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Kyna gasped in pain and put her hands to her face. |
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"Ah, yes. One of the little benefits of the talisman you stole. It has certain medicinal properties. It can ease pain." The Dark Man unwittingly flexed his knee. "I see in your case it also worked a few cosmetic wonders as well. But, it has its price." |
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Where before Kyna had had a few tiny lines around her mouth and eyes, she could feel the wrinkles popping up like ruts in a corrugated tin roof and finger-wide streaks of solid silver ran like bolts of lightning through her hair. |
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"It was a gift," Kyna managed to whisper. "I didn't steal it." |
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The Dark Man threw back his head and laughed. "Did you hear that?" He turned to the goateed man standing stunned next to the fire. "She didn't steal it." |
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The goateed man stuttered, "Master? The Butcher's Broom? How . . ." |
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Laughing all the more, the Dark Man shook his head. "Later." He let the feathered cloak slide to the floor and slipped the talisman around his neck. As he fastened the clasp, he closed his eyes and sighed. |
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"That's what all this was about?" Kyna spat. "Some stupid piece of costume jewelry?" |
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"You have no idea how wrong you are. This"the Hungan ran his fingers lightly over the stones in the necklace"is the key to the universe. Let me give you a little demonstration." |
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Without warning, he levitated straight up into the air. A split second later, Cyrus flew through the cave entrance and landed in a flurry of flashing teeth and claws in the exact spot that the Hungan had been occupying the moment before. |
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"An impressive entrance, Mr. Trigg," the Dark Man said as he floated to earth a few yards away. "But as you can see, any slight chance you may have had before is gone." |
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Cyrus stopped dead in his tracks and cast a cautious glance at the necklace. Caution wasn't easy for him, for the sight of Kyna's torn blouse and bleeding lip made the wolf inside his head howl. The urge to rip and tear his way into the witch |
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