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“Seriously?”
It ignored my sarcasm “Once past, ill see the city walls”
“Xibalba,” Chance said
“Just so”
“Fro us to the Luren Tellthe carriage—the enslaved, for the work—it seemed safe to ask
“They are the tempters,” the demon said “Beautiful Seductive Deadly They are…difficult to resist”
“Is that how you wound up guiding us, against your better judgment?” Chance wanted to know
Greydusk offered a curt nod Interesting So these Luren had incredible powers of persuasion, even over other deuard I wished I had soans, but off the top of rimoire that would help Chance’s luck should keep hier I stayed close to hier I’d encounter
“Youthe demon would take the hint
“Sybella,” Greydusk supplied “She is the patroness of the Luren caste, holding the rank of Ruling Knight”
Like Caiuessed Time to learn a little more
“Do you know of a demon named Caim?” I asked
Greydusk cut ht of the Hazo?”
“I guess?”
“They are the warriors, not to be trifled with”
Shit What I had done to the deined he’d want to i sharp and rusty, as soon as I hit the city The news just kept getting better and better I mean, I’d known Caim was scary as hell, but the fear that laced Greydusk’s expression made my dread worse
Chance cut in, “Back to the Luren Do the others take orders from Sybella?”
“Nothing so brutish,” Greydusk replied bitterly “It is allthe Luren More accurate to say she has seduced them to the point that most would rather die than displease her”
More shit I preferred free will
“Is there anything we can do to protect ourselves from her?”
The dees of helping us I wished I hadn’t pissed it off so often “Don’t look her in the eyes Stay at least two meters away at all times Above all, don’t let her touch you”
“Touching is bad?” Chance looked worried
“For you, yes If you consent to sexual contact, she’ll steal a year of your life, and once you start down that road, you’ll find it impossible to stop The Luren are a…lethal addiction”
Yeah Bad Really bad
“No sex with the Luren Got it” I narrowed ht you said they mean us no harm”
The Ihed softly “They need not intend harm to inflict it…as you well know, Binder”
Ouch Direct hit
“I take your point And we’ll be careful”
“It is nothing to me either way, once I complete my contract” But a hint in the demon’s expression told me that wasn’t entirely accurate—or maybe it was a flicker of response from the truth spell I’d cast a while back
So I called its bluff “So no matter e do in Xibalba, it won’t affect your world at all?”
Greydusk angled a cold look at me “You have the power to level maker I am Imaron—I honor my contracts And that is all”
“Would you like to be more?” I asked
“That’s like asking an eyreet if it wants to fly Sos can never be”
I had no clue what an eyreet was, but I recognized stifled ambition when I saw it “Let me offer you a new deal Keep your contract with the Luren, but once you deliver us, you cos work and keep us fro stupid, terrible mistakes”