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“Of course not Grandain with Mictecacihuatl That would remove me from the position of power, possibly even kill ht But I’m the next in line I don’t care if she wants to live forever, as long as I get the respect and role I deserve as a priestess of the Lady of the Dead This whole thing is a trick Leonora is trying to usurp the power that she was supposed to have passed on to o Her time is up, and she refuses to accept that”

Quill leaned back, folding his ar us the truth yourself?”

“You don’t I have no expectation that you’ll trust either me or my abuela at this point You’ll just have to decide for yourself But as for her atteht have an idea” The corner of her lips quirked into a smile “And a counteroffer”

“Oh,” I said “Okay I’”

“It’s either that or I fill this house with poison gas,” Monica purred “That I’m immune to, by the way Both of you will take a dirt nap I won’t Death ic”

I quirked an eyebrow at her “Is that true?”

She shrugged “Sure Why not My point is, at least hear , and I’ around lanced ate man was kind of cute”

I liftedto hide the fact that I was blushing

“So here’s my deal I need you to retrieve some of Grandma’s hair”

“Sounds sih,” I said

“Too sirowled

“And you would be correct to assuht off her head” Monica ran her fingers through her hair, retrieving a tiny, ornate comb from somewhere within the forest of its curls “Look for one of these It’s called a peineta She likes to keep her hair up with it”

I tiltedyou a hairbrush?”

She scoffed impatiently “Of course you could Or a bobby pin, or a barrette, hell, even a scrunchie, if she somehow uses those The point is, I need at least one strand of her hair”

“And what do you plan to do with it, exactly?” Quill said “Pretty coredient for curses, isn’t it?”