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"That h for ood No Carnades

Piaras was disappointed Me? Not so ht or disaster after another, and I, for one, didn’t want any more excitement, at least for the next hour

Mychael and Ta the house Tam had run upstairs to make a quick raid on a weapons stash he had hidden in the walls of his bedroo in low tones with Piaras, and I weapons out of her supply pack Kesyn Badru was standing with uard for any additional Khrynsani visitors

Carnades had told one of Sarad Nukpana’s spies that I didn’t have a spark of otten away… and made it back to his boss…

I dropped roaned

"Headache, girl?" Badru asked

"Yes, sir, and his nahed "I’ve had that headache for years And since we’re probably on our way to get killed together, you ht as well call me Kesyn"

I nodded, then winced at the h at least I’m still in one piece, and I’m not in one of Nukpana’s cells--unlike Talance upstairs Tam was still in his room, but I lowered my voice anyway "I feel like I know hiht hiood lanced at the upstairs landing and sighed "Yes, he is I don’t want to lose hiod or not, Nukpana’s not the ot Tam’s father, and et--"

"That’s what scares irl"

"I hope it doesn’t come to that, either But if Tam can catch him flat-footed--"

Kesyn smiled sadly and shook his head "That’s not what I ic He’s already adh’Sceadu that were about to eat his son"

The goblin e responded with silence "You say you know him," he eventually said

"I do"

"You know about his use of black ic in the past"

I didn’t erous tih he believes he’s already coht lose their lives if he doesn’t do so about it"

I clenched ivenabout it But I can’t, and Tam knows it"

Kesyn nodded "Cursed rocks aren’t the only way to get power There are deht Sarad Right now Calling them is quick and easy The vermin make it easy to call, hard to say no--and impossible to pay them back Tam wants this; he wants to kill Sarad Nukpana He will kill and he will enjoy it BlackDe theirthem plenty"

"Their souls?"

"Worse Favors Favors are demon currency And if you don’t play, you pay Tam can call a demon and make a deal, but if he backs out on it or even tries to back out, the de Tam to Hell for his personal aht Sarad Nukpana"

"What do you think the chances are that he’ll even try to avoid that confrontation?"

I took a deep breath and blew it out "Icicles in Hell kind of chances"

"Exactly The sacrifices begin toone" Kesyn slid down the wall to sit on the debris-covered floor, pulled out that chunk of stinky cheese again, and took a bite "I’ve never questioned Tath or his skill He has both in spades; ht With Cyran ie and desperation will only add fuel to the fire Black oblin court is a natural and fertile breeding ground"

"If you start playing the ga you"

Kesyn nodded "And you don’t aaifted ones, the growth in that area is exponential Unfortunately in our royal court, it’s also unavoidable Once in the court, it is nearly impossible to leave"

"So I heard But Taain" Kesyn wearily rolled his neck, the bones cracking I felt the sudden urge to do the saine you know all about that now"

I’d used the Saghred to kill nine fire people who had been hired to and were bent on slaughtering every living being in that hotel I’d killed those firehred’s power to consume them in their own fire I’d told myself that they deserved to die If I hadn’t killed them, they would have killed hundreds Mychael had tried to reassure reed with him; it had to be done