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As Webster aze of the Eternal Guardian follow hi into him The Guardian, too, was patient How else could he stand sentry over the euard returned with a tray of bottles and glasses, casting nervous glances toward the e the tray and placing it on a table next to the emperor’s bier

"I remember a particular year of fine Rhovan wine," the emperor said in a drearapes" He licked his lips

Rhovanny was no rape vines and made the wine Webster eyed the tray and there was a bottle from the lake country, a pleasant, fruity white that usually pleased the elass and held it ready

The eers This time was no different The eer’s diamond necklace," he announced

"What about it, Your Eot about it and left it behind on her dressing table Could have bought back most of my estate with that one piece alone"

"Of course, Your Eminence" The emperor sometimes fancied he’d been an infamous thief at one time

"Webster, is that you?" the e he was not alone "What do you have there?"

"Some wine, Your E sleep"

"My long sleep" The elass absently and sipped Then he spat a lass across the room It shattered near the Eternal Guardian’s feet The Guardian did not flinch

"I aet where I aet how the years pass That wine is nothing like the Rhovan It gets worse every ties you would find more palatable"

"Don’t bother" The e his legs over the side of the bier "Pour me some brandy"

As Webster obeyed, the eh he’d taken only a nap None of them--not Webster, the Adherents, the menders, or even the e sleep intervals, except to guess that they helped preserve the emperor’s body from the extreme powers it housed

It also preserved, Webster reflected, the empire from its emperor