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Liannan gave hirin
“Oh, I hope so,” she said “But I wasn’t talking to you”
The ht, cruel beauty paling like a ghost about to disappear at dawn
“One thousand nights of life,” she said, closing her eyes and reaching out her hand
“One thousand days of life,” said Merris Crorasped Liannan’s hand The de out the other side of Merris’s pal a thousand different shades of scarlet
Merris screa away into shadows fro to disappear the icicles piercing Merris’s hand, leaving behind only a third-tier demon’s mark in the hollow of her palm
Merris’s spine arched as if it was breaking and being refor out in what seemed to be a sudden wind It settled back over her shoulders shot with red Like blood in night waters
When she lifted her face, her eyes were black
Beside Mae in the darkness, Sin made a small sound and buried her face in her hands
“You haven’t answeredversion of Merris Croain?”
She looked straight across the darkness where the circle had been, past Nick
“You have kept our bargain perfectly,” Alan told her “How do you like your reward?”
Liannan laughed at the look on thethe new body, taking steps that looked like a dancer’s steps
Merris’s body looked less like Merris’s body every passing ht-dark eyes Liannan unwrapped the shawl from around her shoulders, and Mae noticed for the first tiround that it was not held in place by Merris’s talisman brooch
“Thecloser to Nick “But I don’t rateful, Hnikarr”
“Sharing with Merrisat her nerve Liannan laughed delightedly back at hi host How do you like the voice?”
“Maybe I’ll learn to sing,” Liannan in Merris said, already dancing
She circled Nick, her hand outstretched but not quite touching Nick’s bloody arer than they should have in the floodlights, casting a pale shadow like the ghosts of her icicles, and then she went to stand before Alan
“What can I say?” she asked hiame
Alan kept s at her “Whatever you like”
“Alan Ryves, it was a pleasure doing business with you,” Liannan told hiain with ht? I wouldn’t ask foryou couldn’t spare”
The , and none of them moved or spoke a word
“I think I’ve ains with you,” Alan said
“You , ice-pale hands on Alan’s arms, leaned up, and kissed him She looked at hiain, you may not live”
Alan just nodded Liannan whirled away, black and criled hair, shadows and blood, back to Nick
“I told you I’d be on your side if I got an offer,” she said “A warning, though Anzu won’t be happy Be careful He kno to hurt you He knows you almost as well as I do”
“And you knowfor the first tih It sounded far less human than hers
“I think so,” Liannan whispered “Come aith me There’s a wood outside, and a town full of people to play with Coain”
“No,” said Nick “I have these people to deal with first”
He looked at Alan again, cold and intent, his attention like a single-minded avalanche, impossible to escape or survive
Liannan just laughed at him, carefree and unchained “Come be mine later, then,” she said, and spun away
She ca Mae felt Sin flinch and lean against her for sheer anie, terrified eyes as she went by Liannan cast thehly entertained by Sin’s horror and pain, and blew a kiss as she passed
She was gone There was only one de in the market square
“Liannan seeain,” Nick said to Alan, his voice terribly quiet
He advanced on Alan like a predator, prowling with his eyes eer
“Later,” said Alan quietly
“No,” Nick snarled
He stopped in front of Alan, close enough to cut his throat His stare was a challenge now, his voice out of control, ragged at the edges, consumed with fury
p>
Liannan gave hirin
“Oh, I hope so,” she said “But I wasn’t talking to you”
The ht, cruel beauty paling like a ghost about to disappear at dawn
“One thousand nights of life,” she said, closing her eyes and reaching out her hand
“One thousand days of life,” said Merris Crorasped Liannan’s hand The de out the other side of Merris’s pal a thousand different shades of scarlet
Merris screa away into shadows fro to disappear the icicles piercing Merris’s hand, leaving behind only a third-tier demon’s mark in the hollow of her palm
Merris’s spine arched as if it was breaking and being refor out in what seemed to be a sudden wind It settled back over her shoulders shot with red Like blood in night waters
When she lifted her face, her eyes were black
Beside Mae in the darkness, Sin made a small sound and buried her face in her hands
“You haven’t answeredversion of Merris Croain?”
She looked straight across the darkness where the circle had been, past Nick
“You have kept our bargain perfectly,” Alan told her “How do you like your reward?”
Liannan laughed at the look on thethe new body, taking steps that looked like a dancer’s steps
Merris’s body looked less like Merris’s body every passing ht-dark eyes Liannan unwrapped the shawl from around her shoulders, and Mae noticed for the first tiround that it was not held in place by Merris’s talisman brooch
“Thecloser to Nick “But I don’t rateful, Hnikarr”
“Sharing with Merrisat her nerve Liannan laughed delightedly back at hi host How do you like the voice?”
“Maybe I’ll learn to sing,” Liannan in Merris said, already dancing
She circled Nick, her hand outstretched but not quite touching Nick’s bloody arer than they should have in the floodlights, casting a pale shadow like the ghosts of her icicles, and then she went to stand before Alan
“What can I say?” she asked hiame
Alan kept s at her “Whatever you like”