Page 65 of Quest of the Wolf

“Almostis not the same assmackedright into it. With your entire body.Like you wanted to make love to it.”

Austin sighed. “I gotta go, Mom. Bye.”

I said goodbye and hung up.

“Am I work?” Duncan asked dryly. “Or were you referring to Radomir?”

“Oh, you’reabsolutelywork.”

We crossed the parking lot and found Bolin and Jasmine standing near his SUV. Bolin plucked nervously at the hem of his shirt while Jasmine poked at her phone screen, neither of them looking at each other or speaking. It was hard to imagine Bolin successfully serenading Jasmine. Had he even managed to mumble agood morning?

When our eyes met, Bolin looked away, though I was now fully clothed, even wearing a parka in the nippy morning air.

“Do you want me to drive?” Bolin waved at his Mercedes SUV, though he also looked warily at the missing fender and smashed rear end of my truck. “Four people won’t fit in there unless they ride in the back, and it’s… been violated.”

“That’s one way to put it,” I murmured.

“We can go in my van,” Duncan said. “It’s sturdy, and I’ve missed it.”

“How does it navigate during low-speed car chases on old logging roads full of potholes?” I asked.

“Like a champ,” Duncan said. “Remember, it has off-road tires.”

“It’s not armored,” Jasmine said. “Aunt Luna’s enemies have an armored SUV with electrified door handles.”

“If we come face to face with her enemies, I’ll deal with them another way. With the power of my physique, not my automobile.”

“At least it’s trimmed,” I murmured, heading toward his van.

“I knew you were impressed.”

“Oh, wait,” Bolin blurted before following us.

He unlocked his SUV and pulled a violin case out of the back seat.

“Are you going to thump my aunt’s heinous enemies with that?” Jasmine asked.

“Not exactly.” Bolin managed a quick smile, but he didn’t meet her gaze.

This might be a long car ride.

“Did you bringmeanything?” I asked Bolin, reminded of why I’d invited him.

“Yes.” He dug into a pocket, pulled out a felt pouch, and placed it in my hand. Two compressed-powder spheres followed.

“Do those work like the others?” I resisted the urge to call them bath bombs again. He’d found that insulting.

“Yes, they’re also Orbs of Entanglement.” Bolin nodded firmly, then patted another pocket. “I reserved a couple for myself, should self-defense be necessary.”

“So I should send the bad guys straight at you?” I asked.

That prompted an aggrieved look. Bolin glanced at Jasmine, probably reminding himself why he’d volunteered for something so far out of his wheelhouse, then hugged his violin case to his chest.

“I’ll send them at Duncan,” I said.

“Good. I’m sure he’ll appreciate them more.” Bolin nodded, then held up a finger and pulled out a small metallic circle.

Having an inkling of what it was, I drew him aside and stood so that we would block Duncan’s view.

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