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"New eer than the last one," the wo"

The Lifeless responded, setting down its bags then walking back out Vivenna watched, by now having figured out that the short woman must be Jewels, the thirdwith a Lifeless? And how had she found the new house? Denthwith you?" Jewels said, glancing at Vivenna "Some Awakener come by and steal your colors?"

Vivenna paused "What?"

"She means," Denth said, "why do you look so surprised?"

"That, and her hair is white," Jewels said, walking over to the canvas bags

Vivenna flushed, realizing that her shock had gotten the better of her She returned her hair to its proper dark color The Lifeless was returning, carrying another bag

"Where did that creature come from?" Vivenna asked

"What?" Jewels asked "Clod? Made him from a dead body, obviously I didn’t do it myself--I just paid money for someone else to"

"Too much money," Tonk Fah added

The creature clomped back into the room It wasn’t unnaturally tall--not like a Returned It could have been a nor, mixed with the eht him?" Vivenna asked "When? Just now?"

"Nah," Tonk Fah said, "we’ve had Clod for months"

"It’s useful to have a Lifeless around," Denth said

"And you didn’t tellto keep the hysteria out of her voice First she’d had to deal with the city and all of its colors and people Then she was given a dose of unwanted Breath Now she was confronted by the most unholy of abominations

"The topic didn’t co "They’re pretty co about defeating these things," Vivenna said "Not e some of them," Denth said "Princess, Lifeless are like swords They’re tools We can’t destroy all of the used by your ene on the wooden floor The Lifeless set down its final bag, then Jewels pointed toward the corner It walked over and stood there, patiently waiting for further orders

"Here," Jewels said to the other two, untying the final large bag "You wanted these" She turned it on its side, exposing glitteringHe kicked Tonk Fah back awake--the large man had an uncanny ability to fall asleep at aHe pulled out several swords, shiny and new-looking with long, thin blades Denth s while Tonk Fah wandered over, pulling out wicked-looking daggers, some shorter swords, and then soainst the wall, using her breathing to calm herself She tried not to feel threatened by the Lifeless in the corner How could they just go about, ignoring it like that? It was so unnatural that it made her itch and squirm Eventually, Denth noticed her He told Tonk Fah to oil the blades, then walked over and sat down in front of Vivenna, leaning back with hands against the floor behind hi to be a problem, Princess?" he asked

"Yes," she said curtly

"Then we’ll need to work it out," he said,her eyes "My team can’t function if you tie our hands Jewels has invested a lot of effort into learning the proper Co to "

"We don’t need her"

"Yes," Denth said "Yes we do Princess, you’ve brought a lot of biases into this city It’s not my place to tell you what to do with them I’m just your employee But I will tell you that you don’t know half the things you think you do"

"It’s not about what I ‘think I know,’ Denth," Vivenna said "It’s what I believe A person’s body shouldn’t be abused byit come back to life and serve you"

"Why not?" he asked "Your own theology says a soul leaves when the body dies The corpse is just recycled dirt Why not use it?"

"It’s wrong," Vivenna said

"The family of the corpse ell paid for the body"

"Doesn’t matter," Vivenna said

Denth leaned forward "Well, fine then But if you order Jewels away, you order us all away I’ll give your uards You can use theht you were my employee," Vivenna snapped

"I am," Denth said "But I can quit whenever I want"

She sat quietly, sto to use e hi a Lifeless could save your kingdonore the opportunity?"

"Why do you care?" Vivenna asked

"I just don’t like leaving things unfinished"

Vivenna glanced away

"Look at it this way, Princess," he said "You can ith us--which will give you chances to explain your views, s like Lifeless and BioChroma Or you can send us away But if you reject us because of our sins, aren’t you being ostentatious? Don’t the Five Visions say so about that?"

Vivenna frowned How does he know so much about Austris all those swords?"