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"Thank you," Piaras said earnestly

"Don’t mention it"

I approved of family-ensured safety The Guardians would arrest first, ask questions later Phaelan would kill first, no questions asked

"I’ve told Piaras e ht," I said

Phaelan nodded "I know you don’t like it, kid But trust me--the view’s a lot better from outside cell bars I speak from experience"

"I don’t want that experience," Piaras said

My cousin grinned wolfishly "That’s why I’ to the recital Aside frouard services, there’s the entertain their jehen I walk through the door You just can’t buy that kind of fun"

"We want you there," I told him "The question is, will Mychael let you?"

"My presence is paladin approved"

I snorted "Since when?"

Phaelan’s grin vanished "Since I told hi into that hornet’s nest without me"

"Thank you" And I meant it

His dark eyes were as serious as I’d ever seen theue was back "That and jailbreaks Speaking of which, Tanik Ozal is in port"

I swore silently Next to our family, the Ozals were the second-doood for local law enforce he and Phaelan tried to pull would come back to splatter on me After today, I wasn’t in the

My cousin raised his hands defensively "We’re not up to anything Tanik wants to help"

An Ozal pro not to eat you

"Tanik’s here to bring his son back to school," Phaelan continued "I told hi out to dry, and he wants to help in any way he can" Phaelan’s grin was cheerfully evil "And he said if it involves blowing anything up, all the better But for starters, I’ve asked hihbors He’s docked in a prime slip; Mal’Salin and Khrynsani craft on one side, and that elven intelligence agent’s yacht on the other And if you buy a lot of drinks for so things, like their captain’s told them to be ready to leave fast They even have a pair of weather wizards on board to help it happen"

I swore

"Yeah, I thought it was interesting, too And the Khrynsani ship has her bow pointed toward open water Tanik said they had to do a lot of et her that way Anyway, Tanik says he’ll keep watch for us"

"Thank hi, you’ll get a chance to thank him yourself"

I frowned "Phaelan, no Absolutely no"

"Cousin, if ant to leave this island, it’s not going to be on the Fortune Stealth is called for, and the paladin has got s my men discovered when they tried to raise anchor Key word there is ‘tried’ "

I didn’t move "You couldn’t raise anchor?"

"Not an inch The paladin hasanywhere"

"Mychael wouldn’t do that" I said it, but I wasn’t so sure

His duty was to keep the Saghred on the island Until I was no longer bonded to the Saghred, that same mind-set would have to apply to me Mychael would do his duty at all costs

"Da the picture Since he cut off one exit, we’ll just take another Tanik’s Zephyr is a nih tides needed for her to leave the harbor He’ll drop us off at Mere to Dad before we left Mer there just in case we need him"

"Commodore" Ryn Benares was Phaelan’s dad, my uncle, and the main reason the name Benares struck terror everywhere it was mentioned Beneath his reputation lurked a softy, at least to his children--and Uncle Ryn considered ain Froo anywhere

"What about your crew?" I asked

"What about the, if he doesn’t put your ship on lockdown, the Twelve will Your creill probably be taken into custody"

Phaelan shrugged "Wouldn’t be the first time And they’ll probably be confined to the ship, not taken into the citadel No lawman I’ve ever run afoul of wants to take a pirate crew off their ship and through town Too s to happen And s Mychael, or whoever, will leave uards My ht until I get back It’s not like they haven’t done it before They know the drill"

I exhaled "I don’t like it, but it’s like you said--we’re not exactly flush with options here Okay, listen up One block down from Sirens is a row of town houses There’s a street that runs behind theht that street should be nice and dark, and froht shot to the harbor We’ll ly at Piaras He nodded griether "Good, that’s settled" He took a sown’s black, right?"

I nodded Riston’s wife had gone shopping forin owns, but I had to admit I liked this one It was the softest black velvet I’d ever felt, its long sleeves were tight, and the gown itself was perfectly cut, sleekly styled, with a short train With old hair, black had always been ht--orit

"Here" Phaelan tossed a drawstring bag to ray pearls spilled out into my hand The clasp was an ornate, diaave him my best fess-up look "How hot is it?"