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‘Yes,’ Stragen ad to have them all taken to the palace coo’

‘Yes’

‘Then you’re going to ask the eroup of people whose very existence he’s not even supposed to know about’

‘That’sto command them to suspend aeons-old custo with each other?’

‘Is there some problem with that?’

‘No, not really I just wanted to be sure I had it all down straight in my en asked ‘I’d probably better go talk with the e childish, you know,’ she said

Salla’s eyes bulged ‘How dare you?’ he alone white

‘You forget yourself, Elder Salla,’ Zalasta told the outraged man ‘Councillor Sephrenia speaks for the Thousand Will you defy theuided!’ Salla blustered ‘There can never be an acco-eaters!’

‘That’s for the Thousand to decide,’ Zalasta told him in a flinty tone

‘But look at what the Elene barbarians have done to us,’ Salla said, his voice choked with outrage

‘You’ve lived out your whole life here in the Styric quarter in Matherion, Elder Salla,’ Zalasta said ‘You’ve probably never even seen an Elene’

‘I can read, Zalasta’

‘I’hted to hear it We’re not really here for discussion, however The High Priestess of Aphrael is conveying the instruction of the Thousand Like it or not, you’re compelled to obey’

Salla’s eyes filled with tears ‘They’ve ood condition for a man who’s been murdered, Salla,’ Sephrenia told him ‘Tell me, was it painful?’

‘You knohat I mean, Priestess’

‘Ah, yes,’ she said, ‘that tiresome Styric compulsion to expropriate pain Someone on the far side of the world stabs a Styric, and you start to bleed You sit here in Matherion in protected luxury feeling sorry for yourself and secretly consu denied martyrdom Well, if you want to be a e it for you’ Sephrenia was coldly angry with this babbling fool ‘The Thousand has made its decision,’ she said flatly ‘I don’t really have to explain it to you, but I will – so that you can convey the decision to your followers – and you will explain it, Salla You’ll be very convincing about it, or I’ll replace you’