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Prologue

Lancashire, England 1819

"He’s the devil!" a woistrate your wound!" his father demanded

Ephraim couldn’t focus His eyes were too heavy to open and his body felt li felt so distant and fuzzy He was so tired…he just needed sleep A little sleep and then he would ask why they were in his bedchamber

"This woman is obviously prone to hysterics, Your Grace This is clearly an ani trouble for you I would dismiss her at once without a reference," a cold voice said

"I ain’t lying, m’lord! Look at his mouth!" the woman demanded Was that Mary the upstairs maid? Ephrai

"First tell me who this man is," the cold voice ordered

"Tell you who it is?" his father repeated in confusion "I told you who it is! That’s my middle son Ephraim!" his father snapped

Ephraim heard a chuckle "That’s not Ephraim"

"Yes, it is!"

"No, it’s not" Theon?

Soently and yanked it to the side Ephraied was a weak groan

"This is Ephraim!"

"But…but…Ephraim is sixteen and he looks…well he looks…like…"

"Like a ten year old boy," he heard his older brother Henry answer in an amused tone Good old Henry He would have to rereed "This is a twenty-five year olda jest? I assure you I do not find this funny or tolerable!"

"I would never do such a thing This is Ephraim I wouldn’t believe it either, but I’ve watched over hiistrate asked

Good, that’s a good question, Ephraiht Answer that! Ephraim had so many of his own questions None of them seemed to be able to leave his lips at the moment so he would rely on this man to ask them on his behalf

"He’s always been the devil! We all knew it! Not natural for a inal blood!" the inal? I think that claim is five years too late" Of course Henry would know He had a reputation of lifting every skirt in the town Henry liked to diverse his attentions

"Quiet!" their father yelled

"I want to kno a boy known for his youthful appearance is sick for one hed wearily "We’re at a loss All the surgeons I’ve brought in are at a loss as well They’ve drained him, cooled him, heated him, poured bile liquid down his throat and still he reed is putting it mildly He looks like a man Are you positive this is Ephrai a joke?"

"I’m sure I sat at his bedside every day for the last es happen"

"Explain to me why he’s chained to the bed"