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Like hineurs ruled over hundreds of jardins all over the world As leaders, they were directly responsible for ensuring the safety and prosperity of their kind

Michael knew Sevarus, the seigneur over the European continent, best; they had both served as Richard’s co the jardin wars Sevarus had been a te the rule of Philip the Fair in France and, when the Templar order had been disbanded and its warrior-priests arrested by the pope, had s his final trip, he had been a’s ly battle No one who looked into the scarred eye socket or saw the emptiness at the end of his sleeve could ever doubt his loyalty to the Kyn

Beside hineur of the Scandinavian countries, looked restless and out of place The big Swede, a ship’s captain who had circled the globe more ti Kyn under his rule into fleet of shrewd maritih the icy seas of his territory, and was never happy on land

Cordoba of South America and Tristan of the Mediterranean, also old allies, appeared to be complete opposites Cordoba, a Spaniard of an old and respected family, was as dark and earthy as Tristan, the son of a Nor The two had fostered together as boys, taken their vows, and fought in the Holy Land, always at each other’s side Michael had knoin brothers who had not been as close as the Spaniard and the Norneur of Asia, had in his human lifetilish duke and the Chinese woland, his father had sent him to the Templars, mostly so that he would not have to explain the blond-haired, black-eyed boy to his aristocratic fa out Phillipe’s name still buzzed in Michael’s ears He had not roans had at firsta different sort of battle He had not lied when he had spoken of it later to his seneschal; Phillipe’s personal life was none of his business, and knowing his seneschal had sex with ard or respect for his could be different for both of thee from Africa, but knew he and his lords had fled from Eastern Europe to the Dark Continent to escape the Nazis during the Second World War Like Zhang, he had little contact with the Kyn of other countries, but accepted Richard’s rule and neurs

Geoff’s foot froin the business of le conseil supérieur

"I have brought you together so that we ainst the Kyn," Richard said "The Brethren have moved on and disbanded jardins in Italy and France, and it appears now they are continuing their attacks against our brothers in Spain From the reports I have received fro less than an orchestrated cahtkeeper, Cardinal D’Orio, has instigated it," Tristan said "From the time he replaced Stoss as the new head of the order, he has been rallying and goading the zealots"

"He does lare at Richard through his good eye "He has been systes through their financial dealings with humans Somehow he has convinced the banks to aid hi frozen and emptied, our properties seized and sold off, and the humans loyal to us bankrupted or arrested"

"Loss of our wealth does not concern holds," Cordoba put in "They have burned Tristan’s lords out of Italy and Sevarus’s froe Hundreds have coe"

"You and Cyprien have accepted the tide of the refugees without colass "Do you wish to them to seek sanctuary elsewhere?"

"No, h territory, and I shall keep it open to all who accept lanced at Tristan, who shook his head slightly

"Are we to guess what you and your foster brother have obviously already discussed?" Richard asked

"I have mapped the attacks and found a pattern," Tristan ad in a chaotic fashion, but always to the west, burning every stronghold in their path as they go They are shooting those who flee" He eyed Cyprien "If the order continues the can at this pace, the hunters will reach the Atlantic by summer From there they will have to turn around, or cross the sea and invade South America or the United States"

"They holds," Gilanden added sullenly

Solange nodded "Or ainst ht and then left "We have tolerated these zealots too long, my lord The Brethren have vowed to destroy our kind, and we know they will never per huree," Zhang said The quietest of the Kyn rulers, the Asian seigneur rarely spoke, as his talent infused his voice with an enchanting, musical quality that he could use to hold humans and Kyn in a state of enchantment "The order will never rest until we fill their torture chambers or cover the earth with our ashes My suzerains and their warriors are ready to fight"

The other seigneurs added their agreements