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“What’s going to go wrong?”

“Probably nothing”

“Okay, I have to go with you,” Cookie said

Lana laid her hand on his big forearm “Cookie, you have to trust me on this”

“At least tell me what the problem is,” he pleaded

Lana hesitated A big part of her wanted Cookie and Patrick, too, along for the walk to the mine entrance But she orried about Patrick And even ht happen to Cookie

In the old days Cookie had been a big, dumb bully, a sort of second-tier Orc He was still not exactly a genius But his heart had been transfor, and whatever one There was now in Cookie a sort of purity, he seeht end all that The creature in the mine had left its stain on her soul, and she didn’t want that sa and loyal protector

Lana retrieved her bag From it she drew a letter, neatly sealed in a white business envelope She handed it to Cookie “Look, if so does happen, you take this to Sam or Astrid Okay?”

“Healer…” He was reluctant to take it

“Cookie Take” She placed it in his hand and closed his fingers around it “Good Now, listen, I need you to do soone”

“What?”

She forced a sry, I could eat Patrick Look around this du to eat I’ll be back in fifteen minutes”

She turned toward the door and plunged out into the night before he could argue any further

Lana slipped her hand into her bag, wrapped her fingers around the cold plastic grip of the pistol She pulled it out and let it hang by her side

She was going to get the key from the dead miner If Pack Leader showed up to stop her, she would shoot him