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Curious, I handed him the sweets and unwrapped the larger gift.

“A sword? Amagicalsword?” I could sense power within it and held it out, considering the bejeweled hilt and engraved blade. Were those Celtic runes? I would have to ask Bolin. For all I knew, it was Swahili.

“It came out of a lake in Ireland.”

Probably not Swahili then.

“It isn’t rusty at all,” I said.

Not even begrimed. Duncan must have painstakingly cleaned it if it had been in the lake since a time when swords had been carried regularly in the world.

“It was in surprisingly good condition when I found it. Freshwater, in general, isn’t as corrosive as seawater, and I think the magic in it is protective. I had a specialist look at it, and he said the alloy was also atypical.” Duncan held my gaze and said with significance, “It has silver in it.”

I met his eyes. “Are you giving me the means to…”

“Kill me if I’m forced to come after you again. Yes.”

Even in my wolf form, I hadn’t been strong enough to defeat him, not when he’d been the bipedfuris.

“I’d prefer not to do that,” I said.

Duncan offered a lopsided smile that took the seriousness from his eyes. “I’d prefer you not need to do that.”

“Yet you’re giving me a silver sword.”

“Just in case.”

“Okay.” I set the gifts aside and hugged him.

“Ah.” He returned the embrace and rested his chin on my shoulder. “This is nice. Also the fact that my van hasn’t been towed or salvaged for saleable items.”

“I’ve been too busy to call a pawn broker in to appraise its contents.”

“Too busy… cleaning the roofs?”

“My work is demanding, yes.”

“Do you want some help?” Duncan looked toward the pressure washer on the roof. “I could hold your hose.”

“That sounds kinky. And I think I’m supposed to offer to holdyourhose.”

“True. Maybe I should simply sit up there, look pretty, and hand you chocolates while you work.”

“Nowthatsounds appealing.”

THE END