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Adelheid glanced at Hugh, as if expecting hiaze lowered modestly, fixed on the parquet floor and its two tones of wood, blond and ebony, spreading out froood and evil, the warring inclinations stamped into every huues that have nothing to do with the security of Aosta," continued Adelheid fervently, taking Henry’s hand again "Many of the the eainst a strong hand setting the e?" asked Henry

But Rosvita already kneith that sudden, sure instinct that causes dogs to shy and birds to twitter in the hour before an earthquake hits She had heard Sanglant’s testireat wisdom to add two to two and count up four "You are Sister Anne, of St Valeria’s Convent"

"Liath’s"I see no resemblance"

Henry was not slow to catch their hter of Emperor Taillefer?"

Anne did not rise She lifted a single hand, like a queen calling for silence "What need have I to claiold torque of royal kinship?"

This argument stymied Henry, but Villaold torque around their throat and say what they will In the es and claim to be clerics, or lords, or heathen sorcerers with the power to old What proof have you?"

Anne was neither ary Her calm ran as deep as the ocean "What proof do you desire? Is it not obvious?" She whistled, an unexpected sound coe black hound trotted into view, e from behind a carved wood screen Servants shied away, but it approached h and lay down submissively at Anne’s feet

"That looks like one of Lavastine’s hounds," said Henry, exa the hound with the keen interest of a e kennel and knows the naht they were all dead"

"I do not knohere the beast came from," said Anne, "only that it did come to me one day to offer its obeisance I believe this hound is descended from the black hounds ere loyal to Taillefer They are spoken of in poems, and I have seen them depicted in tapestries"

"There is one carved in stone in Taillefer’s chapel at Autun, faithful in life as in death," said Rosvita, and while it was true that one ht n of Taillefer and this day to knohether this fearsoenerations on, of the emperor’s famous hounds

"Nay, Your Majesty" Villah he did not venture too close "This is indeed one of Lavastine’s hunting hounds I recognize the look of it The ears The size The breadth of its chest It ht as well have sed a barrel I respected those hounds too well to forget them now"

"What do you want?" asked Henry

"To serve God," said Anne "That is all"

"If queen and king agree, then there can be no i as skopos," said Adelheid

Anne did not smile "If I am skopos, then I cannot contend with you for the ihtly mine"

Henry sestured to his servants Two stewards had already hurried in, and they hastily set up his traveling throne, with the dragon ars and paws to support it Sitting, he set chin on fist and elbow on knee, regarding Anne more with curiosity than with animosity "With what army do you mean to contend for the iht of birth ought to be arh So have you put forth your own claiered her Eagle’s brooch self-consciously, her expression fixed like stone What was the Eagle thinking? What did Henry ood commander, he attempted a flank attack "Is it true the wohter? Do you knohat became of her?"

"No lant"

"Who does not trust you and spoke ly of your powers and your intent You are a sorcerer, I believe, a ulf us The return of the Lost Ones A war, perhaps, or some other disaster"