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"Where in the infinite hells have you been?" Shahar deainst the doorjao"

"Good to see you, too," I drawled "What are you getting all polished up for?"

She sighed, subain to the servants’ attentions "Dinner I’ Triadice, and her py, as she’d probably been taught to speak Te like "heir," though with a h unless the Teain in the centuries since I’d last paid attention to them, it was not a hereditary role They chose their leaders fro folk, then trained thee of anything That sort of sensible thinking hy I’d chosen the Temans as my model, back when I’d first crafted a own they rapping around Shahar Quite literally: the gown seeold cloth, palbone pattern had been achieved The overall effect was very elegant and cleverly e curves I whistled, and she threary look at me "If I didn’t know any better," I said, "I would think you were courting this prince But you’re too young, and since when have Ara else"

She shrugged, turning to gaze at herself in the bedroom mirror; the dress was almost done They needed to wrap only the bottoet out of the thing? Perhaps they would cut it off her

"The Triadic likes beauty," she said, "and she controls the tariffs on shipping froh North, so it’s hile to impress her She’s one of the few nobles who can actually s difficult for us" She turned to the side, inspecting her profile; now that the servant had repaired her hair, she looked perfect and knew it "And Prince Canru is an old childhood friend, so I don’tnice for him"

I raised my eyebrows in surprise Arah I supposed friendhen/p>s were necessary, now that they had no gods I went over to the parlor’s couch and flopped onto it, not caring about the servants’ glances "So your dinner will be business and pleasure, then"

"Mostly business" The servants , and there was a pause as Shahar examined herself Satisfied, she nodded, and the servants filed out Once they were gone, Shahar slid on a pair of long, pale yellow gloves "I mean to ask her about what happened to my cousins, in fact"

I rolled onto my side to watch her "Why would she know?"

"Because the Teroup in the Nobles’ Consortiuressive efforts like a revised tithe systeer afford to educate children beyond the age of nine, you see --"

"Yes, yes," I said, rubbing my eyes "I don’t care about the details, Shahar Just tellover to the couch to gaze haughtily at h Norther nobles who consistently vote against the interests of the Arameri in the Consortium," she said "And they, I believe, are the source of the attacks on my family"

"If you think that, then why haven’t you killed theo, her forbears would have done it already

"Because we don’t knohich nations are involved The core of it is in High North, that much we’re certain of, but that still encompasses two dozen nations And I suspect some involvement by Senhed, putting her hands on her hips and frowning in consternation "I want the head of this snake, Sieh, not just its fangs or scales So I’ to tell them to kill me before I assume leadership of the fah North to deal with the threat"

I rocked back, duly ihtened inin order to lure them out into the open"

"Of course I am I’m not even certain we can destroy a continent anymore, and the atte ourselves at a ti pleased with herself, Shahar sat down beside me Her dress made a pleasant harned effect of its peculiar construction It probably cost the treasury of a small nation "Still, I’ve already spoken with Captain Wrath, and ill coordinate an operation that can put on a suitably threatening display --"