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Just like a cat And so he did But it would killout hoe fit together, but he mattered

He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me: leashed passion, restrained desire, and tenderness too I knew him noays I hadn’t before I could read between the lines of that kiss: I’m here, and I care I want you Butch poked his head out ofso worried, and we had been in some dire situations The Chihuahua whined a little, but he settled Chance kept him for me, which was probably just as well

“We must press on,” Greydusk said I couldn’t read its face, but I thought I heard amusement in the tone

“Is the route like this all the way down?” I asked

“Uncharted and dangerous? Indeed”

I sed a sigh “Awesome What’s with the bats?”

“They’re demon-touched Pay them no heed”

Deht of that

I realized then that we stood on e than a proper path, which ain The demon whispered a word, too faint for olden rope uncoiled above us, drifting down to hiht

“Would the rope react if we lose our grip?” Chance asked

Greydusk nodded “It offers better safety than all the ear”

That was soht catch e while the deain His knots were impressive, complex and intricate This time, the drop was deeper, double e’d done before Fourteen meters, and I couldn’t see the bottom Below us, the darkness was absolute

Shannon I built her face in my mind’s eye Dyed-black hair with colorful streaks She liked to tip the ends in blue She had a pretty face, but she aloreof kohl, along with three or four coats of , for sure, and she liked dressing in Lolita-style Goth gear Her panache made men who should know better take a second look

For her, I could press forward I could The rope felt cool in ick would catch me if I failed, so…I let h my hands with an unnatural friction No rope burns onthan trying to brace h rock face

“Well done,” Greydusk said

Chance followedwhen I aiht at his face This probably felt like an adventure to hiether Usually it was pretty s, or occasionally somebody wanted to use me as a lie detector, like Escobar had done Since I could view things as they’d really happened, provided an object with sufficient charge had witnessed the scene, I had done that s I wished I hadn’t too

This was so else entirely

In this fashion, I claiant inside the ate by that trickle that was growing into a cascade the farther doent Water strea thee

The next level was downright wet I tried to stay out of the downpour, but rip on the rope and plu into the rock face, but the cord twined around my waist before I droppedthere, swaying halfway between up and down

Magick Yeah, ood I didn’t have a spell in le upside down and helpless, listening to Butch yap above

“Are you hurt?” Chance asked, his voice taut orry

“Fine” Mostly Bruises and scrapes on ht side, but without the demon rope, it would’ve been worse

Greydusk called, “Are you ready to resu had happened

Gripping the cord in preparation for the positional shift, I answered in the affirhtened, and I slid the rest of the way dohere the deht me It set me on my feet without comment, and then Chance followed

“How much more of this?” he asked

I wondered too It felt like we had already coht just be that I wasn’t used to such activity Clearly I wasn’t At the best of tihts, and the dark made it worse So much worse

In answer, Greydusk set off along a path that had becoe I strode after hiht to assess the area The pri décor; I recognized soed to Caiils

“What do they say?” I whispered to Greydusk The heaviness of the darkto speak in a normal tone of voice Plus the weird acoustics stole your voice and sent it echoing down distant passageways Not a good idea, under the circumstances

The de you want to know, I promise”