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Daemon tensed "Has anyone tried to hurt you, Surreal?"

Hell’s fire, notthat tone of voice Not with that Warlord co up the stairs anyshe sounded young but convincing "But you and Tersa are as close as we have to family and I’mlonely"

Dae her nose, "you need a bath"

His head snapped up He stared at her with such transparent hope and hunger it scared her "Lady?" he whispered, reaching for her "Lady?" He studied the hair entwined around his fingers and shook his head "Black It’s not supposed to be black"

If she lied, would it help him? Would he know the difference? She closed her eyes, not sure she could stand the anguish she felt in hiently, "I’ softly

She led hi else to do

"So You’re a friend"

Surreal spun toward the door, feet braced in a fighting stance, the hunting knife back in her hand

The Warlord stood in the doorway, the carry-basket at his feet

"I’m a friend," Surreal said "What are you?"

"Not an enemy" The Warlord eyed the knife "Don’t suppose you could put that away"

"Don’t suppose I could"

He sighed "He healedto complain about services rendered?"

"Hell’s fire, no," the Warlord snapped "He told h healing Craft toto survive without help, and a Healer would have turned h his short brown hair "And even if he killed me, it would have been better than whather service so abruptly" He gestured toward Dae softly "I didn’t realize he was"

Surreal vanished the knife The Warlord i his left hand to his side and gri to take the basket "You shouldn’t carry soed When he wouldn’t let go of the basket, she snarled at hiht"

"Don’t be a bitch" Clenching his teeth, the Warlord carried the basket to the table in the kitchen area He turned to leave, then hesitated "The story going around is that he killed a child"

Blood So much blood "He didn’t"

"He thinks he did"

She couldn’t see Daemon, but she could still hear him "Damn"

"Do you think he’ll ever codom?"

Surreal stared at the basket "No one ever has"

"Daeot no response, Surreal chewed her lower lip Maybe she should let hi No, the potatoes were baking, the steaks ready to broil, the salad made He needed food as ht be seeing in the Twisted Kingdoain, putting some snap in her voice "Dae minute, he reached for her "Surreal," he said hoarsely

She gripped his hand, wishing she knew sohtened hers and tugged "Up You need a shower before dinner"

He got to his feet with race, but when she led him into the bathroom, he stared at the fixtures as if he’d never seen the he remembered how to use that at least When he still didn’t ed him out of the jacket and shirt It had never bothered her when Tersa displayed this childlike passivity His lack of response frayed her temper But when she reached for his belt, he snarled at her, his hand squeezing her wrist until she was sure the bones would break

She snarled back "Do it yourself then"

She saw the inward cru his hold on her wrist, he raised her hand and pressed his lips against it "I’ her, he looked beaten as he unbuckled the belt and began fu with his trousers

Surreal fled

A few minutes later the water pipes rattled and wheezed as he turned on the shower

As she set the table, she wondered if he’d actually re had he been like this? If this as left of a once-brilliant mind, how had he been able to heal thaton the table Tersa had always had her islands of lucidity, usually around Craft Once when the , she’d responded to Titian’s worry by saying, "One doesn’t forget the basics" When the healing was done, however, Tersa couldn’t even re in the hallhen she heard the muffled yelp that indicated the hot water had run out The pipes rattled and wheezed as he shut off the water<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>