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Leif’s earlier assertion that these lieutenants of Zdenik’s were all younger than he was gave me an idea--she wouldn’t be able to speak Old Norse I had to hope that Leif hadn’t lost the ability to speak it hih soe of his birth

"I will bind her liether," I said "Stand up and make sure she doesn’t fall" Thankfully, he ree Leif stood and Natalia took a step back as I switched to Old Irish and began binding the skin of her lips together

As far as the earth is concerned, va sacks of carbon and tracepeople, and, as such, I can do whatever I want to them and Gaia is completely chill with it I didn’t want to unbind Natalia here, because it would be excessively messy, cause panic, and draanted attention to me It would be better to remove her from the premises and make sure no other vah playing Tell me who this man is or I will tell Zdenik," she said to Leif And those were her last words I co, and she discovered that it was si in shock, she conveniently lifted her hands to her mouth for , with just a set: Now her hands were also bound to herto bubble out

"Grab her around the shoulders like you’re buddies, but don’t let her go," I said to Leif in Old Norse As he led a bit before he could secure his ar on her jeans: I bound the inseaether so that she wouldn’t be able to run In this way, she was ile punch thrown or a scream to su attention, however, so why that wo to do with it

"It’s her food allergy," I said in English, a bit louder than I needed to "We’d better get her to the doctor Coed to pity for the poor lady with an allergy

Now that he was clued in to the ruse, Leif played along "Let’s get you outside," he said consolingly, also speaking a little bit louder than necessary, to reassure anyone listening in Using only his left arm to squish her side next to his, he basically carried her out of the restaurant, lifting her up a bit so her feet wouldn’t drag on the floor With her hands pressed to her mouth, Natalia plausibly looked and sounded like she was having trouble with so she’d eaten

"Stay here," I told Granuaile before following Leif "We’ll be back as soon as possible"

"I’ to stand

"No," I said firmly "I really need you to remain here" If there were other vaet "Seriously"

She studied ive in my expression and found none She sluht me on the subject

"Thank you," I said, then hurried to catch up with Leif

Oberon! I called,as I darted past tables to the front door

"Huh? What?"

Oh You’re okay?

"Yeah, I’h of relief as I reached the exit Thank the gods of twenty pantheons Why didn’t you answer earlier?

"I didn’t hear anything"

I called you twice, I said as I looked around for Leif He was tonext door toward a convenience store with a few gas pu lot, to etic "I may have taken a short nap, Atticus I’h Next time, remember to ask for the non-drowsy yak liver"

Walk to the sidewalk and turn left, I told him You’ll see me there Follow behind and watch for vaet the roofs

"Okay I see you now Only vampires I can sense are the ones in front of you Leif and that one froht Keep me informed of any develop around to check on what I wanted to do I jogged to catch up and pointed to the sliver of space between Granny’s Closet and the convenience store

"Duetting Natalia even more riled up Yet

As casually as we could, and with Leif still pretending that the arm around Natalia was protective, alked the thirty yards or so to the back of the building and slipped out of sight of all the traffic on South Milton Road We found the big industrial trash bins and I threw open the lid, startling a few hardy flies that were battling the chilly tee, Oberon Please make sure no one follows us back here

"Got it"

"Toss her in," I said to Leif, purposely using English Natalia heard that, s, tearing her jeans right down the insea that, but Leif hadn’t He started cursing as she kicked at hi her exposed skin She wouldn’t be tearing through that

"What are you doing?" Leif said