bag

"What ar?" I asked

"I like to plan on leftovers," he said "And I like to make sure I have a couple of favorites I know I’ll like, plus one new thing to try"