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"An assistant to prepare breakfast would be nice," I said "That way I won’t be spending all day every day cooking"

"Then ask for a day off," Teeg suggested That stopped ht-day off--I have dinner with ht," Arvil said "And only worry about dinner unless I ask for so else the day before This veal is excellent Is there anyArvil and his wizards to finish their dessert

If I’d thought Arvil San Gerxon was a benign autocrat who liked hisday

"You let it slip, didn’t you?" Arvil’s assistant was standing in the kitchen and cringing as Arvil shouted at him The cruel-mouthed wizard and Delvin were also there as I worked out aweek The cabinetmakers faded from the kitchen quickly I started to leave but Arvil barked for s are around here," he snarled Arvil nodded to cruel-mouth, who lifted his hands

Even I didn’t expect the assistant to scream as he burned alive I think I dropped to the floor in the corner where I stood while the poor man screamed out his last and died on the kitchen floor "Clean up the mess," Arvil shouted at Delvin afterward I stared at Delvin in shock He’d willingly given hi with hied Arvil’s charred, former assistant away I hadn’t even learned what it was the man supposedly did to earn a death such as this

No, the wizard blasted him with flames and he burned to death, I sent to Lendill later when I could breathe norain I don’t knohat he did

We raided Birimera yesterday and burned a hundred drakus seed fields, Lendill returned That made me s uncomfortably If Arvil re, I could be next Reah, that wizard can’t harm you with his power, Lendill reainst a physical attack--you told me not to turn, I reminded him

Reah, we said you could leave if they are about to harood information so far I wanted to ask what he meant by real harm Had his and Director Keef’s little escapade that causedother than real haro to work, I said instead, cutting off thesaid later as he examined the cracked and burned tiles "You don’t have to tell me what happened," he muttered softly I’d knelt beside hie My new assistant had cleaned as left of the floor after the body had been carried away

"I didn’t even know his na’s dark eyes

"Re, people ork here generally don’t have fa ht-day is to about going up the mountain for some fresh air"

The mountain was an artificial ski slope north of Ca flipped a card in his fingers before handing it to ’s apart of hiht before, and that hadn’t happened toht I was a boy He wasn’t one to be attracted to young boys or men--I don’t kno I knew that about hi led ainst the wall just inside the door, and a bag that held clothing and equipment lay next to it His apartment was nice too--it looked comfortable to me

"You do this often?" I looked around me as he disappeared down a hall The kitchen was sot the idea he didn’t do a lot of cooking for hiet the chance" He was back with three sets of dark glasses in his hands "One of these should fit," he settled one pair overon the best pair "Better" He grinned while I tucked the offered glasses inside my jacket pocket I usually wore a jacket if I didn’t have my cook’s apron or coat on My breasts were siveaway if anyone were looking

A shuttle ran every few ticks, hauling visitors up and down theran his chip over the scanner for both of us The ride was nice, lasting half a click The tourists and locals on the shuttle were chatting ahile Teeg and I rode in co out the e’d taken seats so I could see the ocean It sparkled below us as I peered over the edge of the cliff running alongside the road

"Didn’t get to see the ocean much?"

"No" I chewedHe seemed so familiar at times, but I knew that was silly--I’d never ht be asking hi slip Arvil didn’t need to learn anything about et ht made me frown He’d promised to protect me, but then he’d betrayed Bel and the others How could I trust that?

"You had such a frightened look on your face just then, Re" Teeg leaned down to stare into my eyes I wished I could have told hiood ood? Who intended to be there?