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"All right, now do you understand?" Casanova hissed It was always easy to tell when he was talking; Rian’s careful, estures and harsher tones

At least they did when he was talking to me

I didn’t answer until we’d e of stone, near the precipice It was only about waist high, and the as so But it didn’t help; it felt like weat any moment

I squatted down, and that was a little better, mainly because I couldn’t see the drop-off anymore

"Now do I understand what?" I asked

"Now do you understand how stupid this is?" Casanova deet out of here before anyone recognizes us!"

"Recognizes?" I gestured around "There’s got to be two, three thousand people just on this damned platform"

"Yes, so with our luck, that should buy us about fivethat’s the proble everybody or even oing to get out We’re probably not even going to get in!" Casanova said, before Rian stopped his ot in," I said, trying to reassure myself as ates betorlds, with or without the guard’s approval It was her greatest gift"

"Should be?" Casanova hissed, thrusting the canteen away "You didn’t test it?"

"How am I supposed to test it, Casanova?" I hissed back "De into their courts!"

"Dimet the hell out--"

The canteen was back

"Mother said I could do it," I repeated, slowly enough to hopefully get through that thick skull of his "‘Should have’ wasand it waspoorly chosen I’y would caletthe canteen away and spraying water all overhim here!"

"He’s a demon lord! He can take care of himself! If he wants out, he’ll find a way--"

"It’s been six e octaves and facial expressions ave him a weird, schizophrenic tic, but I didn’t care I was too busy trying to absorb what she was saying

"Six months?"

"Time passes differently here," she reminded er in your tireed to co tiain if he can help it"

"Is that why there are so lanced around, and for a second, I thought I saw her large, al behind Casanova’s "I’ve never seen so n"

"Good?" Casanova asked himself "How is that--"

He abruptly stopped when several indigo-robed guards broke away froroup and came in our direction They were muffled up more than the tourists, just sharp dark eyes and arched black eyebrows showing between their turbans and the veils they’d tucked into the necks of their robes Which didn’t entirely obscure the no-nonsense curved swords at their sides

I didn’t say anything, either, as they came closer Or move Or even breathe I tried to tell reat And I wasn’t the only one Suddenly, the onlyour robes around, and the cauards passed by, and grabbed a couple of kids who had been playing on the rocky edge of the precipice A franticeven before one of themy head, and poured soain