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Drake didn’t answer His as ready to slash at her But he hesitated, unsure if she was friend or foe

"I’ve felt it since I got close," Penny said, looking past Drake up at the path "I was just wandering Going nowhere And then, little by little, I realized I was going so here" Then, like a person waking out of a drea Caine went to, isn’t it? The Darkness The thing that gave you that Whip Hand"

Drake said, "Would you like me to introduce you?"

"Yes I would," Penny said very seriously

Diana had stolen tear-distorted glances at Brianna, who see as it ate upanywhere"

She flew at Drake

But Diana had been there at times when Brianna moved at top speed When she s; you didn’t see her draw her deadly s now and knew that the Breeze had slowed

But she was still fast

Theand Drake’s as cut in half Five feet of flesh-colored tentacle lay in the dirt like a dead python

Brianna spun, caround, cautious, distracted, and suddenly she cried out, skidded, leaped across so Diana could not see

Penny had struck!

Drake picked up his severed tentacle and pushed the two stuether He looked less furious than peevish The injury was at worst a te around like a crazy person, leaping from place to place, focused likefor balance

"What is she doing?" Drake asked

Penny laughed "Trying not to fall into the lava And her friend, Dekka? The one she was expecting to show up? She’s out there soht-dark desert "Trying to get her little brain back to reality"

Diana saary concern on Drake’s face It was beginning to occur to hiht be "

"Do you think I’m cute?" Penny asked him

Drake froze, stood stock-still, and now the look on his face was more than just wary

"Yeah," Drake said "Yeah You’re cute"

His tentacle had grown back, the stu as if he was es together, then rolling the whole thing like a Play-Doh snake He raised the whip high and snapped it in front of Diana’s face

"Nowdesperately, trapped in soer