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‘You describe, then,’ he said hoarsely, ‘our doom’

‘She could have saved hiame of debt, so deftly contrived to snare Father – she would have torn it apart, except that, likeof the world that would rise fro, she feared ’

‘Without us, then, she would have saved him – kept him from thathi

‘I think so,’ Tehol answered ‘And from them, we have drawn our lessons of life You chose the protection of the King’s Guard, and now the role of Champion Where debt will never find you As for Hull, he walked away – froht honour in saving people And even when that failed… do you honestly i himself? Our father’s cowardice was betrayal, Brys Of the worst sort’

‘And what of you, Tehol? What lesson are you living out right now?’

‘The difference between me and our mother is that I carry no burden No children So, brother, I think I will end up achieving the very thing she could not do, despite her love for Father’

‘By dressing in rags and sleeping on your roof?’

‘Perception enforces expectation, Brys’ And thought he sary smile from his brother

‘Even so, Tehol, Gerun Eberict is not as deceived as you ht?’

‘I suppose so’

‘Go home, Brys,’ Tehol said ‘Seren Pedac stands at Hull’s back, and will continue to do so no ree hatever he seeks to do She cannot help herself Even genius has its flaws’

Another grin ‘Even with you, Tehol?’

‘Well, I was generalizing to put you at ease I never include eneralizations I am ever the exception to the rule’

‘And how do you e that?’

‘Well, I define the rules, of course That’s ame, brother’

‘By the Errant, I hate you sometimes, Tehol Listen Do not underestimate Gerun Eberict-’

‘I’ll take care of Gerun Now, presuht of that Yes, probably I was Do you think our voices carried?’