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“How do you want to handle this?” Warin inquired

Before Baldewin could answer, Nestori’s head snapped up, his eyes narrowing on the wide Baldeasn’t quite sure how to read that expression Was he afraid of the new sparkled in his eyes that Baldewin couldn’t quite name either

“No!” Nestori said loudly, pointing at theht fist

They both stopped sharply, hands raised as if the un on them

Clearing his throat, Baldewin forced his confusion back and tried to offer hissmile “Hello, Mr Taavi We don’t mean you any harm We—”

“No!”

Baldewin paused and frowned, reflecting on what he’d said,sure he’d spoken in Finnish rather than his native German Then he reexaht be a little rusty, but he’d not said anything to threaten or insult the man

“We were just hoping to speak to you for a moment,” Warin added

The pen jerked over to point at Warin, and Nestori barked the saether the papers he orking on Standing closer to hi out job applications Once the papers and his guitar were tightly clutched in one hand, he pushed to his feet, the pen still pointed at them like a weapon

“I’m sorry, but I think you have us confused with someone else We don’t mean you any harain

A harsh, bitter laugh ju away He shoved the pen into his front pocket “Oh, I knoho you both are Or rather what you are” His upper lip curled into a sneer as he spat, “dragons”

The tone, the look of obvious hatred and disgust on his face, stopped Baldewin cold He’d recognized theons and that they existed Hoas that possible? Could he also knoas a e, then?

Nestori answered that question before it could even form on Baldewin’s lips He spoke too softly for Baldewin to hear the words, but there was a brilliant flash of light and a surge of power The scent of petrichor and ozone filled the air A spell

And Baldewin couldn’t move

Holy shit! The ed to shift his gaze to his right to find that Warin was frozen as well