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‘What?’ Lenk asked ‘Didn’t you hear?’
‘Bits and pieces I didn’t catch the identity’ Dreadaeleon’s eyes flared wide, the fire behind the to faint e man could answer, he leaned forward violently ‘Is it?’
‘No, no,’ Denaos spoke up fro within his own breed is a bit too dull’
‘Oh … one of the lizards, then? Tell me, how can you tell the difference between the males and--’
‘It’s Kat, you spindly little freak!’ Lenk snarled suddenly
‘Oh … what, really?’ Dreadaeleon blanched ‘I mean … ah No, I don’t think that’ll work at all’
‘See?’ Denaos said
‘What?’ Lenk frowned ‘Ame to follow my hallucination!’
‘Hallucination and delusion are two different things,’ Denaos replied ‘This isn’t a matter of heart or mind, but of instinct I mean, she’ll kill you’
‘That’s what I said,’ Denaos muttered
‘She hasn’t yet,’ Lenk replied, ‘and I’m sure I won’t be the first one she does’
‘Who can say when or why an ani to show you her true colours, like a cat stalking Or h?’
‘Noait just a--’
Denaos interrupted ‘See, I hadn’t considered that Here, I thought it was right until she got bored’
‘She’s not going to--’
‘That’s a good point, but I think it ically spurred,’ Dreadaeleon offered ‘Like her instincts will only coht when he spots her de to …’ This time, Lenk cut himself off as he stared at the boy ide eyes ‘Wait Her what?’
‘All female shicts have theued enough to--’
‘No, shut up What’s a demiphallus?’
‘Pretty much what it sounds like,’ the boy replied ‘Used to show dohtful for a ht, re unloaded in Muraska’s harbour?’
‘Right’
‘Right, and remember the hyenas?’
‘Some noble in Cier’Djaal had shipped them up, I remember’
‘Remember the female one?’
‘Yes, I--’ His eyes suddenly wide at the‘She has one, you think? That would make perfect sense’
‘I know!’ Dreadaeleon replied, grinning ‘Wouldn’t it?’
‘Hoould that‘How?’ He glowered at the boy ‘And how are you in any position to be co on any part of a female south of her neck?’
‘I’ve … read books’
‘Books?’ Denaos asked, chuckling
‘Books, yes,’ Dreadaeleon replied ‘I’m … familiar with the basic process, anyway It’s not like it’s particularly difficult to perfor conceptualise’
The twoHe cleared his throat
‘See, uh’ The boy scratched the back of his neck ‘See, a lot of it has to do with the maidenhead The, er, hymen, if you will, per se’
‘Oh, I certainly will,’ Denaos said
‘This isn’t helping nored
‘Right, well, this provides a forhtness … a sort of barrier that provides difficulty to the expeditious party That … that makes sense, doesn’t it?’
‘Entirely, yes,’ Denaos confirht, then … so, the only thing really necessary is some manner of … of …’
‘Penetration?’
‘No, see, because it’s a barrier It … uh … needs a sort of crushing’ He’ He turned to Lenk ‘See? It’s a matter of nature, physical and mental There’s no way you can possibly--’
‘Shut up,’ the young an
‘I said shut up!’ Lenk roared, fists tre at his side as he impaled the two men with his stare ‘I can’t believe I asked either of you You’ – he levelled a finger at Denaos – ‘ould leap at the chance to rut a sow so long as you were drunk enough or you’ – he thrust it at Dreadaeleon – ‘who divides his tiht with his pretentious sputter and staring holes in Asper’s robe and trying desperately to hide the chicken-bone swelling in his trousers’
‘Asper?’ Denaos asked, glancing at the boy ‘Really?’
‘Did I speak too softly or did you hear rowing more intense, his voice harsher ‘I don’t care what you, you or any voice says I’m the leader, and even if what I decide to do is at all ht better than any of you cowardly piss-slurpers could think of Rest assured that no matter who I walk away froainst the fact that I aet sodomised in an alley and otherwise die alone’
He turned away fro hi It tasted warm in his mouth, cold on his lips He could feel their stares upon hi with hi to turn around,’ he uttered ‘Do not be there’