ai, what would you say to him?"
"Who, Madame?"
"No questions, please," said Primo.
"What would you say upon meeting the beast Asmodai?" asked Madame Cinders.
"Good day to you, sir beast?"
Madame Cinders shook her head wearily and turned to Primo. The little man looked at the lever that controlled the metal flower hanging over their heads.
"I would say his name," said Spyder. He took a step forward so that he was standing next Shrike. Her head snapped in his direction. "If I were wearing something on my head, I would remove it and Id say Asmodais name three times, once to each of his heads. Once Ive done this, hell kneel down and answer all my questions truthfully. "
"And if you met Paimon?"
"I would only speak to him facing the northwest and never, ever look into his eyes. "
"Better," said Madame Cinders. "Between the two of you, I see one good hunter and one good hunter is all I need. "
The woman made a slight, almost invisible gesture. Primo jerked the lever that controlled the metal flower. Gears ground again and the blades began to retract. Spyder, his stomach knotted with tension, relaxed. Until he heard a click. The flower stopped retracting and the blades sprang open. The metal blossom shot down at them as if fired by a cannon. Spyder couldnt move. There was nowhere to go and he was mesmerized by the gorgeous meat grinder fall toward their heads.
Something blurred past his eye.
Shrikes blade was up and out. She hadnt struck the flower, but had wedged her sword into the central shaft around which the blades spun, jamming the mechanism. When he realized what had stopped, Spyders brain he grabbed on
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