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Or, at least, that’s what it looked like she said I couldn’t hear a da and cart wheels squeaking and ani from every tavern on every street had just been added a blast of horns frorabbed Rian’s arave up on subtlety Nobody could hearhim?" I yelled, only to have her nod at the street directly ahead of us And say so I couldn’t

But then, maybe I didn’t need it

Far above the sant building of balconies and terraces and a few graceful towers Patches of greenery interlaced the stone here and there, al in this landscape What looked like fountains caught the last of the light in a few places And while the place looked like it had also been carved out of the local stone, it must have coold that shiainst the darker layers all around, as if laced with gold dust

If ever anything had screahest wall," Caleb said, in my ear As if he’d coood at least"

"Depends"

I turned to look at him "On what?"

"On what’s on those upper three levels"

They were dark, now that the local sun had set, set into the cliffs under an overhang of stone, with just a few stray lights glealittering eyes I feltwhy

And then I got a reason when Caleb gave me a round, wrenching a wrist and skinning my hands in the process But I didn’tchariot tore through the souk--including the area where I’d just been standing If I’d stayed where I was, I’d have been crushed under its wheels like the worldly belongings of one unfortunate irant

The driver never even appeared to notice I watched froround as he turned onto one of the spokelike streets radiating out froreen silk robe flapping as he whipped his chariot back and forth on a crazy course that seee possible Until it hit the front of a shop and crashed inside, the cah noise to cut through even the noise of the crowd

The driver ju, and disappeared into a tavern across the street, along with a girl in a ski the s out for hiround by an irate war e

"Thanks," I told hi real concerned overthe way Pritkin had a few tiht before he tried to killaround for another chariot But the street was clear--at least ofback into the lane, including the i to collect what re to what passed for norht so

"Notice anything?" he hissed

"What are you--" I stopped because I had I’d just noticed so

Or soh clenched teeth, "is that damned vampire?"

Chapter Sixteen

I scanned the crowd, but there was no sign of aalmost run down Or a cal probably used to the crazy drivers around here There was no one at all but the thinning streaetting back to normal

I didn’t understand We’d been distracted for only a second Where could she have gone so fast? And ould she just leave us in an alien city filled with guards who probably had our pictures taped to their dartboards?

My mouth felt dry, so I sed "I asked her where Pritkin was being kept Maybe she went off to find out"

Caleb shot me a furious look "And maybe she went off to win bonus points with her lord andus out!"

I shookafter Pritkin, all she had to do was stay in Vegas I’d never have ate, but not gotten past the guards I needed an incubus for that--"

"And she ot one!"

"Yes, so why help us if she just planned to turn us in?"

"Perhaps she thought she’d get"Telling her precious ht win her a point or two But if she stops us e’re actually in his city, e’re less than a enerous!"

"Not if she helped us get in to begin with!"