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"Barghest," he clarified, giving the filet hest," I repeated, as he slad I’d taken otten really warm in the kitchen

"So what do you eat?" I asked

"Well, I hunt There’s great hunting around our area And there are a few people I’ll buy meat from around Rockabill But otherwise, I’ll just not eat meat With two exceptions I can’t resist"

"What are the exceptions?"

"Haggis and White Castle"

"What is haggis?"

"It’s the Scottish national dish The pluck of a sheep--s--all diced up with oatmeal and spices and then baked in the sheep’s stoht about that I had but one question

"How the hell can you eat White Castle?"

He chuckled "Sliders are little pellets of greasy love, Jane Don’t knock ’e open

"Honey," Ryu called "I’m home!"

Anyan and I turned toward the door Ryu stood, arest bouquet of flowers I’d ever seen He was staring at Anyan The vaan

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Dinner was very, very aard, although the lentils were delicious When we’d finished eating and had cleared away the plates, we returned to Ryu’s dining table to get down to business

"What exactly are you doing here, Anyan?"

"I was sent After everything that happened with Ji So for the past fewout leads, keeping an eye on the powers that be," Anyan said, not looking at me I kne retted that he’d lost his hard-won independence "So’s cropped up at the Coan herself"

Ryu and I exchanged glances "You’re not the only one who’s been sent as ‘assistance,’" Ryu replied

"Alfar named Phaedra is here," I interrupted "Sent by Jarl"

Anyan’s eyeson our little secret Ryu didn’t entirely understand the implications of Jarl’s involvement, as he didn’t know about Jarl’s attack on me at the Compound Ryu knew that Jarl was bad news, but not quite how bad He didn’t know Jarl definitely blamed me for the loss of his foster son, or that he’d tried to kill me, and that, due to his failure, there were titnesses to his attack I had the feeling Anyan and I were going to have to tell Ryu the truth very soon, and I wasn’t looking forward to that conversation Those two had enough alpha- secrets Secrets I shared with the other top dog, no less

"I know That’s partially why I’?" Anyan asked Ryu

"Kaya and Kaori Fugwat And Graele "Graeme?"

Ryu only nodded as Anyan stared at him