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"Soet that Murphy and the police aren't going to be thrilled with a 'Save the Kingpin' can"

"I know," I said, "and I'd love to stand back and see what happens But this isn't about Marcone anymore"

"Then what is it about?"

"Mab skinning ive her what she wants"

"Come on, Harry," Thomas said "You can't really think that Mab's motives and plans are that direct, that cut-and-dried" He adjusted the setting of the Huht not be doing hi him on Mab's behalf"

I scowled out at the night

He held up a hand, ticking off fingers "And that's assuht noo, that you can find hiet him out alive And four, that the opposition doesn't cripple or kill you"

"What's your point?" I asked

"That you're playing against a stacked deck, and that you have no idea if Mab is going to be there to cover your bets when the bad guys call" He shook his head "It would be smarter for you to skip town Go someplace warm for a feeeks"

"Mab ht take that kinda personal," I said

"Mab's a businesswoman," Tho As long as you still represent a potential recruit to her, I doubt she'd elect to depreciate your value prematurely"

"Depreciate I like that You inalwith a full deck Which the evidence of recent years see frequency" I nodded out the"And I've got a feeling that I'd have had even ruffs I've seen so far if eren't in theblizzard If I waltz off to Mia ents of Su my murder"

Tho

"I could run, but I couldn't hide," I said "Better to face it here, on round, while I'enuine yawn-"instead of waiting for faerie goons from one Court or the other to, ah, depreciate me by surprise after I've been on the run for a feeeks"

"What about the Council?" Tho, now? And you've fought for them how many times?"

I shook ht now the Council is still stretched to the liht not be in open battle with the Red Court at the ot years of catch-up work to do" I felt hten "Lot of warlocks have co overtiet them under control"

"You mean kill them," Thomas said

"I ers, s on the n any of it to me Which means that other Wardens are forced to pick up the slack I' them into this mess"

"You don't see to mine," Thomas noted

I snorted "That's because I respect them"

"So long as we have that clear," he said

We drove past a city sno It had foundered in a deep drift, like soe beast trapped in a tar pit I watched it with bemusement as Thomas's truck crunched slowly, steadily on by

"By the way," he asked, "where do you want to go?"

"First things first," I said "I need food"

"You need sleep"