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With a grunt, Baden pulled at his hair "You’ll be safe here, Katarina You have my word" He owed her, and he would pay his debt

The beast began to utter a protest, only to quiet The girl’s misery touched a chord in them both

Silence met his pronounceht Katarina to the fortress in Budapest The other wo her as they’d so often tried to soothe hier while Baden saw to Aleksander’s punishs, he would lose his eyes To start

Anticipation

Suddenly the wreaths began to warlow pulsed fro as co, "Maddox Ashlyn Anyone! Do not harm the--"

The fortress vanished, and the throne room materialized Hades was nowhere to be seen Nor was the siren Instead, a black tornado swirled over the botto Baden’s ears

The tornado slowedstopped, the wealth of black shadows thinning Hades appeared in the center, standing over what ht have been a body, the flesh and muscle picked off, the bone pitted A bloody heart rested in his hand He’d ditched the suit and tie in favor of a black T-shirt and leather pants, chains wrapped around both of his wrists

From business formal to punk rock The a Baden "What do you want?"

Hades s on-- Ah There she is"

A ht He twisted and came face-to-face with Pandora

"You" She scowled at hirow Claws extended fro for battle

"There will be no bloodshed in my throne room," Hades announced "Well, no more Not today"

Hisany kind of movement The same freeze-frame clearly overtook Pandora, her expression strained as she fought the immobility

Only when he made a conscious decision to stand doon’t act, not here--did he gain his freedom

"Now, then" Hades stalked toward them "You broke my only rule You tried to killto kill Baden was a problem," Pandora replied "Only that I’d be killed if I succeeded"