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He waved disht away I just likethem wait Like I always say, the more you can unsettle someone, the better"

"Oh? I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say that," I remarked

He flashedit on you, my dear" Jas near the rooht Go fetch them"

The brief levity faded, and dresses and robes suddenly seemed irrelevant coiel was back in the human world Worse, before Roland had left, he’d told e had actually expanded last time He’d been spotted in New Mexico too

Ysabel and Edria were soon ushered in, with an unhappy-looking Ansonia Much like before, I got the iainst her will Heruilt

"Goddarand, intiuys do know You’ve known for a while"

Ysabel gave ht s your pardon? I’ about" The fact that she was being polite convinced

"Before you say another word," said Dorian, with a terrifying look I’d rarely seen hienie The lot of you have gotten lazy and disrespectful in your time here, and you’ll be lucky if I just turn you out and don’t imprison you for treason"

Ysabel’s smile vanished, and she and the others quickly dropped into the lowest, most respectful curtsies I’d ever seen

"Your Majesty," said Edria "I don’t understand this talk of treason We are your most loyal subjects, and you need only ask us to serve"

Dorian rose to his feet and stor only a few inches from her face "If you were my ‘iel had resu humans! Now Where is he? And I warn you, I’ll know if you lie, so save yourselves while you can"

Ansonia was guileless and wide-eyed and probably would have spilled whatever she knew then and there Ysabel and Edria were a different story, and I could practically see the wheels spinning in their heads as they tried to figure out what strategy would get theht Your Majesty approved of such actions," said Ysabel at last, apparently deciding truth o "After all, you’ve always spoken out in favor of Storht it didn’t "

Dorian had backed off and returned to his chair "Yes, I’m sure that’s all there was to it"

"You never answered the other question," I pointed out "Where is Pagiel now?"

"We don’t know" Belatedly, Ysabel added, "Your Majesty"

"Ysabel " warned Dorian

She blanched "It’s the truth, sire We’ve hardly seen him since he returned from the Yew Land He comes back every so often frooods--only to those in need, I assure you--but otherwise, I don’t knohere he stays Perhaps here, perhaps there"

I weighed the truth in her words and knew Dorian was doing the sa all their faces, I actually believed Ysabel was being honest She really didn’t knohere Pagiel was Perhaps that was intentional on his part Plausible deniability

Dorian’s voice was very, very quiet when he spoke, which added a surprisinglyfeel "If he makes contact, you are to let me know iuards and restrain him until they can seize him"

"Restrain him?" exclaimed Ysabel "He’s my son! And to be frankI’m not sure any of us could restrain him Hehe’s far more powerful than we are, Your Majesty" She actually sounded uneasy about that