Page 52 (1/2)

“Please, don’t fret It won’t be anything inequitable If you’d crossed the Duke of Legs, you’d be wobbling around on those grafted metal prosthetics the rest of your life And if you insulted the Duke of Tongues, you’d be gibbering like one of those Lost City blackteeth—he is much crueler than the last one But I’ll only take your least favorite hand” He so slips forward “Promise”

Now coarrote A thin wire looped around h to break the skin or trachea, but enough to let me know they will if they need to It immobilizes me “Which hand will it be?” the Duke asks “You owe o’s fingers are the size of potatoes “Choose”

Sense abandons

“The…left,” I e as they ease off the wire

The Duke nods to his thugs and they grab my left arm I stare in horror as he picks up his bonesaw and turns it on The razor-sharp sawteeth vibrate Sheer panic grips me now The memory of flesh peeled from muscle, how the fat separates from bone, and the screaht was, Thank Jove it isn’t happening toto each other in a bo “Don’t rat! Don’t rat!” The fear and sight to corisly, butcher-shop look of naked le with, but there’s nothing I have that he wants I feel a desperate, pitiful sob building in my chest that I don’t let out The Duke lowers the bonesaard rit my teeth and close my eyes

“There is a way to keep this hand,” he whispers “Tell me where the sword is”

“I don’t know! I sold it to my broker already”

“Tell me his name”

“I…can’t”

“Why not?”

“I told you I don’t rat,” I say coldly The way it comes out of my mouth soothes me I’m less afraid, because I have a reason now to let them take the hand A conviction

Forgot what that felt like

“I could carve through your ribs” He twirls the bonesaw “Take your manhood Carve off your toes Turn your eyes to jelly You’d tellto do it now Gorgo’s cologne fills my nostrils “Tell me who he is!”

I glare up at the Duke “Get to it, asshole”

He stares down at o, I believe you owe arrote around my neck disappears I look up to see the Obsidian shuffle forward, ruator skin billfold and pull out a teardrop diamond that he sets in the Duke’s hand The Duke slips the diamond into his pocket and smiles down atLuna apart for someone like you, Mr Horn A man with a code”