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.ChandraPage 133ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlexplained at night the colorful windows exploded with light, thus giving thecherished little canyon its name.Classical music would pump from hiddenspeakers, and water would again fall where it once had.Somebody loved thislittle place dearly. It s open air, I said, pointing out the obvious.Metamorphosis from initiateinto star sign always took place in a secured indoor environment; the moreelements the troop could control during the process, the better. Unlessthere s an underground aspect to this canyon you re not telling me about. No, this is it. She turned around herself, the choppy layers of her hairstriping her face in the slight breeze.She shook them away. And the closedenvironment didn t serve us very well before.Warren thought we d trysomething new.Something the Shadows would never suspect.And a place of worship and respect and peace dropped into a crevasse in themiddle of the Mojave would pretty much do it.Soulfly s groove metal sprung from my pocket again, Chandra looked at me, andthis time I answered it. Give it back.I smiled again as I tucked my cell phone between shoulder and ear, not evenpretending not to know what Regan was talking about. No.It s mine, I bought it, actually signed the papers and closed on it lastnight, sight unseen.God, you ve gotta love the way money talks in this town.I heaved a happy sigh. Hey, I have an idea.Next time you don a new identity,you should make her rich instead of cute.Wow.Grinding teeth sounded a lot like sawing logs over the telephone line.In a reasonable tone, I explained I wasn t going to actually live in hermother s old house.That wasn t the point.It just felt good for a change topossess something I knew Regan cared about.I didn t need to say she wouldn thave kept or maintained the property if she didn t care about it, or thatthat s what had exposed the weakness to me.She knew that, so I merely added, The perks to my Olivia identity are starting to grow on me.I m becomingquite the materialist.I ve decided to start a small, but elite collection.I m going to call it  All the things Regan loves most. Her breath hitched on the other end of the line but it didn t stop her raggedthreat. And do you think it ll ever rival mine? I call it  All the ways Icould maim Ben Traina. It was the expected rejoinder, but I saved my own comeback for later.By nowChandra had realized who I was talking to, and was glaring openly at me.Ibatted my lashes but, like Regan, she had never fallen for that. I understandfrom the changelings that you ve seen something in the manuals exciting enoughto have you running from the shop like your life depended on it.This time there was no hesitation. And I understand from my changeling thatyou had a run-in with the doppelgänger.Of course, being a loyal underling, Ihad to tell the Tulpa.He s pissed you didn t kill her when you had thechance.Preteens were the biggest gossips, I thought, sighing as Chandra s eyes grewwide.She was making no attempts to hide her eavesdropping, but I shrugged herconcern away.Whatever the kids could relay to my enemies wasn t anything thatcould affect the larger battle, anyway.Otherwise it would ve been like Kadehad said; the information would ve slipped from their minds even as they triedto recall it. If he were truly upset he d have sent a message-by-minion so he could tell mehimself.Or didn t you feel like showing your innards today? I gesturedtoward the restroom, turning, knowing Chandra would follow, still listening.As soon as I pushed open the door and daylight spilled into the cavernousdarkness, there was a burst of frenzied squeals, and I ducked as my hair wasrustled by hairless wings.Chandra yelped behind me, and the bats narrowlymissed the canyon walls as they swerved blindly out into the sunlight.Iducked back out into the canyon, knowing Regan would try to make sense of thenoise coming over the line. Never mind, I said, a smile in my voice. You re probably depressed afterPage 134ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlhaving to sell your sole physical birthright to me  I just had to rub itin  but you can tell the Tulpa there was no way to harm the doppelgänger inthe sanctuary.She was invulnerable to everyone who tried to stop her. And was your friendly neighborhood call boy one of those to try? she asked,as I wandered directly beneath the sagging footbridge.I snorted, feeling Chandra on my heels. Still going on about Hunter? I llhave to let him know.He ll be so pleased. I ll let him know myself as soon as I find him.The thought of Regan tracking Hunter made me laugh aloud.Even Chandra scoffedat that one. Careful, Regan.You re starting to sound obsessed.Aren t youthe one who once told me being a Shadow agent was a job like any other? You rejust an underling, remember? An evil man s flunky& and an evil man s daughter. Your point? she asked tightly. None, I lied, still leading her. Other than you should be so proud of beingsired by a mortal who can rival the Tulpa in atrocities.She snickered, and I could envision the accompanying eye roll. I can t musterinterest, much less pride, in someone I ve never met.I don t even care aboutmost of the people I see every day.Affection is a supremely bad habit, shesaid, reinforcing what I knew of Brynn s legacy to her daughter. Then why would you suppose I care about what the Tulpa thinks of me? Because you think of him, my dear Joanna.More than you d like. I don t want to talk about my father with you, I said curtly.That was nolie. Fine, she said quickly, because she didn t want to talk about him either. Then let s go back to talking about first loves.I paused for effect, mouth winging up in a sly smile. About that.Don t beexpecting Ben to tend your garden anymore, or even returning your phone calls.In fact, don t be surprised if he s already left a kind but firm message onyour machine canceling whatever plans you two made for the weekend.He ll bewith me tonight& and every night thereafter.I wiped the dust from a plaque memorializing a long-lost child.Regan finallyended the silence. I ll expose your world to him and tell him who you are,Olivia. I plan on telling him that myself tonight, Rose, and he s always been a partof my world.Always will be too. My smile was so wide it could be heard in myvoice. I told you he d never be with you as long as I m alive.So game over.I win [ Pobierz caÅ‚ość w formacie PDF ]