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"Is that why you remain unafraid of this creature?"

"As I said before, Lady Maccon is my friend Any child of hers wil be no h the e are currently behaving ainst us Aside from that, it is not in my nature to anticipate trouble with violence; I prefer to be in possession of al the necessary facts first I should like to ment So much better that way"

"And your other reason?" The va; Lyal ’s well -honed BUR senses told him so

"Must you hound him, Professor Lyal ?" Biffy looked worriedly from his former master to his new Beta

"I think it best It is, after al , in my nature"

"Touché" The vampire sat down once more next to Biffy on the settee and placed a passive hand casual y on the young , as if out of habit

Lyal stood up and looked down at theh of"Wel ?"

"That soul-stealer, the one the Edict Keepers warn us of? The reason for al this twaddle? Her name was Al-Zabba and she was a relative of sorts" Lord Akeldama tipped his head from side to side casual y

Professor Lyal started Of al the things, he had not expected that "A relative of yours?"

"You ht know her better as Zenobia"

Professor Lyal knew about as much as any educated man on the Roman Empire, but he had never read that the Queen of the Pal more or less than the requisite amount of soul Which led to another question

"This soul-stealer condition, how exactly does it manifest?"

"I don’t know"

"And that makes even you uneasy Doesn’t it, Lord Akeldama?"

Biffy touched his forh and squeezed as though offering reassurance

Definitely going to be a probleht folk, back then, the ones who feared her, they cal ed her a skin-thief"

That na to Professor Lyal , where soul-stealer had not It tickled ends about a creature who could not only steal olf powers but becoht, a olf in his stead "Are you tel ing me il have a flayer on our hands?"

"Exactly! So, you see how difficult it wil be to keep everyone froave a sudden grin--"I may have a solution

Lord and Lady Maccon wil not like it, but I aht find it acceptable"

Lord Akeldas Professor Lyal thought the ostentatious, like the perfect dress sword They were quite subtle fangs for a , do speak further; you interest me most ardently"

The Te ladybugs than Alexia had been when accosted in a carriage not so very long ago They were so surprised by their unexpected visitors and were torn between squashing the the now-free Alexia It wasn’t until one of the ladybugs stuck a sharp needlelike antennae into one of the young Templars, who then col apsed, that the brothers took violently against them

Once pricked into action, however, their retribution ift and effective

The re Te rescuers with remarkable efficiency He then whirled to face Alexia

She raised her stool

Behind the on?"

Since the ladybugs ht have been sent either by the vampires to kil her or by Monsieur Trouvé to help her, Alexia could not rightly answer that question "It would appear you are under attack by ladybugs, Mr Templar What else can I say?"

At which rowl Alexia was definitely familiar with--low and loud and ful of intention It was the kind of growl that said, clearly as anything, "You are food"

"Ah, and now, I suspect, olves"

And so it proved to be the case

Of course, Alexia’s traitorous little heart hoped for a certain brindled coat, chocolate broith hints of black and gold She craned her neck over her brandished stool to see if the growling, slavering beast charging down the stone hal ould have pale yel ow eyes and a fa them just so