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People had beento help the

And, as far as he was concerned, it was Vioget’s fault that Max had had to carry a bloody, unconscious Victoria fro both sides of his loyalty--to the Venators and his grandfather--for years, Victoria would never have been caught between hinore Max’s co his attention on Wayren "The two vis bullae see turned," he said

"A miraculous occurrence," she replied "Completely unexpected But, since I’ve never known of a Venator to wear two, there was no way to predict such a recovery And who’s to say another such event would have the same result At least soth and determination Who she is"

"Yes Buthow did she come to have two of them? I am fully aware of their rarity--that each vis is cast of precious silver froet continued "Victoria’s was lost during the battle with Nedas last November, and I was able to retrieve Eustacia’s and send it to Victoria to replace hersBut where did the second one come from?"

Max settled back in his chair and bared his teeth in a condescending smile "It’s ure it out, for, after all, it was iiven his vis bulla to Victoria after the battle with Nedas, when he thought he was leaving the Venators for good The irony was that, unbeknownst to Victoria, he had recovered the vis bulla that she’d lost when Nedas’s creatures had torn it fro, now useless to him, from his areola Max’s moment of satisfaction evaporated

"I see" Vioget’s jaw shifted, and he turned once again to Wayren "Then may I assume you’ve already discussed the situation? Is it possible it’s ht frown "Situation? I’m not certain what you mean, Sebastian"

"When Victoria awoke, she didn’t react to the holy water splashed on her face, as any vaet looked at him "Don’t you feel it? The vampire chill at the back of your neck, or however you sense the presence of the undead?"

Vioget didn’t know about hied off his surprise in order to focus on Sebastian’s disturbing question "What are you saying?"

"I still feel cold at the back of my neck in Victoria’s presence" Venators could sense the presence of the undead by a chill that prickled the napes of their necks

For the first tiard’s bed, blood trickling from her lips, Max was unable to breathe Yet he kept his reply cool "No I don’t feel anything"

Vioget looked relieved "Well, that’s proard attempted to turn her, and I knew him so well, that I continue to sense his presence After all, she did ingest his blood It h he was ready to leave the room

"You misunderstand me," Max was coo, let everything go, and accept the sier"

Vioget turned, his hand on the door "Did you ever, Pesaro? Feel anything?"

Max’s jaw tightened, but he plunged on It had to be said "I aet the whole story, the reasons and the trials and the burdens The fact that he’d had no choice but to give up his powers--not in order to be freed from Lilith; no, he would have continued to bear that burden as long as he had to But because, in order to kill the demon Akvan, who’d threatened to take over the city of Roain

"When did this happen?"

"Yesterday"

Vioget’s gaze sharpened with calculation "That hy you were leaving the Consilium, when I came to ask you for help with Victoria" Max inclined his head, and Vioget looked startled, and grudgingly impressed "You came with us unprotected by the vis bulla"

"I did what had to be done," Max replied Unlike you He left the words unspoken, but froet’s expression, he knew they were understood

In clear dismissal, the blond man turned his attention to Wayren, who’d ree Her smooth broas furrowed and her eyes worried as he asked, "What do you think? Can it ?"

She lifted her shoulders gracefully "I do not know As you’re aware, I cannot sense the presence of an undead as you can, nor could Ylito or Hannever, as they aren’t Venators themselves There was no one else in the rooood at this time if the other Venators were to be told what happened Perhaps"--she glanced at Max--"the effect will subside as she grows stronger"