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He walked up the road to the palace and slipped through the portcullis and past the sleeping guards, re hi for not doing their jobs As he approached the palace, he looked up The s in the toere dark--Liam must be asleep Inside the entryway, all was dark and quiet Even the interior guards were away fro around in the kitchen for food At least they were awake, but they shouldn’t all leave their posts at once Aaron frowned If he sent theuards
Nothe place would be tee Aaron inside "for protection," or so General Blair said, as the rest of the Quillitary attacked Arti ie of everything
Aaron thought briefly about disappearing back into the jungle, but he feared his absence in the ht And Aaron needed General Blair to attack and take over Artimé--Aaron couldn’t do that alone So all he could do was sit tight and wait it out, and then, when he was free to le, round up Panther, and make his move
But first he desperately needed sleep
On the way to his sleeping quarters, he stopped in his office and saw a roughly scribbled note fro Didn’t see you today Hope all is okay for big day tomorrow
Aaron crumpled up the paper and tossed it on the floor Liaood, because it probably otten the uncomfortable conversation they’d had the other day, the memory of which made Aaron’s stomach churn But Liam was loyal That was more than Aaron could say for Secretary, he supposed He had never known exactly where she stood, even to the end What had she been doing in Artimé, anyway? He still had no idea
Aaron sat down and began eht the better of it and reloaded the He closed the drawer and straightened his desk, his thoughts once le Had he really le, he doubted what had really gone on there It never seeray walls of the palace It was almost as if Quill had been dulled purposely to da really see did
Aaron pinched his eyes shut, knowing he was exhausted and not thinking clearly But he couldn’t leave his thoughts of the spider behind When an idea occurred to hiot up fro it wide and looking at the box of junk he’d stashed there when he took over the palace--Haluki’s junk, which he’d never gotten around to throwing away He pulled the heavy box out of the closet and carried it to his desk, setting it down hard
He looked inside, wondering if he’d find anything he could shape or mold into a creature "I wonder," hecreature here in Quill? Or is there soave me the powers?"
He picked up an ugly gargoyle statue with a silly pink ribbon tied to one horn and set her down on the desk, then ru only a few books and writing utensils Nothing pliable Nothing hich to make an aniain at the statue, narrowing his eyes "You look fairly harly" She wouldn’t be his own creation, but he could at least see if his powers to make her come alive worked here in Quill
The statue returned his stare with a blank one of her own
Aaron picked her up and turned her around, inspecting her all over He shrugged and closed his eyes, placing his hand on her back, and concentrated on her "Co across his desk "Live"
The statue didn’tat him just as before, frozen and dead
His heart sank Maybe he wasn’t as powerful as he’d thought There iven hioyle
Just then, his office door burst open Before he could turn his head to see as happening, the lights went out and footsteps thundered all around hi pulled fro walls and the desk Aaron froze, letting the statue slip froers She clattered to the desk A cold piece of metal slid across Aaron’s throat and a ainst an enormous man’s chest In the moment he was so shocked he didn’t utter a sound, and so afraid of the steel at his neck that he dared not ain His chest heaved uncontrollably
Someone barked an order, and in seconds Aaron was blinded by a bright light pointed directly at his eyes Beyond the light, he could see shadows of a number of men Instinctively he reached for the spells in his pockets, but the rabbed his arms and wrested them behind his back
Aaron’s shoulder popped and he squealed in pain
Thea sharp point, and pressed it hard into Aaron’s skin "Shut up," the rowled "Don’t move"