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Within seconds I see what Sillus has planned The Hesperian dragon roars loud enough to shake the cavern and starts flailing around wildly It knocks into monsters on all sides of it, beasts that don’t appreciate being shoved around, even by soon They’re not terrified They shove back, and shove into one another, and soon the entire line has erupted into chaos

Sillus holds on for dear life, and the increasingly furious Hesperian dragon swings its other ninety-nine heads wide, sending creatures all around to the ground, creating a circle in the

I jump to my feet and take off at a dead sprint Inot to think about the sheer number of blood- and huntress-thirsty ap is starting to contract Then I’ the area for soht, directly across fro behind the pile, I press ainst the rocks and suck in breath after breath It’s like breathing fire, in and out My lungs are starting to calm dohen Sillus appears in front of rin "Sillus distract"

"That you did," I say, et out of there?"

He shrugs Needing to witness this for on on the ground, unether in bunches of three or four

Looking across the space I just ran through and back up the hill, I see the faint gli

When I turn back, Sillus is gone and I’h they’ve been soaking in charcoal Following the feet up the legs, waist, and torso to the hideous face on top, I realize I’ rough, uneven teeth with dark growth along the gurabs me around the arms, and hauls ure out how to get into the Den The cacus is takingoutside, boss," the cacus says as he drags me into what looks like an office

The walls are the sahts illu out the old undy leather desk chair, his slobbering pit bull head drooling all over his own chest while his seal flippers sether enthusiastically

Nor do I lass chairs facing the desk

"Nick?"

Alltortured for inforrycast into the fires of Hades

But Nick sitting in the boss’s office, casual as can be with a glass of what looks like iced tea in his hand? That never even crossed my es He looks scared Not of theon here?" I ask

"You two know each other?" the boss asks "Hoonderful You’ve been doing your job well, Niko"

"Job?" I echo "What job?"

"Gretchen, it’s--" Nick doesn’t finish, but he doesn’t have to The boss does