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This was the first tiht out

Dozens of beings lined the walls or sat stiffly on the anti"uated settees One couple sat atop a woofer

With so ether - soh ties with another common faction - Mari was pleasantly surprised at hoell everyone was behaving So far only a few nut up or shut up-type ultimatums had been issued

Of course, she'd taken precautions in case things got ugly

"How er until the vampire is expected to return, witch?" Sabine, the "ueen of Illusions, demanded imperiously, every inch the sorceress, froauntlets Her husband, Rydstro hand splayed possessively over her hip

People "uieted to hear Mari's answer, gazing at her A them were Bowen's cousin Garreth and his Valkyrie wife, Lucia the Huntress, both looking exhausted Mari knew they'd been searching nonstop for Regin all over the world Garreth was also here because his cousin Uillea

Myst the Coveted and several other Valkyrie sat on the settees, awaiting news of Regin the Radiant as well

The de Mari's ic to, like, work After all the years when it hadn't, she was having stage fright There was a reason she'd been called Awaited

"Uh, soonish," Mari answered, though she had no idea how long She'd thought he would be back by now Have I sent Conrad on a suicide mission?

She glanced over at Neo from her pretty and vivacious corporeal form to her pale, ethereal phantom state

Had Mari just ed her?

Bowen sensed her nervousness and looped his ar This ork out"

More er will it take?" "Hoe know the witch's ic ork? The captromancer can't even face a mirror" "Where is Nix? She should be here "

Bowen turned to the crowd "Any more lip, and I'll toss you out on your arses You're here now only because Mariketa wills it"

Mari gazed up at him Gods, I adore this wolf He was the Keyuy to have in her corner -

"Wait!" Mari straightened "I feel a disturbance" The air began to diffuse "So"

"I smell smoke," Bowen muttered "Whatever it is, it's comin' in hot"

Chapter 46

A red-eyed vaet free, her fingers outstretched as she reached for Malkoh the vaht fire, still he would not release the their attacks As the creatures began to feed on their own fallen, slowing their advance, Malko for a way out of the circling horde

"Malkoled hiet to her Gods, to be able to trace