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"Lycaon’s Kitchen," she said Once, in ancient Greece, the owner had been a king Then he had been made a end?"

"That he was a cannibal, or that he tried to feed human flesh to Zeus?"

"Both"

Kitsune sue over her sends all true? In any case, does it matter? Whether Zeus was responsible or not, Lycaon is the original olf He’s eaten his share of hurunted, low in his chest "What makes you think he’ll have any interest in this war?"

The fox wohed softly "He doesn’t But neither did you"

At the door, she did not hesitate If there had ever been time for such pretensions, it had passed Kitsune pulled the door open and stepped inside, eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness of the restaurant Gray daylight spilled through the opening in the roof, but barely per off to one side so that they could not be attacked by the same foe

Tithered, bent crones sat at a table in a far corner with a sliht away aswhorehouse, which meant the slenderquietly

A quartet of gruff-looking endary heroes froathered around a table off to the left A thin tree-creature shuffled toward the platters of meat There were others already on the table, festooned with bones and fat that had been sliced away Even seated, it was impossible not to notice that one of the od, Kitsune presu her an appreciative appraisal Then a shadow passed over his features and he

She nodded back, but only to be courteous Her attention was otherwise occupied by thealone at a table in the patio at the center of the restaurant His back was to theh she had only seen him once she would never have mistaken him for anyone else He had wild, unruly hair andthe skulls of his enee tumbler filled with ice and amber liquid that could only have been Norse mead It was a rare iends endured beyond the shores of the Two Kingdoms It was rare to find them, or their worshippers, here

Kitsune and Coyote strode up behind hie of his arms

"Lycaon," she said

He h "I wondered how long before one of you returned to recruit me"

Coyote sniffed derisively "Yeah You seeh demand, but we’re not here to recruit you"

The man stiffened Kitsune saw the hackles rise on the back of his hairy neck Lycaon drained the rest of his lass, and stood

For just a moment, those bestial eyes pinned Coyote and then Lycaon dis instead at Kitsune

"Have you coht, then? You want to try to kill me?"

"We’re not here for trouble," Kitsune said She drew back her hood and shook out her raven-black hair, letting Lycaon’s eyes linger on her a moment before she fixed him with a stare as dark and brutal as his own "But your business does see breath, relenting to the inevitability of their conversation "Many legendary have gone to help King Hunyadi, along with the few Borderkind who had been hiding away in the ruins" He nodded toward the table of heroes "Those warriors are leaving tonight, joining their swords to Hunyadi’s cause The Lost Ones have begun to move out of the Quarter So more of their own kind Others have retreated further to the north and east, away fro’s arh," Coyote said

Lycaon growled a loarning, but did not turn to look at him

"You said ‘Hunyadi’s cause,’" Kitsune observed, studying the olf’s face "Isn’t it also your cause?"

Lycaon knitted his thick brows "Why should it be?"

"I know you haven’t been through the Veil in a great many years, but you are still Borderkind The conspirators in Atlantis do not care if you want to cross the Veil All that concerns them is that you can One day, they will colass, staring down into it "Hunyadi has legions What help can one old beast be?"

"King Mahacuhta is dead Murdered The Yucatazcans have been manipulated into war by Atlantis," Coyote said with a passion that surprised Kitsune "With both kingdoainst him, Hunyadi will need all the help he can find"

Kitsune took a chance, reaching out to touch his araze

"Others are dying to protect you Not only legends and the Lost, but your kin Soon you will be sitting alone in this place The fires will be dark, and the one What then?"

Lycaon seeht you weren’t here to recruit me"

Kitsune released him "We’re not If you would rather die alone and hunted than on a field of battle, there’s little I can do to convince you"

The beast seemed diminished by her words He spoke quietly "I know about wars, kings, and murder I promised myself, when I opened the doors of this place, that those things were all behind me"

Coyote stepped nearer to hione froht up"

The olf flinched, but kept quiet, lost in reverie