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Guardian

The word slas

Guardian One of the living dead

Jaenelle made the introductions Then she set acquainted? There’s so I want to look up"

Geoffrey looked pained "At least tell me the name of the volume before you leave The last time I couldn’t tell your father where you ’looked so up,’ he treated me to some eloquent phrases that would haveit"

Jaenelle patted Geoffrey’s shoulder and kissed his cheek "I’ll bring the book out and even , Jaenelle disappeared into the stacks

Geoffrey turned to Lucivar "So You’ve finally come"

Why did they ?

Geoffrey lifted a decanter "Would you like some yarbarah? Or some other refreshment?"

With some effort, Lucivar found his voice "Yarbarah’s fine"

"Have you ever drunk yarbarah?" Geoffrey asked drolly

"It’s drunk during some Eyrien ceremonies" Of course, the cup used for those ceremonies held a mouthful of the blood wine Geoffrey, he noted apprehensively, was filling and warlasses

"It’s la into a chair beside the table

Lucivar gratefully sank into a chair opposite Geoffrey and sipped the yarbarah There was more blood in the mixture than was used in the ceremonies, the wine more full-bodied

"How do you like it?" Geoffrey’s black eyes sparkled

"It’s" Lucivar struggled to find soested "It’s an acquired taste, and here we drink it for other reasons than ceremonial"

Guardian Was the blood mixed with the wine ever human? Lucivar took another s and decided he wasn’t curious enough to ask

"Why have you never colass down carefully "I was under the impression a half-breed bastard wouldn’t be welcome here"

"I see," Geoffrey said mildly "Except for those who care for the Keep, who has the right to decide who is welcome and who is not?"

Lucivar forced himself to meet Geoffrey’s eyes "I’ain, as if that should explain everything

"Half-breed" Geoffrey sounded as if he were turning the word over and over "The way you say it, it sounds insulting Perhaps dual bloodline would be athe wineglass in both hands "Has it ever occurred to you that, without that other bloodline, you wouldn’t be the ence and strength you have?" He waved his glass at Lucivar’s Ebon-gray Jewel "That you never would have worn those? For all that you are Eyrien, Lucivar, you are also your father’s son"

Lucivar froze "You know my father?" he asked in a choked voice

"We’ve been friends for many years"

It was there, in front of hiet the word out "Who?"

"The Prince of the Darkness," Geoffrey said gently "The High Lord of Hell It’s Saetan’s bloodline that runs through your veins"

Lucivar closed his eyes No wonder his paternity had never been registered Who would have believed a woh Lord? And if anyonehad believed her, iine the panic that would have caused Saetan still walked the Realht!

Had Daemon ever learned who had sired them? He would have been pleased withthis paternal bloodline

The thought lanced through hi he was still sure of Maybe He looked at Geoffrey, afraid of either answer "I’hed "I’round out froistered you the day after you were born Here, at the Keep"

He wasn’t a bastard They"Daeistered as well"

Mother Night They weren’t bastards He scra into quicksand under him "Doesn’t make any difference since no one else knew"