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“Yeah, well, since I’ht there rumbled Then he asked the question Lana expected “Why are you co, Healer?”

The use of her “title” bothered Lana; she wasn’t quite sure why And the question on top of the title bothered her She didn’t like the question She shifted in her seat and stared out of the

“She’s co to pay her When I get the gold Which brings us to a little so called credit”

Poor Albert, Lana thought as Albert launched into a lecture on the usefulness of credit S the FAYZ so on this trip

All the gold in the world wouldn’t be enough to pay her for what she was planning to do Gold couldn’t touch the cold dread that filled her heart And gold wouldn’t be any use to her if she failed

“There’sshe was speaking only to herself

“Like what?” Albert asked

“Like freedom,” Lana said

At which point Albert went on, talking about how ht, in most cases But not in this one

Not in this case

She couldn’t bribe the Darkness But maybe, maybe…maybe she could kill it

Caine sat silent, biting his thued nail

Panda was driving Co They were the lead car The second car, an SUV, was behind them, Drake and four of his soldiers All were armed

They drove cautiously Caine insisted on it Panda had gotten better at driving, more confident, but he was still just thirteen He still drove scared

The SUV behind, urged on no doubt by Drake, practically hung on their bumper, impatient