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I shake my head "This is so complicated that only Maraya could love it Does thisand the son of another, Lord Thynos?"

"I am Sokorios’s nephew, yes His sister was my mother But I aave birth to my sister, Elkorios divorced our hter After the divorce our ain Her second husband was my father, and he raised ood rief, Lord Thynos But what is your point?"

"My point, Spider, is that you don’t understand these Rings you’re running through On his father’s side, through Princess Berenise, Kalliarkos is the great-grandson of Kliatemnos the Third and Queen Serenissima the Third of blessedElkorios of Saro-Urok and great-nephew of Sokorios the Short-Lived Such a prince is as rare as rubies and old"

Kalliarkos snorts quite indelicately

"These matters are far out of my reach," I protest

Lord Thynos’s eyelashes flutter as he chuckles, but it’s obviously no joke to hih your web"

"See what?"

"Our Kal can inherit two thrones"

"I just want to run the Fives," says Kalliarkos, his voice ragged with emotion

"You and your quiet little drealory," he says bitterly "She wants it"

"Yes, but your precious sistermess Now she rusticates with humble and lowborn General Esladas in the hope that as his star rises no one will notice how far hers fell She’s just fortunate Gar didn’t have her bricked into a tomb"