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"Doesn’t that sound a bit too much like the stories Lady Fiona writes about Tracker and Shadow?" Surreal asked

"I believe it was Fiona’s success that spurred him to write this new story line Jenkell is a well-knoriter in landen artistic circles, and he’s beco his mysteries I’ve read a few of the books in the other series; they’re entertaining stories"

She huffed out a breath and shook the book "But this! The man has never been in the same room as one of the Blood At least, not the kind of Blood he’s trying to write about You can tell he doesn’t understand a da about us"

Daemon smiled "I know For years he’s been considered the top writer in his field, inative ways out of difficult situations"

"And entertained both landens and Blood"

Daeo or temper overwhelmed sense when Fiona’s Tracker and Shadow stories becaan writing this new series about a Blood male and his kindred partner"

"And he’s still popular with the Blood?" She put as much disbelief in her voice as possible

"He is, but not because he’s telling a good story anylass in a salute "His portrayal of the Blood is so bad it’s hysterically funny At least, a good nuht so"

Apparently Dae the books to laugh at the characters? That ot to the next chapter

"I i?"

"I wanted to see what other Blood things he’s doing wrong"

"The point of one of these stories is to read it in order to see the clues as they’re revealed"

He was getting that bossy tone in his voice She wasn’t sure if it was family bossy or Warlord Prince bossy, but he’d stare her down if she tried to ignore hilanced at the clock on theher, and decided not to waste tio ho him an order would work, but he didn’t have to sound so politely unyielding about it Now the only way to get rid of hio

"Rainier will be here soon," she said

"So?"

So under the pleasant toneits claws before it went out to play with the mouse

"You like Rainier," she said "Heworks for you"

Dae himself more comfortable "I’ here this evening?"

For the saled into the sofaWhich was not soer than she was and wore darker Jewels than she did

"Doesn’t he have fa to get pissy about this

"Actually," she said, "he doesn’t" A flicker in Daemon’s eyes warned her he are of the lie within the words--he knew perfectly well Rainier had fa in Dharo--but he didn’t knohy the words were also true And she wasn’t looking forward to being the one to tell him "His family prefers that he stay away"

"Because he prefers to war a storet out of the way in time

"No," she said softly, "it’s because he’s a Warlord Prince"

A heartbeat That’s all it took Daeone The Warlord Prince who looked at her…Not the Sadist, who could be so elegantly vicious Thank the Darkness, it wasn’tthat facet of Daemon’s personality that had surfaced No, this was Prince Sadi, ruler of Dhe the depth of the insult contained within her words

"They aren’t like our family," she said hurriedly

A moment of silence Then, too softly, he said, "Explain"

She didn’t dare look at the clock to see how much time was left It didn’t matter This discussion had to be over, done,fast