Page 28 (2/2)

All at once, medieval shit hits the fan

"You’ll not take that anywhere, I fear," a voice says fronant, refined, and sophisticated He al damn ill take it," Jake says, not quite so refined Even in the darkness, I can hear the tone and pitch of his voice change He’s er, arcs her beaht illu Even if for a second

A woman Midthirties, nize her She’s the tour group leader in the long cloak I’d also seen her outside of Bene’s She’s wearing head-to-toe black--I can’t make out exactly what, other than the color She looks dead ahead at Jake and pulls a knife Silver Sharp

And smiles

Hey, Blondie Ease on out of the chaer, in , but slowly starts to back out She doesn’t seeWhen you’re on the street, head to the castle Don’t stop until you reach the front gates, and then shout to be let inside

The wo as she continues to back out of the chamber and into the close She’s alures fro And I’d smelled therabs the woman and in oneinelse The woht even before her body hits the stone, jerking and kicking It sort of shocks me I’ether, Riley, Jake says in my head After a deep breath, I do

Only a sh, just enough illue toward us I hear Noah curse Lucian says so I don’t knohat it is Gaelic, ht here," I answer her, and we’re back to back now Lucian wants her as far away fro "Stay with hty, I hope I lop off the right head Ginger has reached for her sword, too

Then it begins

One Jodís lunges toward us, and I use the point of my sword as a brace, rear back, and kick both feet into its chest Hard It falls back but bounces right up and lunges again Another lunges at the saer’s swordone alone now, and fro on around ht I concentrate on nore It’s confusing h, calculate; then it charges rab

One Jodís head rolls across the stone

The after Jodís is just too nasty to stand by and watch I’ve seen it once before, when Sydney touched ross puddle of white pus The screaun I seek out the others

Another head hits the floor, and from Noah’s curse, he did it Twopiles of Jodís are just too much to take I literally fall out of the catacomb entrance and onto the close Only then do I notice soo?" I ask, looking around I shove my sword back into its sheath

Jake’s face has not returned to its human form His eerie eyes, nohite with a pinpoint dot of red, scan the close

"They weren’t here for us," Gabriel says "They ca to the woman "I knoho she is I’ve encountered her before She’s one of the Geaze finds mine "A small sect of modern-day h Just like that group of humans from before They know of us They know of the Jodís And they probably know of the Fallen" He searches the area once o"

Thank God, because that freaking hu to pass out We all separate and head back to the Crescent The hu is weak now I can still hear it, but it’s tolerable Maybe I’ve got an ear infection or sohuman like that? Who knows? The activity on the streets has slowed to a drag, only a truck or two still out along with the cabs People stillhome We’re alh theIt’s one lane over from Old Tolbooth And the stench is unmistakable