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"… at the corners of his lips

He’s a nasty piece of work, I observed, as Jilided forward toward ers, race thatbetter than to s," Jarl droned "Don’t you Ji a hand over Jian I felt ry

Ryu put a protective arm about my shoulder "Well, it’s always a pleasure, Jarl," he said, briskly "But if you’ll excuse us…" Ryu inclined his head toward the pair, and steered me away I looked back overso into Jimmu’s ear, while the latter’s eyes finally exhibited some emotion The emotion was pure, unadulterated hatred I quickened?" I hissed, ere safely through the dining hall doors

"Which thing?" Ryu asked balefully " ‘Thing’ accurately describes either of that pair"

I shuddered, starting to treiven me He made Stuart look like the president of my fan club

"Either, both, whichever," I babbled

Ryu chafed his hands up and down a; they’re two-forh, a serpent" I nodded--that " I pulled a face, but Ryu was clearly not joking "Jiest as well as the as are like really deadly chickens--they bond to the first person they see when they eas like a father, but they’re really his puppets They do whatever he corian’s second-in-command He is Orin’s brother--older by a few hundred years but less potent in strength"

"And he obviously doesn’t like me," I added

Ryu blanched "Jarl possesses little tolerance for hu was the understates, I’ his in our world who resent halflings--some even hate theht, recalling the feel of Jimmu’s and Jarl’s eyes on me

"Most of us will accept you, and many, like me, feel that you are as necessary for our survival as you are, quite si "Our kind need… shaking up We need new blood, new ideas, new voices" He ser across my cheek and over my lips "Especially when those voices co forward for a kiss

I kneas trying to distractthis wouldn’t be the last ti status ca despised and I was hungry My stomach had recovered from its introduction to the Creepy Twins, and it had started doing so ly at the food spread out only feet froaze "C’hed "I think you only like rabbed a plate and was piling it high But I spared a moment to turn back to him "Actually, I like you because you play rinned lasciviously at the shocked look he gave s ran out, warp speed He reached a hand out fora dru his head, while I finished filling my plate I knew I’d pay for that comment later, ere alone

At least I certainly hoped so

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

After I ate, I could barely keep my eyes open We’d found an out of the way corner to chon, and between the food and the stresses of the day I was nodding off like a narcoleptic I was propped up against Ryu, who had a faraway look in his eyes I think he was going over everything he’d seen today I let him mull, until a particularly fierce yawn nearly popped my jaw off