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I knew she was saying more than her words were, and I dropped et to oing to uys or grab a shuttle back to the car Screwing up ar on the counter behind them

"Look," I said as I stopped before the table, "I don’t want to waste your time If there’s not a fairy’s fart in a windstorht for that et on with our lives?"

One of the arette-stained s to stay cal across the conveyors and archways, I found Ivy and Jenks and esture

"Well, duh," I heard Ivy say faintly, and I turned back to the security people

"Can I have s back?" I asked Apart fro mirror, I had all the

The head security guy hesitated, and I stifled a surge of anger What did Al do to scare the crap out of me? Oh yes Get cold and pleasant

"Don’t mess with me, Johnny Boy Scout" Pleasant was tooreally nice right now Just give me my purse and my dress, and I’ll be on my way and out of your hair That is the first brides it here" I putthe fact that the two subordinates had dropped back and were touching their wands "Do we understand each other?" I said softly "Or do I need to stamp it on your foreheads with my foot?" I smiled That would be the pleasant part

I felt h the security exit Jenks was a sparkle of dust on her shoulder "Told you so!" she shouted, not slowing as she headed for the doors

"Yeah, you did!" I exclaiuy

As expected,left to my own devices made the security peopleabandoned; I was capable of handling this oniveto show you why I was shunned?" My shter, even as my mood became more pissed

"Give it to her," the man said, his words clipped and precise

"But they said to detain her!" the wo his eyes from mine, the head security man met his subordinate’s eyes "Give the wo back to me across the table "She’s not the one they want"

"But"

"Give the woman her God-blessed dress!" he shouted, and everyone looked at us, the noise of a plane taking off sounding all the louder in the sudden silence His ears reddening, he hunched like a bear "I have had an incident-free workplace for three years, and I’old star, Annie"

The wos

Sliding the straps of"Thanks," I said, surprised that calottento a deht, but I hesitated, finding and holding the ed?"

"No," he said, his eyes flicking froain "But your checked luggage probably is Good luck, Ms Morgan You helped o, on a bus I think you’re getting a bum rap"

I hesitated, then smiled as I searched my memory for a fa harassed by Were pups? Winter, wasn’t it?" I asked, getting a flustered nod in return "It was my pleasure You take care of yourself, okay? And thanks"

He s a hissy, and withplate-glass doors

The second I eed hallway, Jenks dropped down toa yellow dust over h, I didn’t have it in me to be mad It wasn’t often that I ran into anyone who knew me, and even less frequent that they thanked me

"Yes, you did," I said, disappointed Six hours on a plane, and I’d have been there Now I had three days to get to the West Coast Stiff, I pushed the autoh The fresh air hitfor a lasses yesterday

"What about your luggage?" Jenks asked, and I shook ht and brisk wind, looking for Ivy

"Forget it It’s bugged," I said "I’d have to dip everything in salt water"

My new jeans, the silk sweater I was going to impress Robbie with, the swione At least I still haveit farther up on her pitch, and when he started swearing in one-syllable words, I followed his line of sight down to the end of the curb Sighing, I pushedskycaps to the low black car Ivy was there with her briefcase at her feet, the flat of her arms on the open frontas she talked to the driver Her butt was giving the porters solers were in’ surprise

From somewhere above me, Jenks shrilled, "Listen to ! He wants to get you alone and brainwash you with a charm! Hit you with an enthrallment spell What about yesterday, huh? You sahat he did! How stupid can you get?"

"Pretty stupid," I said, feeling ed oversize luggage and yet another cheerleading tea to charm me," I said, not so sure any only because I’d been drenched in salt water at the ti myself to do it, even if he’d shown ht hands And ith the elven ht

Jenks dropped down toto convince you to get in that car," he said "And then you’re going to believe everything he says"

I tried look at Jenks but failed He was too close "Probably I want to talk to Quen"

Wings going full tilt, Jenks drifted backward off

Ivy noticed my approach and pulled herself out of the , a hint of relief in her dark eyes They were dilated despite the early sun but not bad Worry, not fear Squinting froht, I looked inside to find Quen behind the wheel A real s bad next to Ivy’s perfection Despite, or ht Trent’s security officer in the past, I liked Quen, and by the honest smile on the older man’s pebbly textured face, I knew he liked me, too

"Hi, Quen," I said cheerfully "How’s Ceri?"

From the backseat, Trent cleared his throat, but I was nored him

"Round, irritable, and as happy as if the world were hers," Quen said, the dark-co across the seat to shake my hand It felt small in mine but powerful, and it reravelly as his skin, both remnants of the Turn It hit some species harder than most, but witches, vampires, pure elves, and Weres not at all Quen had soht any the less of him for it

"It is," I said as I tookwith me I could free thousand-year-old slaves, outwitboats and a vampire roommate once fixated on my blood and body both, but I couldn’t findCeri sood second place

Quen was an honorablehe didn’t approve of, he’d tell led my head to Quen "If you were et in the car" His eyes were focused out the front , his jaw tight He was Trent’s security officer and abided by his wishes, but he’d also helped raise Trent and was probably the only one besides Ceri who could say no to hiet in the car A shiver ran through h," I said, hearing Trent’s exasperated sigh from the back

My hand went to the handle, but Ivy’s was already there

"I a in the back with Trent," she said, eyes narrowing in warning Behind her, Jenks panto with you women?"

The trunk popped open with a slohine, and I went around back to stow the gar nice and flat Quen met me back there, and I handed it to hiot in the front seat, arguing The door slaently puta bland but expensive-looking piece of luggage We had only amy lips, I blurted out, "Did Trent send those elves yesterday to persuade me to help him?"

Quen met my eyes, a lifetime of nobility in theh"

My shoulders slumped, and I didn’t move as he eased the trunk closed and the power lock whined as it shut Squinting, I looked up at a plane taking off, roaring overhead to who knehere Portland,on, and no one but a handful of people cared if I lived or died

"Yeah Me, too," I said with a sigh Feeling trapped, I went to the door that Quen opened for me and slid into the leather-scented darkness

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