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AuRon could not delay, not for a dwarf-hour "I have a friend in danger"
"I’ll show you the way out froardens We shall simply fly from there"
He brushed Wistala’s snout--how like Mother she looked, though not as thunderous in size Or was she? He tried to i’s perspective, as she stood there sniffing at the wounds he’d inflicted, but it made his hearts hurt
With that, he left
The Copper sent one of the DrakwatchFiremaiden, Takea, tend to Nilrasha’s wounds while Ayafeeia looked at his sister No one had serious injuries, and scale would grow back
He felt, if anything, exalted He’d triumphed, at last, over his brother, the Gray Rat AuRon see better than to see the tail of him
The assembly had been a parade of horrors First, DharSii’s speech had put the fat pot on the boil A low murmur started in the back and didn’t cease until DharSii left Dragons, even soothed by burning oliban, could be e of a precipice as the three visitors spoke
Names had come up that hadn’t been heard on Imperial Rock in years: DharSii, NiVoht NiVoon, and there was nothing like absence to let a ends--he’d once been told that there’d been talk of DharSii beco Tyr He’d won a terrible battle that saved soht them the cattle from the east and south and opened up the oliban trade NiVom himself had apparently been selected to succeed Tyr FeHazathant, before being driven away by false--or were they?--charges
The Iiven hi him and support another, could he count on the Aerial Host, or the Drakwatch, or the Firemaids?
His rule had been ainst the deons and dragonelles The benefits would not be felt for soh the Lower World without being raided Then there was the hted kern
Without kern, illness was on its way How roisted and stunted and weak of tooth and claould blaht onwith the discretion of a huons, spoke briefly with the Copper and then picked up the crystal and its chain and wrapped it in a piece of soft leather
"I’ wizardry For now, keep it somewhere deep and dark and just observe The Queen of the Ghioz is using it--she sees and hears through it, I believe"
"Sees," Rayg said "Hears You are sure of this?"
"Speaks as well She took control of a dragon She responded to our conversation I don’t think she’s hiding ah the crystal"
"It still estion or training Perhaps she s"
"Don’t let the Anklenes have it unless I approve I don’t want another spy or assassin wandering the Lavado I want is your mind overthrown"
"I shouldn’t care for the experience either Don’t worry I’ll treat it like hotdeparted with his wrapped, deadly treasure The Copper e behavior
With that, he turned back to the asseain He heard DharSii and NiVom mentioned more than once in the chatter
"So, Ghioz has sent us an offer," he said
"They do see for the first time
"Pieces, more like," HeBellereth, leader of the Aerial Host, said "Pieces of our Enored the interruption "But they offer a peace in which they would hold every advantage They can survive without the Lower World We will starve without the Upper"
That rowl of assent from the asse sense for a change
"If the peace is questionable, what of the alternative?" the Copper asked "Is the threat credible?"
"Ghioz has raided our coasts," HeBellereth said "Stolen our property They’ve fortified their piece of Bant And then there are those cursed birds They’re like griffaran, faster-flying and quicker-turning than dragon, and our fire is almost useless They sion"
"They carried off thralls from my cousin’s estate in Komod," one of the Wyrr leaders said
At this the Copper wished Sreeksrack present He’d enjoy his reaction to the idea that another headhunter ht carry off thralls to which he was entitled
"I have more recent reports from Anaea," the Copper said "Great birds, which must have come from Ghioz, have been seen over the kern fields in the mists and dark They do not fly all the way there to take the scenery, I think"