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"Preacher says this is just in case our blood or venom won’t accept the potion," Jake offers

I slipthe pouch to my nose, and sniff Immediately, the inside of Da Plat Eye, Preacher and Estelle’s potions shop, rushes to my memory For a second, I’ Dried jasrass, and a few other scents I don’t recognize All of it, I’m sure, is blessed with one of Preacher’s root-doctor charrab a cup, bring it to ht away, Riley If you need me, call I will colance and nod

"Let’s get out of here," I say, anxious to move Anxious to ash the bastards who took Eli away from me

Everyone drains their cups Those who have Preacher’s taliser and Lucian, the lupines, both sniff it, make a face, and tuck the the scathe, but I decide it’s not tieared up, swords hidden beneath dark coats, and talismans filled with an ancient Gullah charht

Darkness had fallen again since I’d returned frohty, I’d spent all day sleeping and drea Before we take off, a hand findsthere, her eyes wide

"I’m sorry," she says, and doesn’t take it further "If you need a girl to talk to, I’ive a short nod "Thanks, but I’ll be ok"

Ginger looks at aze, returns the nod, then finds her uts to another female, I’ll lose it

I can’t afford to lose it Maybe later, but not now Hell, no

Jake stands beforea shadow colance up

"Can you handle this?" he asks He’s not condescending, not syot it"

He watches er, then nods He addresses the others "Let’s go We’re headed to Teviot Place, at the university"

The groups separate once ate, and we slip into the sidewalk crowd and head up the Royal Mile, toward the castle I walk fast, one hand in ainst the hilt ofto pubs, so off work Jake is in front of me; Noah’s behind ether, babe

I turn and shoot Noah a look You get it together Noah stares, waiting for a decent answer, I guess, but I give myself a mental shake and push Eli back to the shadows of ht now; everything else, later

Weaving through people carrying stea fast, head down, hands shoved into their pockets, and others--youth--roups, loud and raucously, we finally turn left at George IV and head toward the university The mist is heavy now, not only visually, but also the scent of the Firth of Forth hangs thickly inside of it, filled with rotting seaweed and sea life, saltwater and God knohat else Taxi horns blast every once in a while, and as I glance up, the lights illuh Castle form a beacon to the city Voices fill my head, and they’re the voices all around me, in front of me, behind me

Meet me at the Mercat Cross in thirty irl?

Vinegar and brown sauce?

Give me a pint, aye?

I concentrate, push aside the voices, and filter through the mass of people’s randobehindahead ofelse I hear, too I’m not sure what I can only describe it as a low, subtle hum Almost like an electrical buzz, but even more faint than that It’s weird No matter how much I try to push it out of my senses, it stays It won’t clear out Soon, we cross Candleoers arette dangling off his lips, and he’s walking with his arirl dressed in head-to-toe black, with a bright purple scarf wrapped fashionably around her neck The girl looks at s "Feckin’ ripped," I hear her whisper to her guy friend, who gives me a curious look "Aye," he answers her But just that fast, theythe ays

Jake leads us down a narrow close--I don’t even catch the naed steps The walls are close and smell of wet stone, and not a soul is around Just us Ahead of me, I look at Jake’s wide, broad back and shoulders and wonder how in Hell he and Gabriel can walk straight through Then they stop and half-turn to us I throw a look over er, and Lucian have joined us Jake’s eyes catch a slender bea in from the streetlamp above us