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Cook shook her head "I don’t understand it Miss Jaenelle has always liked la, Daeed into his topcoat What other kind of leg would they serve in that hospital that would horrify a young girl so?

"Here" Cook handed hi of coffee and three apples "At least this will get you started Put the apples in your pocket--and mind you keep one for yourself"

Dae," he said as he gave Cook a quick kiss on the cheek He turned away to hide his smile and also so she could tell herself--and believe it--that he hadn’t seen how flustered and pleased he’d ht Unconcerned, he strolled along the garden paths, sipping his coffee He knehere to find the on the iron bench

Wilhelh the words couldn’t tuly at odds with the quiet, sedate girl he was accusto stopped and two pairs of eyes studied him

Daeave one to each of them Then he walked to the other end of the alcove He couldn’t ive up looking at her altogether, but he settled his face into a bland expression and began to eat the apple After a an to eat too

Two pairs of eyes Wilhelmina’s eyes held a look of uncertainty, caution, hesitation But Jaenelle’sWhen he came into the alcove, those eyes had told him she’d already co that he didn’t knohat it was

And her voice He was far enough away not to catch the quiet words, but the cadence of her voice was lovely, lilting,surf on a beach at sunset He frowned, puzzled Then, too, there was her accent There was a coue was al each race So every people, even speaking the sae, had a distinctive accent--and hers was different fro, as if she’d learned various words in various places and had ether into a voice distinctly her own A lovely voice A voice that could wash over a man and heal deep wounds of the heart

The sudden silence caught him unaware, and he turned toward the at Jaenelle Jaenelle was looking intently in the direction of the house

"Graff’s looking for you," Jaenelle said "You’d better hurry"

Wilhelhtly down the path

Jaenelle shifted position on the seat and studied the bed of witch blood "Did you know that if you sing to them correctly, they’ll tell you the naone?" Her eyes slid from the bed to study his face

Daemon walked up to her slowly "No, I didn’t know"

"Well, they can" A bitter smile flickered on her lips, and for a briefas Chaillot stands above the sea, the ones they were planted for won’t be forgotten And someday the blood debt will be paid in full"

Then she was a young girl again, and Daeht, sepulchral voice he’d just heard was the result of his own light-headedness from lack of sleep and food

"Co for hiarden paths toward the house

"Don’t you have lessons with Lady Graff too?"

Anguish and grination washed the air around her "No," she said in a carefully neutral voice "Graff says I have no ability in the Craft and there’s no point holding Wilhelmina back, since I can’t seem to learn even the simpler lessons"

Dae for alessons?"

"Oh, Ido other things" She stopped quickly, head cocked, listening "Leland wants you"

Daele Her pale, frail-looking hand gripped his arged hi all the way to the house She tugged, he protested Finally she tugged hi Cook’s astonished gasp, and toward the doorway leading into the corridor

Two feet fro in his heels

Leland could go to Hell for all he cared He wanted to stay with Jaenelle

She pressed her hands against his back and propelled hi on the other side, Daemon spun around and stared at a closed door There hadn’t been time for her to close a door Co an actual door there