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‘Very funny The group I overheard were all telling each other that he’s returned’

‘That’d be a neat trick I gather that his closest friend killed hih his heart You kno Lae name,’ Khalad noted ‘What does it ht", I think La to their children’ He drained his cup and tipped his flagon over it A few drops caer at this?’ he asked ‘If we’re going to sit up talking all night, I’ll get h, Sparhawk, I’d really rather go back to my nice warm bed’

‘And your nice warets lonesorew serious ‘If the Laain, itto feel a little confined Drychtnath wanted to rule the world, and any ti his na to look beyond their borders for elbow rooht to start worrying about it now Go back to bed, Kalten You too, Khalad We can talk o pay a courtesy call on my wife’ He stood up

‘That’s all?’ Kalten said ‘A courtesy call?’

‘There are many forms of courtesy, Kalten’

The corridors in the palace were dimly illuminated by widely-spaced candles Sparhaent quietly past the throne-room to the royal apartments As usual, Mirtai dozed in a chair beside the door Sparhawk stopped and considered the Taiantess When her face was in repose, she was heart-stoppingly beautiful Her skin was golden in the candlelight, and her eyelashes were so long that they touched her cheeks Her sword lay in her lap with her hand lightly enclosing its hilt

‘Don’t try to sneak up onher eyes

‘How did you knoas et that you have noses’

‘How could you possibly smell me? I just took a bath’

‘Yes I noticed that too You should have taken the time to let the water heat up a little more’

‘Sometimes you amaze me, do you know that?’

‘You’re easily amazed, Sparhawk’ She opened her eyes ‘Where have you been? Ehlana’s been nearly frantic’

‘How is she?’

‘About the sa very tired of being owned by a child’ In Mirtai’s own eyes, she was a slave, the property of the Queen Ehlana This in no way hindered her in ruling the royal fa as good for them and as not She had brusquely dis out that she was an Atan Tamul, and that her race was tely to agree with her, since he was fairly certain that if she were left to follow her instincts, Mirtai could depopulate several fair-sized towns in short order

She stood up, rising to her feet with exquisite grace She was a good four inches taller than Sparhawk, and he felt again that odd sense of shrinking as he looked up at her ‘What took you so long?’ she asked hio to Lamorkand’

‘Was that your idea? or somebody else’s?’