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"Spriggans," Ryu informed me "They’re mercenaries, really But some are loyal to the Alfar--or so they claiiants, but I think that’s just PR Oh, and watch your handbag and jewelry around theans will chop your head off if you try to get your stuff back Whereas led, but pressed on "Are there any trolls?"

"Nah, they stick to their caves, luckily Since they bathe in their own feces"

I gave Ryu a horrified look, and it was his turn to giggle, only his giggle sounded like a Poain

When we’d composed ourselves, he turned todown et with the front ofa caress of my breasts I leaned into his touch and was rewarded with a little fang Ryu caainst htened, and I could tell he was preparing to le?" he asked

"No," I said, completely serious

"Good Just followhands Don’t touch anybody unless I say it’s okay"

I gri on the periphery of the great hall, but Ryu was not a peripheral sort of guy Slipping reetings with various creatures as we passed

The good thing abouttoward another set of doors on the opposite side of the hall, through which I caught a gli since resorted to a quiet war of attrition, eating away at itself rather painfully, but it wakened with a new fury when I caught a glimpse of the food

Dinner, however, would have to wait Ryu alking across the roos with various beings They all greeted hi the full title hich he’d been introduced I wondered if he used baobhan sith all the time as his last name, and I asked as much when I had the chance

"No For foro by our first na called a vampire, but it pisses some of us off As for last names, we don’t use the huotten rather attached to theirs since iteasier But othere just use our factions" He thought for a , when you think about it They ihts, all of that We don’t own each other, even e’re bonded, nor do n our children if we’re lucky enough to have any And in our world, if you can’t defend what is yours, soed, a c’est la vie sort of gesture

I frowned, again struck by the paradoxes of his society On the one hand, there were aspects of this world that I was co to admire There was an openness, a lack of embarrassment or amour propre, that I appreciated But there was this constant undertone of brutality that made me shudder to contemplate

As if humans are really any differentNasty, brutish, short, and all that jazz, I thought

But at least we try, I argued with e people try And for their atteers, overnments At least here there’s no pretense

I was so wrapped up in hts that I didn’t realize Ryu had introduced me to somebody until he covertly elbowed eous being in front of y Stardust days: slender and androgynous An enormous, fiery coiffure swept up to a point about a foot and a half above his head, and he was clad in what looked like flames His eyes were auburn and slitted like a cat’s He was beautiful, and I reached out a hand without even thinking

Ryu grabbed enuine fear on his face The being had sprung back, out of my reach, and I blinked Oh yeah, I remembered, I’m not supposed to touch And then I realized why