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Spinning, Bancroft threw a hand up into the air Besidehis forehead, and Ellasbeth looked as if I’d spit on the Goddess, not offered up that she was real and touchable My God To actually talk to the divine?

But I’d already done that I just hadn’t believed

"This is appalling," Bancroft spouted, face red "I do not have to tolerate this!"

Trent shot me a look as he stood, but had he seriously expected me to sit here with my mouth shut? "Bancroft Please Rachel’s theories often draw on a eous and counterproductive!"

And they usually get the job done, I thought, taking a sip of iced tea

"And because of it, they have a tendency to appear outrageous, but they often lead to flexible solutions," Trent finished "Please Nothing she’s said is false Don’t end the discussion because you don’t like it"

I couldn’t help but feel good that Trent had stuck up forsmile vanished when Landon noticed it Bancroft finally sat down, gruht while Trent opened a new bottle of wine and filled Bancroft’s glass

"Thank you," Trent said, adding a drop to his own glass before giving me a tired look "We’ve determined that the waves are attracted to Rachel She’s not a net It’s si from and her aura resonates at the same frequency"

Still Bancroft frowned, his arms over his chest as he refused to take the drink Trent had topped off Fro, loudly and off-key

Trent h likelihood that the Free Vampires knew that Rachel created the Loveland ley line, hence their choosing it and Cincinnati as their test case"

Seeing Trent do his boardroom shuffle was kind of cool, and I tried to lookthat you have all avoided like the emperor’s new clothes Would a va all vampires just to further their belief that the undead existence is a blaspheht noithout the masters to curb them is as bad or worse than what theit Free Vampires are involved, but they don’t knoork ildthe sine He looked up, and I could see the first hints of inebriation in his rummy eyes He was tired, and I couldn’t tell what he was thinking as he played with the ste" Trent said into the silence, taking Ellasbeth’s hand above the table and giving it a squeeze when she reached for hireatly from an end to the vampires," I said, point-blank And when diploaze darkened "I don’t see that at all"

"I do," I said, and Trent shifted unco out the vampires would solidify your foothold tre Ellasbeth’s shocked stare "It’s no secret you met the masters dollar for dollar in the econo and almost extinct The undead worked hard to o away onthose pesky witches in their place, too"

Bancroft was incensed, sputtering like a boiling pot, but it was Landon’s cool lack of expression that struck uard and trying to keep things together "I’m a loud voice in elven matters If it was us, I’d know it"

Would he? I wondered, looking at Ellasbeth’s utter disregard and wondering if it was her hiding knowledge or si that ca froh, but it was for Bancroft and Landon, not me, and I could see a sudden concern trace like a ribbon of ht had occurred to him, too

Fine Lips pressed, I pushed back from the table and crossed my arms I’d aired my beliefs Any disaster that happened from here out wouldn’t be because I’d played it safe and kept ht," I said sarcastically as Landon’s grip on his wineglass tightened and Ellasbeth frowned at me to be polite Polite never saved anyone’s ass

"Rachel," Landon said, voice low and coaxingand raising every caution flag I’d ever had "I’d be very curious to see one of these FIB devices in action To be able to track the thoughts of the Goddess would be aout who is really responsible If they are indeed trapping mystics, then all we have to do is follow the trail to where it ends"

Oh, if it were only that easy "You don’t think the FIB tried that?"

"I have two," Trent said suddenly, surprising me "Edden asked me to put them on the outskirts of my property as part of their early detection" His eyes went to Bancroft "I’d be more than happy to show you how they work"

"A pair?" Landon said, the scent of cinnaer "That’s even better With te can ascertain if Rachel’s aura is glowing from repeated contact with the waves, or if she collects the?" I said, stiffening, and Trent raised a soothing hand

"Not like when a wave hits you," he said, but I didn’t feel any better "It’s just got this silvery haze it usually doesn’t"

Bancroft squinted at me "Has your aura always had that black sheen? Or did that come with the mystics as well?"

Nope Still didn’t feel any better Ellasbethme she hadn’t noticed till now I took a breath to co of h Trent’s co, and I exhaled as the chireater Ohio area became clearer Bis was nearby

"It ca to the pool as, with the sound of sliding leather, Bis dropped out of the darkening sky, his red eyes wide and his pushed-in sasped, and Bancroft choked on his drink If the kid hadn’t been sht need a juoing around the table to crouch beside Bancroft as theto make Trent unhappy

"The Hollows and Cincinnati are locked down," he said, eyes darting between the people behind me "I ca to introduce him "Thanks I think we’re just about done here anyway"

Bis ht hitting me just as I erected a barrier around my mind so I wouldn’t pass out from ley line overload His lionlike tail wrapped roundunder my armpit for a secure hold that was a hundred tis, touching their tips together in greeting as he looked at Trent, and theEllasbeth to her feet "Mr Kalamack Ms Ellasbeth," he said with a formal stiffness, and Bancroft rose as well

"Good to see you, Bis," Trent said "I’d like you to meet Bancroft and Landon They study the Goddess"