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"Tellyou know about the spell," he snarled

And so I did, starting with de Allyon, adding in Kathyayini’s riddle, the bloody iron discs, the crosses and spikes, and ending itches on the points of the clock Evan asked succinct questions and listened without further co moment, I heard hiics to undo?"

"Just lucky?" But that wasn’t what Kathyayini had said She had toldJust like Evan had said Which could be casual cruelty, or a way to teachabout myself or make me face some hidden flaw Or it could be the simple, unvarnished truth Either way sucked

"At least now I knohy Leo hiredat the Darkness Is Forever Bar in Mobile, Alabaand sound systems I had no idea Leo owned the joint until yesterday He kneouldn’t hang around to help you, so he kept me close in case you neededme so much er whore than you are, taking uably," he added "I guess it’s possible that the MOC of New York has more scions, but not asto have run out of things to say on that odd note and leaving uably did not refer to whether I was a whore But I held in the snarky comeback

"I have to study on this," Evan said, "and make some calls Don’t discuss us with PsyLED officials" He disconnected

I closed the phone when I heard so bump overhead "There’s a handle in the floor Pull it up," I shouted And only then reht arrive Adrenaline rushed through me, and I shivered with reaction I can be so stupid soun, then put away the gun I ht hit one of the witches

But when the trapdoor opened, it was Soul’s hand I saw and Soul’s feet She had tiny feet in tiny little black boots I put away the blade, shone the flash onto the stairs, and waited as Soul slowly descended the steps

"Oh," she breathed softly as she turned in a slow circle, taking it all in "Are they wearing iron?"

"The clocks on their chests each contain an iron disc coated with blood I’ the part about skinwalker blood being in theto share unless I had to "The blood-donor va the spell?"

"Even if he were here, I have no idea how to break such a powerful spell But without his blood, I fear we are ha years past,’" I quoted Kathyayini, "‘was cold iron, blood, three cursed trees, and lightning Red iron will set you free Shadow and blood are a dark light, buried beneath the ground’"

Soul’s eyes went round "Where did you hear this?"

"An old tribal woman said it to me She also said, ‘The one you seek is bound to the Earth She didn’t et away now’ Neither riddle made sense at the time But noe have the blood-iron discs, possibly otha, and the buried witches" I stopped, re H’s house, all that white and fancy furniture and silk and satins and one butt-ugly necklace around the neck of the blood-led it outside his clothes, as if proud of it, though it didn’taround him He wore it as if he wanted it to be seen Byattention to it

"And the Master of the City of Natchez wears a copper chain on his neck with soing froly jewelry, but ould he display jewelry so different fro else in his taste? What if it’s the same iron?" I tried to find sense in it all, but it was like trying to untangle a snarl of copper wire or a skein of yarn after a cat had played with it And soto PsyLED

"I don’t know if he’s bound like the witches or took it as a trophy or using it now hi, like a boulder or a tree--but what if the necklace is the focus we’re looking for? The ae," she started "But this is so I’ve never heard of before I shouldn’t base my conclusions on old experience," Soul said

"I think the thing Big H is wearing is so from de Allyon, the maker of this circle, and Kathyayini’s riddles were ht a path into a possible future I think he’s wearing blood iron"

"It is still daylight You can find Hieronymus’ lair and take the necklace Find a way to undo the working But you don’t have much time if we are to save that one," she pointed at the woman whose face was nearly under the sand

"Yeah, sure," I said, baiting her, herding her where I needed her to go "All we need is the location of his lair Easy-peasy We’ll torture his primo, Clark, for the location And then I’ll break and enter and steal the necklace"

Soul’s face underwent a change as she got what I was saying "I will not give up the lives here," she said fiercely "And, yes, I’"

Soul’s eyes latched onto ardof Beast’s claws in ain it was more an accusation than a stateo to jail, I need PsyLED to stay out of my way for a while Maybe keep the local cops away"

"Are you going to kill anyone?" she hedged

"Not if I can help it At least no one human And I’ll have the Master of the City of New Orleans’ approval for it"

"Legal papers signed with Leo Pellissier’s official seal?"

"Eventually"