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I clicked into es The first one was from Veronica "Penny…I’round Veronica sobbed into the phone "I’m sorry, but they want you to co--"k-kill me and my family if you don’t"

My eyes snapped open fully Adrenaline rushed in to replace the fatigue fro two trays of food waiting by the door and a couple of sets of clothes beside it Emery ht before, probably for just that reason Pulling on the new leathers, I spared a hand to call my mother, then trapped the phone between my ear and my shoulder

"It’s about ti the phone "I orried sick What have you been doing?"

"I was storht" I couldn’t help the sullen teenager approach, even now So ready"

"They are not to be trusted, Penny, no ht tell you"

"Yes, I’ve been told--"

"But they do have their uses Where are you?"

"I’m at one of their houses Have you talked to Veronica?"

"Yes Briefly She snuck a phone call toattention They have her phone now, though She’s cut off"

"What is it?" E up with bleary eyes

Myin the saht now We can deal with that later" She took a deep breath, and I knew she was pinching the bridge of her nose like she did when she was trying not to get worked up about soroup of theuarding Veronica and her family Since the houses are so close, they essentially have a large host waiting for us"

"Waiting for us, Mother? No You don’t knohat they can do"

E his feet out of the sheets and dropped them to the floor He stood stiffly, his body clearly as tired and sore as mine "What’s the matter?" he asked

"You had better believe that I know exactly what that crooked institution is capable of," e I’ theirThey puff out their chests like a bunch of turkeys when they walk down the street And that’s exactly what they are Turkeys"

"It’s Veronica," I said to E to derail the anger and deter that if I don’t come, they’ll kill her I haven’t called her back yet"

Emery’s movements sped up and he hurried for his leathers "Has your ?"

I put the phone on speaker and repeated the question toblank I have a feeling it’s because of you The ies will come in a flurry once you choose a path That’s what’s happened in the past, based on the things I was seeing"

E on his pants "Call theht after," ht After"

I hesitated "Right now, they’re on the defensive, trying to regain the upper hand" I thought it through "They will knoe did to the guild, they’ll knoe’re together, and they’ll knoe’re working with vampires They fear us, Darius said"

"Darius Durant? The elder vah up in their hierarchy, not toyou?"

"Yes," I answered distractedly "The people that have Veronica will knohat to expect They’ll be able to prepare If I call the?" E He would put off his vengeance and help uess we have va it out "A large host ht They’ll look for us as the sun sets"