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"Their tastes run exquisitely high," Darius adds "And in their search for the relics they seek out high-priced antique auctions, as"

"Charity balls, for example," Gabriel says He looks at me "For the women"

"If you are part of the brethren who killed the Celtae in the first place," asks Ginger, looking up from her map of Old Town, "how is it you can’t read those toh his hair "Because despite our daring overtaking of the Celtae, they ily," he says "They used the curse of illiteracy against all of us" He looks at Sydney "The only way I could counteract it was to target Ms Maspeth’s fate as the Archivist" His gaze ly sacrificed her entire life to become one of us Left her home, her family, her job"

"It is what it is," Sydney says without looking up "This is what I do now"

Darius nods "We’ve all sacrificed Without it, mankind would be in peril"

"Youup from his own map of the city He scratches his ear "I’m restless," he says, stands and stretches, and crosses the floor to stand next to where I sit "I need to go for a run" He thumps my head and looks at me "Ri?"

"Yep," I say, and look at Eli I crack my knuckles "How ’bout you?"

"I need Miles to stay," Jake says "Gabriel and I have a few things to go over with hirin "Maybe next tirowls under his breath

I look over at the lupines "How ’bout you guys?" Then at Victorian "Vic?"

"Pass," they all say at once

I shrug "Suit yourselves" I grin at Eli "Race you to the ets ice crearin stretches his face "Found it earlier"

"You’re on" I glance at e"

"Me, too," Eli says

We both head up the stairs and are ready in two minutes I pull on what I wore to train in, except I secure my silver dirk beneath the waistline of my Lycra pants I pull on black Nikes and braidtail on the way down the steps Just before we come into view of the hall, Eli pulls ainst the wall With a knuckle he tilts , juststares Then he lowers his head and brushes his lips over ue caresses mine and his hand slips behind ht position He kisses me sloith intent When he pulls back, I’m breathless

"I love you, Riley Poe," he whispers, and brushes a finger over my cheek "My soon-to-be wife"

I smile at him, slip my arms around his waist, and fall into his erab his ass and squeeze, and he laughs intoto throw up this time"

With a start, I turn Noah stands at the bottom of the steps, his arms crossed over his chest That crazy mass of dreads is pulled back into some sort of a ponytail Contained anyway "Jealous?" I ask, and bat my eyes

Noah’s mercury eyes shine "Absolutely" He looks at Eli "Lucky fu--"

"I suggest you take a left out of the gates to Parliament, then cross over to Carlton, then to Waterloo, past Waverly Station," Jake interrupts Noah’s swear "And stay to the shadows if possible Too ossip about a pair of crazed free runners ives him a nod, then looks down at me Wordlessly, he inclines his head toward the door "We aretalents"

"Good," Jake states "Make sure it stays that way"

"You wanna go, Andorra?" I ask, sainst a little ole hurins "Another time, Poe"