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"Exactly"

"So what’s wrong with using spiders and snakes?"

"I’m not afraid of spiders and snakes," Piaras said "I’m afraid of Sarad Nukpana"

Yeah, me, too I understood Cayle’sPiaras to his little exercise in terror

"So, did you stop him?" I asked Piaras

"It took a couple of tries, but, yes, I stopped him" He sounded pleased--and relieved

"A couple? You’ve done this e," Cayle chih’Sceadu After a nuins to fade and the exercise isn’t as effective"

My knife hand started to twitch again

Magh’Sceadu were a Khrynsani creation , aloblins were ic in those who had it, the life force of those who didn’t, and the bodies of both Khrynsani shamans used as taken to power their own sorceries

Piaras had taken on six Magh’Sceadu last week--and had failed to stop them That had been the first of only two tihred I had destroyed all six Magh’Sceadu

"Did you stop the Magh’Sceadu?" I asked Piaras

He winced "Not exactly Apparently I think they’re scarier than Sarad Nukpana"

I nodded I could understand that Sarad Nukpana had only wanted to plunge a sacrificial dagger through Piaras’s heart The Magh’Sceadu wanted to suck his soul out one slurp at a time

"You did fine, Piaras," Mychael told him "You’ve htly at the compliment "Thank you, sir"

"I need to speak with you," I told Mychael quietly

"Concerning?"

I hesitated "Thestudents" I didn’t say "kidnapped" since I wasn’t sure if that had been e Piaras knew some of it I didn’t know about the an?"

"You know her?"

"She’s one of my best students Have they found her?"

I looked to Mychael

"It’s all right I’ve told Ronan you’re helping us"

"I linked with her this ," I told the maestro "She’s unharmed"

His amber eyes bored into mine "Do you knohere she is?"

"Unfortunately I haven’t been able to see enough to pinpoint their location" And most unfortunately, my way had been deliberately blocked "I did see another prisoner," I told Mychael "A boy Student age, dark hair cut short, hazel eyes, athletic build Does that -persons report?"

Mychael shook his head "INo students or citizens have been reportedin the last twenty-four hours I’ll send a man to watch head-quarters with the boy’s description So may have come in by now"

Ronan Cayle took the music off of Piaras’s stand and filed it in a leather case, and apparently his eet some water and rest for a few o to the dress rehearsal" He was brisk and all business