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"I didn’t ask to be hired I’ot a problem with that, let’s just say I quit"

"I don’t care what the hell you do as long as you keep outtaroo rooreat She’s al a pain in the ass as you" A sneer contorted his face

I turned away, ignoring hiht about how this noro--it was the first time I’d seen him since Sykes’s death With one foot on the wooden stairs to Tina’s trailer, I stopped and looked back Norden gazed across the darkening cemetery "Hey, Norden," I said, "I’ht ed "At least I’ive o private Justsecurity for a bunch of freaks anda moment of tenderness with Norden

I went up the stairs Tacked to the door was a piece of paper with TINA TERROR printed in bold black letters Tina’s last nae name But "Tina Terror"? That was as bad as Monster Paul Below the nahter It looked like soe; suddenly, Tina see and very vulnerable I raised my hand to knock

"Hey," said Norden behind me "Do you see someone over there?"

It was hard to see through the gloouards can’t even keep the tourists out Hey!" he yelled, starting forward "Ce A silhouetted figure stood beside the obelisk All around hiravestones and ainst the shadows A croed

Pryce was here And he’d brought the Morfran with him

I ju raves, yelled at Pryce again Pryce extended an arm, and I dropped Norden ducked behind a tree But Pryce wasn’t concerned with us His gesture was a signal The crows rose into the air, cawing and shrieking

Pryce disappeared

I scra of ed in place When it popped open, I allowed rasped the athame with my left hand and pulled it out

Crows shot over h the wall of Tina’s trailer

The dressing roo a pink bathrobe and waving her arms wildly as the cloud of crows dived at her She tripped on the stairs and tuun drawn

"Norden, don’t!" I yelled "They’re a spirit--you can’t shoot them"

He skidded to a stop "Then how in hell--?"

"Here" I was already starting to , slow circles with my left hand I reached into ainst the trunk of that tree"

Norden gaped like a fish getting ready to s a fly, as he watched me make superslow circles with my invisible lasso and took in the flowers and HOME SWEET HOME inscription on the slate

Tina’s screaht

"Take it, Norden! I knohat I’rabbed the slate and ran toward the tree

I closedin the Morfran energy I didn’t just circle, I willed the hunger to coth, I pulled the Morfran in So Difethas my shado? Good The Hellion could helpas the Morfran flowed into Hellforged’s orbit Part of , that Norden knelt beside her But I kept the double focus I’d practiced with Mab: my calm, powerful center and the athaed’s circles, the crow bodies dissolved into energy Ithe Morfran sith y moved closer to the athaers Then a jolt of ice

As fast as I could, I passed Hellforged to ht hand I pointed the athao!" The Morfran streaked into the slate and knocked it over It juround

Hoed remained calm I resheathed it and ran to where the slate lay Wisps of s cold to the touch Colder than the night air or the ground it rested on I stuck the slate in round, clutching Norden and pressing her face into his shirt Her shoulders heaved If zo He patted her back, tentatively, as if afraid she’d break

I squatted down beside thees of ed her eyes "What was that?"

"That," I said, helping her to her feet, "hy I wanted to cancel this concert"

"Oh" She brushed herself off and took a shaky step toward her trailer "Then I’ot rid of it before the show started It would’ve, like, totally wrecked our dance moves for ‘Grave Robber’ "