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The gun was a gift froe, refused to let Rue’s twenty-first birthday slip by without acknowledgement Rue had been in India on the actual date of the occurrence, likely acting the part of naked native goddess Frankly, attaining her official majority had entirely slipped her mind But no one could refute that she had indeed turned twenty-one, papers were filed, she was legally an adult, a free woman, and a ward of no one – vampire or otherwise At her return houn because, as he said, she was all grown up and a fully fledged independent now, and knowing her fa well after dark, Rue, Priil were hailed frouard and not by a teeuard stood duty as only one was needed, as that guard was Tasherit Sekhmet

Miss Sekhmet didn’t seem like very effective protection True she was tall and i sooith her hair loose, and not a weapon in sight

Rue cliood evening, Captain I wasn’t expecting you tonight And Miss Priht?" Tasherit turned her hunter’s gaze onto Prim the moment she appeared

Rue didn’t have to look to know that Pri around Miss Sekhmet She was in awe of their resident werelioness, and despite Tasherit’s easygoing affection, Primrose refused to warm to her

Tasherit, in classic cat fashion, thus found Priil? A good evening to you"

Virgil nodded happily All of the Custard’s youngsters were fond of Miss Sekhmet Partly because when she was in lioness form, she let them ride her like a shipboard pony and partly because she was one of the few adults on the dirigible who held no immediate connection to, or official title within, the aristocracy True she was a foreigner, but she was also a commoner, and she was nice about both As a result, Tasherit had turned most of Rue’s crew into her minions

Rue ood for them to have an adult to talk to in an informal manner She herself couldn’t take on the role of mentor; as captain, she needed to inspire discipline and awe Being a round, cheerful young lady, Rue orking on awe and discipline from a deficit Also Tasherit had taken on the duty of ularly put the deck crew through their paces, to go up against not only daylight threats but supernatural creatures as well At her behest, Rue had seen the e, vicious little scrappers had taken to the idea of being ar an iplank without assistance She cranked it downup

Even living together for weeks on end, Tasherit up close always took Rue’s breath away She was so beautiful it hurt, like breathing deep on an icy evening She was all exotically strong features, tea-with-, thick dark hair It was , or would have been, if she hadn’t been so nice about it One couldn’t really resent Tasherit for her beauty; that would be like resenting a sunset

"Has Percy colish well, with only a touch of lilting vowels Weeks spent talking regularly to Rue and Prim had coloured her vocabulary with the upper crust "Off to his library in a funk"

Prioodness he’s here" Pri after hi seemed in order

Tasherit was surprised "No Should there be? Does our dear professor have friends?"