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So it seemed the GPS was useless, and the French he spoke hadn’t been used in this region for half a millennium or better He reached out to rest his hand over hers "Do you know the road to Garbia?"

"Mais oui" Her expression brightened "Go this way"--she pointed north--"until you reach the second turn Then go this way" She pointed east, but this tirew fast and uneven "I come with you I show you Mada directed at them from the bar "Actually I do believe madame will mind"

"You take me With you?" She released onebetween her full breasts "I want go with you"

He knew exactly what she wanted, and carefully removed his hand from hers "You have been quite helpful," he said as he deliberately shedher under his command "Thank you You should return to your work now"

The light vanilla fragrance of larkspur enveloped the two of them as l’attrait caused the waitress’s pupils to dilate

"Oui" She backed away, bue of another table The pain released her froles as she fled toward the kitchen

Once he pocketed the GPS, Korvel drank the last of the bloodwine and sat back to let it finish its work on hies Stefan, the senior lieutenant Korvel had assigned to serve in his place during his absence, had texted him a brief status report before Korvel had left Paris The h lord had retreated to his study for the night

All was as it should be, as it would have been if Korvel had never departed It should have reassured hirow

Since beco one of the ih lord’s seneschal as well as the captain of his guard Seven lifeti the oath he had ht, if one counted his mortal life

Now it seemed his absence was not even noticed

"You look sad,with the bickering couple slipped into the empty chair beside his Confusion filled her eyes, as if she weren’t quite sure why she was speaking to him

Korvel knew exactly why the child had coe of puberty; his ability to influence fe "I airl darted a look over her shoulder "My maman said you look like one, which made my papa very els"

Korvel glanced around the rooained the avid attention of the child’s mother and every other fe so much scent to influence the waitress, for he had not considered that the cold air outside ht have acted as a natural barrier at the ventilation points His scent saturated the inside air now If he did not leave at once, all of the women would co lantern

"I ed a sirl "Au revoir, my sweet"

"Take me with you" Tears welled up in her eyes "Please"

He could not explain to her that what she felt would disappear as soon as he departed, but he would not see her suffer even a few seconds "What is your name?"

"Tasha"

"Tasha" He touched his hand to the side of her little neck, where the connection of his will to her et et Happy" She turned like a sleepwalker and shuffled away

Quickly Korvel took out enough euros to pay for a case of wine and dropped them on the table before he rose to his feet The habits of many lifetimes compelled him to attend to one final detail: the memories of madame and the waitress, who intercepted him at the door

As they were both already bespelled, he had only to command theone, you will forget me It will be as if I never came here"

The women spoke in monotone unison "Attend Work Gone"

Korvel left the restaurant, checking the street to ensure it was eainst his coat, he turned his head to look back through the frontand saw the waitress taking an order from an older couple Madaer as sour as it had been when he had walked into the place For theer existed; he had never existed