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And now that boy sat on the Edur throne

He just had to die to get there

The sudden h to shape his words and thoughts and feed his i to which he had been born But this was at the barest edge of control An imperfect facade, bolstered by elaborately constructed speech patterns, a kind of aard articulation that suited Rhulad’s childlike notions of how an eames of persuasion, as much to himself as to his audience

But, Udinaas was certain, other thoughts re like pallid worold, the flesh beneath isted and scarred To fashion the facade, all that lay beneath it had been istered all this in the span of Rhulad’s aze drifted to Mayen, but she gave nothing away, not even an awareness of her husband’s sudden extre’s face, however, Udinaas saw a flash of fear, quickly buried beneath a bland regard

A ht he understood that reaction Hannan Mosag needed his emperor to be sane and in control Even power unveiled could not have forced hi also cole was under ithin Rhulad, and had resolved to give what aid he could to the emperor’s rational side

And should the battle be lost, should Rhulad descend co do then?

The Letherii slave’s eyes shifted to the sword the eht hand, the point anchored on the dais near the throne’s ornate foot The answer hides in that sword, and Hannan Mosag knows far more about that weapon – and its ain, I do as wellWither, the shadoraith that had adopted Udinaas, had whispered soiven Rhulad command of the wraiths The Tiste Andii spirits

Wither had so its victory with a h the slave’s head, and the wraith’s presence now danced with exaggerated glee in the Letherii’s h his eyes

‘Eained hi the Arapay-’

‘Yes They are not to resist They are to give welcome’

‘And the Nerek you have claimed from the merchant?’

‘A different consideration’ Momentary unease in Rhulad’s dark eyes ‘They are not to be disturbed They are to be respected’