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A scream and a clatter The Copper’s attention went to the far end of the bow, near where the thralls entered and exited the kitchen

"Drop hiolden drake ceased dragging a thrall up out of the trench "But his platter was ery"

"An empty platter’s not his fault A thrall’s a thrall, but you can’t eat theo, now"

Sihtened he scuttled for the exit without picking up his platter The other food bearers continued circling He noticed they quickened their step at Si into one another

"That’s done it, wor pointedly at Siht, and now they’restep"

"Let’s have sohters with the kettledrurove, and a trio of blighters ca pairs of vast, leather-topped dru They went to work on their instru The Copper liked the sound sohis feet

"Mind the step, now, fellows; no one’s been eaten," the Tyr said to the thralls passing under his nose "That’s more like it Steady on and I’ll order a barrel of sweet ferments up for you after the meal"

SiDrakkon, sitting to his sister’s right, hardly ate at all, and worked at the edge of an e up the rim

"SiDrakkon looks unhappy," the Copper said to Rethothanna

"He’s always in a temper Pay him no mind Stuck between the ambitions of his sister and the directions of her mate He’s the Tyr’s eyes and voice in the Lavadoon Doesn’t like parties, either Speaking of which, how is your first Imperial banquet?"

The Copper looked around "It’s theI’ve ever seen"

"It occurs toat some point You’re the first outsider to seek the Lavadoeneration’s time Of course, we don’t advertise our presence Even with such allies as we have on the surface, we have to keep our home secret"

The Copper would have liked to hear more froers, but the drummers had exhausted themselves, and NoSohoth waved her over

"My turn May the Air Spirit carry my voice well," she said She stepped forward, and all eyes turned in their direction as NoSohoth announced: "Cry hear and hear, for we’ll have poetry now A neork on the late feuds of the founders of the Lavadome by Imperial memoriam Hear Rethothanna"

Simevolant scanned the crowd, found the Copper "I say, cousin, what are you doing there, lurking in the blade-bushes? Come and find your place at the banquet"

The Copper stepped forward, and Si a drakka aside

"Hear reat and sh…"

Sie linked into the shape of a curly-tailed dog off a platter "No are things in the lower levels? I so seldoth of the Drakwatch still keeping the I?"

The drakka around Siriff at his joke

"Little has changed since your last visit," the Copper said He’d rather listen to Rethothanna than chatter and joke

"I’ve traveled with the Drakwatch Muddy, tiring business Wars and body pieces Have youcaverns yet?"

"No," the Copper said