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I stabbed a finger in his direction “You put her up to this, didn’t you?”

Carver raised his hands in placation “I may have casually mentioned that it would be nice if you could rely on yourself in a fight, but what of it? I didn’t push her to antagonize you Amaterasu attacked you of her own free will Do you really think a goddess would take kindly to an outsider telling her what to do?”

He had a point I wanted to fold my arms and sulk, except that I kneould hurt like hell considering the state of my chest

“Carver’s right” Sterling’s Zippo clicked as he lit one of his cigarettes “You’re more use to us if you know better than to just duck into the shadows The sword’s nice and all” – he angled his head at one of– “but would it kill you to hit so with your fists for once?”

“Gil has his claws, and you have your batshit crazy vaes, but the rest of us have our lihed very pointedly “Also I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t smoke in here”

“Yeah dude,” Gil said, gri those in my room, either”

Carver tutted “Dustin has a point It’s quite i, or outside”

Sterling sulkily rose to his feet, his chair scraping against the stone floor

“Those things are going to kill you some day, you know”

“Iesture as he headed for the door “I’d be more worried about your lifespan ith the tattoo and everything Remember: the offer still stands”

I leaned back againstoutyou can do about this?”

He shook his head “I closed you up and staunched the bleeding That is the extent of eas is to fulfill Dionysus’s wishes”

Geas, Carver said, the Irish word for binding reements Quests, in short, which came with dire consequences if uncompleted, which was exactly the predicaoddess had done the same

“So A out of me?”

“As far as I know, you’re clean” Carver handed ranted I trust you’ll be fahtning you used to try and kill me?”