‘Manners, huh?’ Came a gruff voice from behind the Dominican. ‘There’s some irony to that.’ The hapless Dominican was pulled back and as he ...ent down the shadowy man looming over him reached down casually and clapped him hard against the temple with a bunched fist. The blow echoed quietly down the street. His body fell to the sidewalk with a flat sound, one that reminded her of the sound made when her father would throw large bales of hay from a tractor flat onto a waiting delivery truck. The. ’ Whoa!”“I won’t believe that until I see it in print,” Frank said.“It almost sounds like a challenge,” Maddie said.“Or a warning,” Keith added.“Warning to whom?” Maddie asked.“Us? Or maybe to the world? Stay away from libraries.” Keith swung around in his chair so his one good eye could take in Maddie standing over him. He almost lost his train of thought just looking at her. She nudged him and he went on. “Maybe I’m seeing things where nothing exists, but it’s got too much in common with the. ‘Tre, are you okay?’, Arianna asked, suddenly materializing beside me from the door. She knelt down beside me looking up at me. I nodded at her, smiling as reassuringly as I could manage. ‘Yeah, I’m okay. I tried to draw on some mana a few minutes ago and was nearly dropped to my knees with pain that shot through me.’ I shrugged my shoulders and looked at her again. ‘I am worried that I might have burned the ability to use the Power right out of myself.’ Arianna reached up and took my hands,. "You had somebody in your room last night," she whispered.Warmth rose in my cheeks and I glanced at Dad."I haven't talked about it with him," she said.I didn't know what to say, so I looked at my knees."Gina, I just want to know that you were careful," she said and touchedthe back of my hand.When I looked up she was smiling, shyly and their was something in herexpression I'd never seen before - friendship, acceptance even. Were Mumand I going to be friends now she had a daughter?"It's okay,.