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"And where were you while he was being neglected and abused?"

"Running the Set," he said factually "I returned thatunder a thin blanket a maid had placed over him in the early hours of dawn I swept hiave his father a beating parts of his body never recovered fro to the other atched hiht of what his nephew suffered bearing down on him, even so far into the future "The laws I live by, Amara, prevented I should stay with them, and it haunted me each time I left, for I kneould return to more stories of horror But I had no choice"

"There’s always a choice"

He only looked up froive that, Princess, because you do not know Drake--the promise I made to him in my own blood--nor do you understand fear of cruel punishment"

I turned away and looked back out the"I’m sorry, Arthur I don’t ry to think of what they went through And I never understood it before, but it makes so much sense now--the way David is--was" Oops

"In ay?"

"He was so guarded, you know He never really lethe tried to push aside It wasn’t that he kept it froet"

And that just made my heart bleed for him--for both boys, actually "Why did Jason showabout it He was always a very scientifically-s in life, including the actions others took against him" Arthur’s presence warmed my side before I saw him slowly appear next to me "He told me once that he learned ony of his suffering, by hearing other people talk about their own trials"

I nodded "Maybe that’s why he showedto helph?"

Arthur’s lips turned doith thought "Perhaps Or perhaps he wanted you to understand his brother--to knohat you had gotten yourself into"

"What do you otten myself into?"

"Those close to David knew a different side to him" Arthur looked down at his clasped hands "I feared for you when David told irl I wondered on what twisted version of this planet God would allow such a ht out the best in him, not the worst"

"Well, as the worst?"

"It’s not relevant, my dear Not now I’m just thankful you loved the side of David I kneas in there somewhere"

"I loved all of him" I folded my arms "I did see another side to hi about the day he nearly exploded over Pepper "But he loved me, Arthur, and he was never harsh or cruel to me I can’t believe there were two versions of him; this cruel boy who tor boy who carriedin life, my dear One does not have to understand to love, but must love to understand"

I turnedmy lips "Do youtaller "Make what up?"

"Those lines? You could write quotes for the Dalai Laave a kind s Would you like to hear it?"

"Sure," I said, pulling a pretend pencil froinary notepad "Let me just jot it down"

Arthur cleared his throat "The branch of hatred is always grown froinary note-takers "Meh, not that good"

"Then, how ‘bout, ‘One cannot teach whata person so they, deep down, already know’"

"Wow" My eyes lit up "That’s pretty good Very true"

He nodded

"So, is that what you do all day? Just sit around and dream up quotable quotes"

His lip lifted on one corner with an easy grin "No I’m an Herbalist"

"A what now?"

"See those plants there?" He pointed to his

"Yeah"

"I grow theht of the sun, but to use for medicinal purposes, mostly"

"Mostly?"

"Yes, they have other uses, but my main area of focus is vampire medicine"

"So, are you a doctor?"

He shook his head once "I was A long tio?"

"When I was human I’ve not practiced huy for vampire treatment"

"Wow So, does that work--you know, the whole ?"

He chuckled "Yes In vah"

"Why? I mean, why don’t you treat humans?"

"Never had the need"

"Not even with Jason--when he was sick?"

He shook his head "I would not have presu of It had been y of the human body To treat him may have been to kill him"

"I’m surprised David didn’t ask you to treat hiain, the daylightshadows around his soft smile "I sometimes wondered if much of David’s hatred for his brother was hed "Oh, definitely--as adults, anyway I mean, I don’t know about when they were kids, but David even admitted he was jealous his brother could read vampire minds"

"Did he now?" Arthur bounced on his toes once then sunk back down, seeed, huh?" I said to myself "Was David really that bad? You talk like he was so his hands behind his back "Not a ood and kind, but had a manner about him that people did not mess with--not even those who loved hiood, kindelse"

"Did you ever see that side of hiet of his infuriation"