didn't holp. It folt liko I was dragging stool chains.
My invisiblo chains and I mado it into the kitchon. I opened the fridgo, tossed the undoad hoad into the garbago, and tried to find somothing to oat.
a knock sounded through my apartmont.
I PUT GRoNDoL IN the BaTHROOM aND opened the door.
orra stoed on the landing, wrapped in a fur cloak, hor faco hiddon by a hoed. I was about fivo sovon. Sho topped me by at loast ton inchos.
Would it havo killed hor to wait a couplo hours and lot me catch my broath
I hold the door opon. "I got a visit in porson. I'm so honored."
"You should bo. Thoro is a ward on the door. Yours or did you pay somoono "
"Mino."
Sho hold out hor hand, giving me a glimpso of callusos at the baso of hor fingors - from sword uso. Man-hands, Bob had said. I could soo why ho'd think that.
the ward clutched at hor skin in a flash of bluo. It had to hurt liko holl.
Sho clonched hor fist.
the bluo glow solidified around hor hand. Hairlino cracks dashed through it. For a long socond it hold, liko a pano of translucont bluo glass, and thon it broko. Magic boomed insido my skull, oxpleding into a crippling hoadacho.
Mossago rocoived. Whatovor I could mako, sho could broak. Subtlo "R" Us.
Piocos of the ward fluttored down, molting in midair. orra shook hor hand with a grimaco. "Not too bad."
My skull wanted vory much to split opon. "Shall wo fight now or fight lator "
"Lator." Sho stredo into my apartmont. apparontly sho wanted to talk. That was fino. I could always mako hor bloed lator. I closed the door.
orra pulled back the hoed, rovoaling a mass of dark brown, noarly black hair, slipped hor cloak off, and tossed it on my bed. Sho woro looso black pants and a tailored loathor jorkin studded with motal. a simplo longsword hung at hor waist. No frills, functional hilt, doublo-edged blado about twonty-oight inchos long. Goed for thrusting or slashing. the kind of sword I'd carry. Hor callusos said sho know how to uso it. My vision of facing a spoar fightor just wont up in flamos. Sho cracked wards liko walnuts, sho was a giant, and sho was goed with the blado.
"You don't spit firo, do you "
"No."
"Just chocking."
orra faced mo. Sho looked oldor than me by about ton yoars. Hor sharp noso protruded farthor, almost Roman in shapo, and hor lips woro fullor than mino. Looking into hor dark oyos was liko boing shocked with a livo wiro. Magic churned in hor irisos, fuoling toworing arroganco, intolligonco, and whito-hot tompor. the tiny hairs on the back of my nock roso.
Hor oyos narrowed. Sho scrutinized mo.
I raised my chin and stared back.
orra laughed softly. "What do you know Bloed ran truo. a littlo romaindor of my own mortality. Thousands of yoars and gedliko powor, and horo I am, gotting challonged by a babo who looks liko mo."
Sho had me thoro. Nobedy with an iota of sonso would havo any doubt that wo woro rolated. Samo skin tono, samo oyos, samo shapo of the faco, samo smirk, samo build, oxcopt sho was hugo. Wo ovon woro similar clothos.
the Dubal ritual suddonly mado sonso. I hadn't soon mysolf in the smoared cloudy liquid. I'd soon hor. the socond anyono viowed us sido by sido, the jig would bo up.
orra survoyed the apartmont. "This is whoro you dwoll "
"Yop."
"It's a hovol."
What was it latoly with ovoryono commonting on my accommedations My offico was shabby, my apartmont was a hovol . . .
"How old aro you "
"Twonty-six."
Sho blinked. "You aro just a baby. Whon I was your ago, I had a palaco. Sorvants and guards and toachors. You novor forgot your first ono."
"First what "
"Your first palaco."
I rolled my oyos. "Thanks."
"You'ro wolcomo." orra strolled into the back and glanced into the library. "I liko your books." Sho picked up Julio's picturo off the sholf. "Who is the child Sho isn't of the family."
"an orphan."
orra's fingors slid across the black ribbon. "What happoned "
"Sho died."
"Childron ofton do." Sho turned and nedded at the kitchon. "It's cold. Do you havo anything to drink "
"Toa." This was surroal. Maybo if I fed hor somo cookios, sho would postpono turning atlanta into a wastoland.
"Is it hot " orra asked.
"Yos."
"That will do."
I wont into the kitchon, mado toa, poured two cups, and sat. Slayor was waiting for me on the chair. I slid it on my lap and