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That time she couldn’t bite back the laugh. Propping her elbow on the back of the chair, she watched him curiously. “Why do you two hate each other so damn much?”

He shook his head.

“Damn.” She sighed. “Whatever. All right—this talisman. Where is it?”

“In four pieces. In four different places, I expect.”

“Do you know where those pieces are?”

“No.” He gestured to the waiter, and when the young man approached, he ordered himself what she assumed was another cappuccino. He looked to her, silently expressing his question.

“I’m going to wait.” She held up her hand and smiled at the young server. “I’ll get twitchy if I drink too much coffee on an empty stomach.”

“You’re twitchy, regardless. Always have been a jumpy one. But it’s gotten worse over the years, I’m afraid.” His lips twitched as she suspected he pointed a derisive smirk squarely at himself. “I am to blame for that, as we’ve said.”

“So…you don’t know where this talisman is. But how come I knew what it looked like? Why did I carve it on the table?”

“Technically, that is two questions, but I’ll let it slide, as they answers are connected. You carved it on the table, my dear Marguerite, because…” He shifted in his chair to move closer to her. His voice grew deep and rumbling once more. “While I do not know where the pieces are located…you do.”

Oh.