in her chair, renewed by whatever potion or tincture had entered her dying blood stream.
"I was arrogant," she said. "Full of pride in my magic and fury at losing the book. I forgot a fundamental law of the universe: that no mortal may look upon Heaven or Hell and walk again among the living. What power the enemy wizard didnt bleed from me, I used up weaving a spell to escape that horrid place. "
"Thats why you sent for me," said Shrike. "Not because Im the best assassin, but because Im blind. "
"Because you are both, Butcher Bird. "
"Im not blind. What about me?" asked Spyder.
"You keep her on course, its easy to see. Shes a burning fuse. You keep her from burning out. And you can be made blind temporarily, with a simple spell. "
"No way. "
"Then blindfold yourself and hope for gentle winds in the underworld. "
"Excuse me, Madame Cinders," said Shrike, "I dont want to be crass, but what will be our payment for perform-ing this service for you?"
"Why, child, Ill give you back your eyes. "
"Can you fix mine? Make me the way I was before, able to forget all this?"
"It is an odd request and I will not be so rude as to ask why, but, yes, with the book I could do that for you. "
"Its not enough," said Shrike. Spyder looked at her. "Youre asking us to go to the most awful place imaginable and face both the legions of Hell and the wizard who almost killed you, a sorceress with more magic than I could ever hope to summon. And our payment is to be nothing more than becoming who we used to be? Madame, there must be something more you can offer us or, despite whateve
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