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There was a low spate of awed cursing frohed once and then inhaled deeply They looked at Dorian with awe and fear and confusion, as if they couldn’t believe that saving their lives orth the Godking’s own effort

Dorian dismissed them and turned back to his father "You sick bastard, you don’t deserve a pyre I should--" Dorian broke off, frowning "Keeper, the Godkings always leave orders that their bodies be burned so that they may not be used for krul, yes?"

"Yes, Your Holiness," Ashaiah said, but he looked gray

"How many times have those orders been obeyed?"

"Twice," Ashaiah whispered

"You have the bones of every Godking for the last seven centuries except two?" Dorian was incredulous

"Sixteen of your blood were used to raise arcanghuls and subsequently destroyed We have the rest Do you wish me to prepare a substitute corpse for Garoth’s pyre, Your Holiness?"

Garoth Ursuul deserved no less for all the evil he’d done, but refusing his father a decent burial would say more about Dorian than it would about the dead h in life," Dorian said "I’ll not make him one in death"

Only after the little man left did Jenine come hold his hand

31

We’re not going back, are we?" Jenine asked, couards away He stood and walked to her, taking her hands in his

"The passes are snowed in," he said gently

"Iback, are we?"

She said we It le, that unconscious adold chains of office he wore "They would kill o?"

"Let you?" That hurt "You’re not o whenever you wish" Jenine Not Jeni That foraolers "But I have to tell you, I’ve just received news that Cenaria is under siege The last warriors tothe city"