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"Who are you?"

"A mother that will protect her child at any cost" My h for a scary sort of determined expression to settle on her face, and started forward

I ducked into her study, grabbed the sword off its decorative holder on the wall, and ran back out Probably wasn’t wise to run with a sword, but desperate times, as they said

My un, and lowered the business end, leveling it no e torso He didn’t so er said in his deep, scratchy voice, his gaze roa the side of the house

"Mzzzz Bristol I’m hich means I don’t have a erous You are on et off"

His little smile was back "Yes, ma’am You are correct, I am on your property This second ward is expertly done My coht after I shoot you" My h she’d used the gun every day of her life

Just what hobbies had she been taking up besides knitting?

"You don’t want to do that, ers like he had before "Thankfully, you had these wards up But they would’ve gotten through eventually I can see you are ready to shoot uild Trusted thee theo" He dropped his hands and looked straight at uild is round than help theain, she didn’t pull the trigger, either

"I didn’t think they knew about Penny Bristol yet But I ran into a "--he turned and pointed at Lewis’s yard--"just in that yard there They are watching this house I don’t kno h Or it is with your daughter, at any rate If they sahat I did,her out by her hair if they have to"

"If they sahat you did?"or two out of the story I told you," Iher lips

Magic drifted up fro fro ready to break this second ward," I said in a strangely high-pitched squeak "He’s pulling aze snapped to h for them to know you’re special, Penny Bristol" He sounded ilowered to underuy killed people I was not about to develop a soft spot for him because of a feords of praise, however tickled I was to be noticed

"What do youat his feet

I pointed at what I was seeing, which was notably less clear now that I’d vocally made note of it "He’s about to create the weave to break the ward"

My er’s

"What?" I asked "I know a little bit of ic From New Orleans"

"I’d like to coer said, his voice solemn "You can’t let them have her I can help you protect her"

Chapter Sixteen

The breath caught in Emery’s chest as he waited for the verdict He’d meant to tear down both of these wards in order to show his power, then put up better ones to protect Penny and her family, but this second ward must’ve taken months to put into place It had been anchored to this spot, , for years It was expertly crafted, finely woven, and stuffed with fresh power He could force it to break, but he doubted ht Penny had placed these wards They had serious power behind them But noas sure she hadn’t Not this one in front of hiic was too old, too advanced