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He approached the doors, which opened on a phantom wind, as if the mountain itself lived to serve him

"And the ones above the wall?"

"They were deemed even lower than lesser faeries Either they were unwanted everywhere they went, or …themselves"

"Here in Velaris?" My words were a bare brush of air

"My father was still High Lord then," Rhys said, his back stiffening "We had not allowed any humans, slave or free, into our territory in centuries He did not allow them in--either to whore or to find sanctuary"

"And once you were High Lord?"

Rhys halted before the gloom that spread beyond us "By then, it was too late for e to so the our illusion of ruthless cruelty" The starlight guttered in his eyes "Over the years, we encountered a few Some were able tomoved in the darkness beyond the doors, but I kept my focus on his face, on his tensed shoulders "If the wall comes doill …?" I couldn’t finish the words

Rhys slid his fingers throughour hands "Yes If there are those, human or faerie, who need a safe place … this city will be open to the, perhaps Adding new people, from different places, different histories and cultures … I do not see how that could be a bad thing The transition ates to this city will be open for those who need its protection To any who canthe hard-earned calluses on it No, I would not let hilanced to the open doors--to the hooded and cloaked figure patiently waiting in the shadows beyond the sinew and bone locked up as I took in the pale robes, the hood croith a limpid blue stone, the panel that could be lowered over the eyes--

Priestess

"This is Clotho," Rhys said cal feh about how ht of her would jar me "She’s one of the dozens of priestesses ork here"

Clotho lowered her head in a bow, but said nothing

"I--I didn’t know that the priestesses left their temples"

"A library is a temple of sorts," Rhys said with a wry smile "But the priestesses here …" As we entered the library proper, golden lights flickered to life As if Clotho had been in utter darkness until we’d entered "They are special Unique"

She angled her head in what ht have been amusement Her face remained in shadow, her slim body concealed in those pale, heavy robes Silence--and yet life danced around her

Rhys smiled warmly at the priestess "Did you find the texts?"

And it was only when she bobbed her head in a sort of "so-so" motion that I realized either she could not or would not speak Clotho gestured to her left--into the library itself