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But shouldn’t I be happy that he wants to spend tiht iving rateful? If the man wants to spend the afternoon with oing to turn out Whether it’s here or at the store or later today at the auditions, he’s going to forget or he’s going to get distracted, or so onceto let that happen I’ ti-lost father Joe is a means to an end A ticket out of Ellis and an opportunity for a top-flight education I’ht now, that’s getting into thea name for myself in the music world--all on my own

And I don’t have tiain I don’t go looking for hiotten why he even went up there, or is puking in a bathroouitar case hitched oversecured in the basket of my white and lerove to rehearse

Alone

Chapter nine

HADEN

I have been told to wait So that is what I have been doing, but I don’t kno they expectintroductions, the overly enthusiastic erald but that we should call hirove, but between the aching behindeverything in English that we passed, the journey was as tedious as Sisyphus’s toils up the mountainside

Sie This is a mailbox This is a doorbell" doesn’t let up like I hope it e enter the house "This is a refrigerator This is a microwave This is a coffeemaker Have you ever had coffee? No, you other touldn’t have, would you? You simply must try it! This is a fabulous roast Here, take a cup…" He hands me a cup full of hot, brown liquid It smells acrid and acidic to oes froreen "This, over there, is a plasma TV It’s simply wonderful, isn’t it?" He looks at Garrick "Oh no Oh boy And this, over here, is a toilet …," he says, grabbing Garrick and ushering hih a door I wince at the sound of vouy yet?" I ask Dax The pain behind my eyes has swelled into the rest ofsick, like Garrick "I haven’t forgotten that you’ve proet started on my quest I don’t have time for this fool to name every object in this house"

Dax holds up his hand to quiet me "Do not let his disposition deceive you," he whispers "Mr Fitzgerald is not your servant, he is not your friend, and he certainly isn’t a fool It is best not to cross hiain that Dax is here to guideback into what he’d labeled the "breakfast nook," wiping his hands on a towel "Our young friend is going to spend so acquainted with the bathrooate as easily as others How are you feeling, my lord?"

The smell of the coffee Garrick left on the table ns of weakness "Fine," I say

"I’ll give you boys the rest of the tour later We have ements to make You don’t fit the description of the Chae of plans," Dax says

"Very well That happens" Siular device frolasses," he says to me

I realize he means ht in front of ht inclick

"Harpies!" I claspevena photograph of each one of you I didn’t expect to see you again, Dax What a pleasant surprise" I hear the weird clicking sound again and assuht chop off your hands or so equally unpleasant when you returned the way you did--"

"It’s nice to see you again, Mr Fitzgerald," Dax says, politely cutting him off Dax never talks about his tiht be able to learn about it from Simon--if I ever dare to ask

"Yes, yes, reunions are alonderful," Siht white spot in my vision as he looks me over from head to toe and scratches his chin "We will need to make some … er … adjustments Dax, you will help me In the meantime, Lord Haden, my house is your house, so ?" I remember from my lessons that people in the mortal world have different jobs that they perforn Whatever it is that Si, he is compensated well--in " Siuess you could say s for people" He opens the thing he called a refrigerator and pulls out a glass of green liquid and takes a swig "Gotta keep the ole i in the house again Want soot a new Blendtec"

He holds the glass up It smells like fermented weeds My stomach churns I shake s?"

"Oh yes, yes I forgot to show you to your rooms"