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"I will leave," he told his reflection as he checked the o back to Cyprien He will knohat to do with me"

If his friend was sht be up to the task hi the blood of the dead He would rather go quickly than die of despair

He left the Nelsons’ hohts of Shaw House came over the wall and made patterns on it He walked around the fro like a madman He would contact Valentin Jaus and ask hiht with him in many battles He was an honorable man, and--

Thierry frowned as he saw the subject of his thoughts walking up the back lawn of Jeht he must be mistaken, but then he heard Jaus’s voice as he spoke to thehere?

Thierry ju the side of the house From the sounds of the voices, Jeathered in the front sitting roo

"I thank you for the invitation, but I have already… dined," Jaus was saying "I caht"

"You didn’t have to bring it over yourself" That was Jema There was a small stretch of silence "Oh, Mr Jaus It’s beautiful"

Why was Jaus giving his Jes?

"I had hoped you would find it so" Jaus sounded pleased

As Jaus and Jeed pleasantries, Thierry’s bewilderment turned to suspicion He knew the Austrian well Jaus would never meddle with a human woman unless it served some ulterior motive Why would he invite Jema to a masque? Why would he provide a costume? How did they know each other?

Thierry tracked Jaus from the house as soon as he left it, and discovered that Jaus occupied the house on the other side of the Shaw property He assessed the couards stationed at every possible entrance and exit, and then slipped away before he was spotted

Incredible as it seehbor

Thierry was bleakly amused to learn this Here he had come to escape detection and capture by the Kyn, and the whole ti place

The lights from Shaw House sloent out, one by one Thierry stayed in the shadows by the wall and paced, sorting out what he had discovered With Jaus so near, Jema would be safe He had only to call the suzerain and warn hiht disappear fron for hio She was in bed now, safe, soon to sleep and dreaht?

He was cli up to her balcony before he could think of what he was doing

I will go to say good-bye, he pro up onto the balcony I will not disturb her or touch her I will only look upon her He could leave, he thought, if he could see her one e to carry with him, to last on the journey back to New Orleans, and aited for hi h theThe light was out, but he could still see her for the minutes as he watched Five minutes Ten She never moved once She had to be asleep

Go, quickly

Thierry slipped the lock on her ith his dagger and stepped inside The faer than it had been on the other nights He closed thebehind hi himself with her warm, sweet smell He wished he could wear this on his skin, like his lady’s colors, but it could only be another ht in the roo The door was closed

"I’ by the wall switch on the opposite side of the room At once he whirled around

"Stay Please"

His hand shook, and he pressed it against the glass "I cannot"

"You stayed before when you ca to hi slowly toward him Real Awake Aware "Don’t be afraid"