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"No He got away In fact, I’ll bet he’s the one who ed to teleport the over, settling hiht braid, and his eyes flashed, the same violet as Ca man and had not suffered for lack of female company--Shamas picked up dates as easily as I hacked up hairballs

"Tell us about hihtly on the back of the head "I can’t believe you did this, Shamas I can’t believe you studied with the enelowered and Morio gave him a cold stare "I’m sorry I really am I didn’t mean to hurt you, Caic You were half hu you study under the Moon Mother And I…I couldn’t get any of the guilds to accept me for study"

"What about Aunt Rythwar and Uncle Foss?"

"If otten in somewhere, but Rythwar’s husband--Uncle Foss--was determined that I join the Court and Crown I was to be a nobleman’s son He wantedanything i sycophant And Aunt Rythwar didn’t want to rock the boat"

Camille and I nodded We’d seen it with our father’s family All of them except Aunt Rythwar and Father himself had been intimately connected with the former Queen’s court The Opium Eater--Queen Lethesanar--had been deposed by her sister Tanaquar, as now involved with our father

"You didn’t want that?" Maybe I’d gauged hi

Shamas rested his chin on his arms, which were crossed across the back of the chair "No I wanted to ith ic I felt called to it--all my life But I wasn’t allowed to follow my heart You don’t kno much I envied the three of you--your father always let you do what you want Yourto live with your fauised look of longing that confir her head, then leaned down and pressed her lips to his cheek Smoky stiffened, and she shot him a look that made him take a step back

"Dear Shamas, you are a part of our fa You should have just done what you wanted"

He patted her hand and let out a harsh laugh "Like you did? It was expected of you, that you be difficult and different You were half-blood Most of the family wrote you off anyway I hated the way they treated you, but I didn’t dare buck tradition But I was my mother’s prize, and she made sure Uncle Foss knew It was expected that I make a match with one of the upper nobles--a relative of the Queen I tried…but I just didn’t want any of the a potentially hazardous ad a prize coas coes were usually made for economic and political reasons, not so nored the pressure, but then again, he was a guard in the Des’Estar, not so highly placed Even so, his choice to marry Mother had left our family ostracized

"We understand," Caaze, and the two stared at one another for a moment Then, slowly, he said, "When I had the chance, I ran I went south, to Ceredreareed to teach me for a price I paid him well, and he took ued He was on a vendetta I refused to participate, and he threatened to kill me I ran back to Y’Elestrial, where Lethesanar was embroiled in civil war Feris sent word to the Queen that I was a spy, which wasn’t true"

"So Lethesanar caught you and…"

"As you say, the rest is history The triad of Jakaris tried to free rab hold of their energy and use it to teleport myself to safety It’s an exhaustive spell, one that weakens the body for months Sorcerers use teleportation only in dire circuet destination"

"So that’s how you got away" I thought for a moarts away, he’s going to be drained"

"Not necessarily If they traveled only a short distance it won’t be nearly as debilitating as the spell’s effect on er constitutions" Sha breath "I don’t knohy he’s here, but now that he knows I’e for what he sees asto be up and after the rest of the demons, but that was pretty much a bust "What vendetta was he on? What could he have wanted to do thata demon is pretty much tantamount to a death warrant, especially if you’ve enlisted his help"

I couldn’t quite connect the dots Sha Feris would cause a violent reaction And if he was so desperate to work ic, then wouldn’t he have taken on any task?

"I don’t want to say" Shamas set his lips I reotten his way fara pout

"Tell us, Sha to do hy the Tregarts are here"

"All right I’ away, he blushed and hung his head "Feris was planning to lead a group of sorcerers up to Y’Elestrial, where they were going to attack the grove of the Moon Mother"

Caer "Shamas, how could you?"

"I couldn’t Before I ran, I sent word to your order, Camille, and warned them I made sure Feris knew I’d ratted him out, as you say I wanted him to know the attack would be useless By the time he and his crew arrived, Derisa would haveit I was headed hoe He told Lethesanar I was a spy She believed hilanced over at Ca at hiive Even if he’d ulti, the fact that he’d studied with a h tous" I caught sight of the clock Nearly one thirty "Crap--we have to get hoet there to help" For once, the demons would have to wait Especially since we had no clue where they’d gone