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It was odd, talking about all of this to someone else He had never sired another and had sworn he never would He would never do to another what had been done to hi someone else to a life with a mark that invited derision, fear, and often poverty

It was as though she could hear his thoughts Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lily watching him with intense curiosity

"And who are you, then, Tynan MacGillivray? You toldso hard to protect So what does yourit says is that I’ed "That makes me unworthy of notice to any but the Ptolemy, who tend to prefer my sort when they need people to do the jobs they don’t want to do Every dynasty has their preferences But Ptoleori, and a few other smaller dynasties tucked away here and there, they’re where the power is The highbloods, the ones from dynasties that can trace their roots all the way back to a specific god--or deht think of as our aristocracy"

Her eyebrows shot up "Uh, , but if these Ptole to save the that he was doing ninety and ht want to slon a little He tried to relax, to force himself to loosen up Lily was only interested in the answers, not trying to judge him, he told hi questioned Loathed, yes But not questioned

"Because I’ his ain briefly to explain "The ankh there--looks a bit like a cross with a loop at the top--caave h of her blood to force the ain, unsettled by Lily’s keen interest in it "I’ood at what I do I’m not supposed to save the"

"Thanks for re me"

He smirked at the testy note in her voice "You don’t want the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve saved the oldest varatitude?"

"I would have preferred to have a choice"

He felt a twinge of sympathy "Sometimes you just have to accept the hand you’re dealt"

"And soet abducted by some vampire bitch’s pet cat"

Her words were unexpectedly heated, and they sliced through Ty even though he knew she hadn’t intended thehts But she couldn’t kno close her words hit to home His animal side had condeutter cat, pet of the Ptolerowled He was suddenly coive a da called a pet rankled Hadn’t Nero and his ilk said the sa to hiht hi hiht for a moment, about how to explain it all to someone who had never lived in his world Those who lived in the sun had, by and large, left the ancient caste systems behind But in the darkness, the ancient world still lived and breathed And so did their way of life

"Look When you’re a lowblood, you either struggle or you work for a dynasty I’d rather serve, to be valued and rewarded for lanced at her "Tell me you wouldn’t feel the same"

Lily blew out a breath, shoved her hands into her hair "I don’t know I’m not a vampire But… yeah,Bad joke I’m just… I’ withto end it, and none of them even know me Your queen can promise me whatever she wants, but for now, my life back in Tipton is in shambles Still… I am sorry, for what it’s worth You’ve been really nice For a vaht, but it was so He relaxed a little Lily, for her part, see She was quiet a moment

Then she said softly, "So tell me about these Ptolemy What is that, ancient Greek? It’s faround "Arsin&ouest sister of Cleopatra The dynasty takes their fae is Greek, which the average person seeain, but not in the way he ht have preferred

"Cleopatra’s sister"

"Yeah"

"You’re yanking my chain"