When the Ice Queen Thaws

was no ringing. Just a calm, aut

am Ca

once. I hadn't used it, hadn't heard it di

was cold a

Secure the perimeter

off and slipped it

oax Chloe. "Come on, swee

ient. "Kid' s got stage f

me a look of

three minu

e world

leading to the house. A fleet of black, unmarked SUVs, the kind g

rful, synchronized hum of high-performance engines. Four military-grade Zodiac boats, also black

ut they moved with the disciplined efficiency of a special forces unit. They fanned out, creating a peri

ent. The music from the pontoo

. He was tall, with a stern, weathered face and cold, intelligent eyes. He mo

of the Sentinels, the private security firm

t Big Rick. He walked past Mike. He i

directly in

n a gesture of prof

gies for the delay.

orld

gant smirk was gone, replaced by

s darting from me to Donovan to the s

Mi

ly. He stared at me, then at Donovan, and then back at me. The charismatic entreprene

lly und

desecrated a temple. And its goddes