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The boy had slipped up behind her He was slender and bookish-looking, with blond curls, a fair complexion, and eyes that were such a pale blue--behind fraht have been fourteen, too young to be interesting, though Leesha was only seventeen herself He was almost pretty, but the effect was marred by a black eye and a nose that had been recently broken

"I’ no reason to lie

"Devereaux D’Orsay," the boy replied, standing rather too close and staring fixedly into her face "Father didn’t uests"

"Didn’t he?" It hadn’t been easy to get this invitation A fax of the last page of the Covenant signed by the guilds at Second Sister had done the trick She’d ordered her grandparents’ chauffeur, Charles, to drive her here froh the day and avoid being grounded, she’d be very very lucky

"Would you care for so toward the sideboard, where there was an array of bottles and cans of soda

Leesha shook her head "No, thank you"

The boy leaned against the sideboard "We’ve more of a selection down in the cellar," he said "Would you like to see?"

"No, I’e the subject, she said, "Who beat you up?"

That struck a nerve "No one beat , his fair face flushing dark rose against the bruises "Froe Had it not been for…"

"Devereaux"

Noas the boy’s turn to juuilty

Claude D’Orsay stood framed in the doorway, dressed in wool trousers, cashmere sweater, and tweed jacket The wizard’s hair was dark and close-cropped, his face fine-boned and aristocratic

"Miss Middleton, a pleasure to see you again I see you’ve met my son"

"Yes," Leesha replied "I wouldn’t have known it from his looks"

"He favors my late wife" D’Orsay carip was cool and dry, with a wizard’s electrical sting

"You didn’t tell , Father" Devereaux still looked sullen "Hoas I supposed to knoho she was?"

"It was rather short notice, Dev," D’Orsay replied "Miss Middleton requested a ly "I believe the last time we met was here, at Raven’s Ghyll, at the last tournament"

"That was a disaster," Leesha said bluntly

D’Orsay didn’t disagree, but nodded toward the sideboard "Would you like so howto have to refuse refreshestured to one of two chairs by the hearth "Please Sit Make yourself comfortable"

Leesha sat, not particularly comfortably, and D’Orsay sat down opposite her Devereaux slouched onto the hearth itself, clearly intending to listen, if not to participate

Leesha nodded at Devereaux, and raised an eyebrow

"Dev can stay I value his opinion" D’Orsay paused "So Are you here representing Jessabranch?"

"Why would you think that?"

"I believe you orking for her last year when you-- ah--brought those two youngthe last tournarel warrior she created Jack Swift Now that was a disaster"

"Must’ve seeood idea at the ti for her anyle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>