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"So, uh, if you’re going to cuth et a chance after les like a bitch," I continued, harnessing the Mighty Power of the Snark to help h this

Gestamar snorted "No hair will be cut These are of Szerain--treasured summoners and humans of his"

A weird chill skimmed over me and down my spine "Is that where we are? Szerain’s palace?" Only recently had I found out that ent friend Ryan Kristoff was actually the demonic lord Szerain, exiled froazed at the collection of mementos and wondered what the oldest ondered what sort of people they came from The demonic lords had been around for a few thousand years, and I sure as hell had trouble getting ain, stronger this time, as reen ribbon

"Yes," the de to lower an octave "Szerain’s palace In the secondary antecha chamber that birthed the cataclysht the chalow I lift ives me a kind smile and a kiss on the forehead…

I tensed, and theand unsettled Looking to Gestaled for mental balance "Cataclysinated here?"

The de to slits "Yes From the chaht by Szerain And Elinor"

I struggled to work rowled low and leaned close, breath hot upon e to cower back "Elinor lost control of a powerful ritual--an atteate" His voice was rich and sloith out clench "It thrashed out of control and she perished" He drew out the last word in a way that sent shivers through me "And our world broke apart, and the skies wept fire, and the seas lashed the high plains" He tilted his head, eyes onhu us froht to emulate your vision of hell"

The words tumbled over each other in led to ed discord see

I shookwith his version, yet I had no idea what it could be "How--" My voice cracked, and I tried again "How did she die?"

Gestamar pulled back froate spiraled out of control"

I fixedthe answer beyond all reason "What killed her? The gate? What?"

The thrum abruptly increased in te "Do you even know?"

In answer Gestamar bared his teeth, and in a move too swift for me to follow, pulled a thin cloth hood over my head

My hands balled into fists at s It wasn’t tight by any h, but the ht, hooded, into a ritual chaive me a mild case of the freakouts Okay, maybe a major case Which, I realized a heartbeat later, was very likely this Lord Mzatal’s intent