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Ben inhaled deeply, clenching and unclenching his fists
Once Ben's eyes finally cleared, Ronan waved a coot a present for you, Head Case"
Will glowered at hi you have," he said, still unsure how the two had ended up here What was the clan thinking, foisting lads on the twins? Aye, their orphan situation was similar to Will and Munro's-and their lines were closely related, with only about forty or so generations between them But for fuck's sake, if the boys needed to learn how to control their beasts, you didn't send them to Crazy Uncle Will's
He suspected fixer Munro had lobbied to take them in
"The clan just got a e at the den," Ronan said "A Lore-wide alert There's to be an auction at the deht, hosted by the House of Witches"
Witches Devious creatures
Ronan read froue are both welcome to bid on this capture, a feainst a common enemy"
Wide-eyed, Will exclaimed, "Someone was captured? No shite? Wonder what that's like!"
Munro asked, "Who's the female?"
Ronan raised his brows "The highest wire transfer in that which all the Lore covets"
"Chillin' by the fire while we eatin' fondue," crooned Justin Bieber "I dunno about me but I know about you"
About an hour ago, Chloe had awakened on the floor of an RV to the tunes of JB-with a strip of cloth gagging her mouth and shackles around her wrists and ankles The RV was streith Mardi Gras beads and the air outside ser in Seattle
Because her front doorstep had been replaced with a trapdoor to hell
Three teenage girls were inside the RV with her, listening to the ard For theblonde, one a pale brunette, one a y Asian-all pretty, like post-els
But Chloe sensed sorace to their movehts
Once she'd roused, two realizations had struck Chloe: Detrus were totally real And she was about to suffer at their hands She'd started struggling against her bonds, trying to squeeze her contorted hand through one manacle
Earlier the three had cracked open wine coolers to celebrate their catch "We are the tanda of twenty-thirteen!" the brunette said
Tanda?
"This is our year!" the Asian beauty said "Our auction will be talked about for eternity!"
Was Chloe about to beauctioned?
"Long live the House of Witches!" They all clinked bottles
Witches Going to vomit The Book of Lore said that Wiccae werewealth They sold their spells and tonics-and apparently, they weren't above hu
But then, Chloe wasn't quite human, was she?
Rub some dirt on it, rub sootten benched tonight, and ame
She could only conclude that the Order was real, her dad'sit out Having met some of these detrus, Chloe wished Dad all the success in the world with his extermination endeavor
Except she was one That house of cards had co down Time to face facts, Chlo If detrus existed, then she was transfor into one of them
Because her mom had been one Chloe's eyes widened Her mother could never have passed away from cancer! That had been just a cover story So how had she died?
I need answers! Filled with i, "Ey! Elp a itch out! Ake is ag ov!"
The witches ignored her, turning up the stereo She cringed when yet another Bieber song pu Beliebers
They planned to sell her at auction? When "Beauty and a Beat" played for the fifth time, Chloe decided she was ready for the block
With a huff, she renewed her struggles If she could get free, she could yank up that reum stuck to the underside-and use it as a weapon
The RV door opened, revealing a young black-haired female with luminous brown eyes Definitely not hulossy without Photoshop
She had a clipboard in hand, a walkie-talkie attached to her belt, and a backpack slung over her shoulders The others greeted her with a chorus of "Belee!"
At the sight of the wine coolers, this Belee's shoulders stiffened and a weird electricity began to fill the air "Drinking on the job?" The RV briefly shook as the other girls scrambled to dump their drinks
Alpha-bitch alert If this was a team, Chloe had just met the playmaker
Belee's walkie-talkie hissed "Bee, you said there irl's voice said An audible s sounded over the line "We've got about five thousand, and they're still filing in What are we going to do?"
Five Thousand
"Hellooo, then start charging for ad like this is your first rodeo"
"It is We're worried If Mari and Carrow find out, they'll bring the heat," she added in a Mom and Dad'll bust the party tone "Maybe I shouldn't have added that last part to the auction announcement"
"What last part?" Belee asked
"That they had to forward thebad would happen to them"
Chloe rolled her eyes You have got to be kidding me
Belee pursed her lips "Mari and Carrow are deep in the bush, offplane for all we know They'll find out after we've staged this coup! Belee out"
The walkie-talkie continued transirls spoke:
"Belee scares me"
"All the transfer students fro;kulla do What do you think that coven must be like?"
Blåkulla? Chloe had never read about that
Belee radioed: "Your trans for patience, she turned to Chloe, telling no one in particular, "The package isn't displayed as well as it could be"
I'e? Kill her!
From her backpack, the witch produced a white, nearly transparent nightgown
Chloe preferred to wear loose jerseys, looser shorts Now she was supposed to wear a see-through gown?