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"What is your position within the Godking’s Hands?" Dorian asked

"I a his head

So it was as Jenine had suspected Who better to keep an eye on the Godking’s people and secrets than a eunuch whose aard gait made hi’s eunuchs, concubines and wives, and servants Through the, and general in the realm "How did you really lose your toes?" Dorian asked

"When His Holiness your father offered me the position, he said that would be part of the price I welcomed the chance to elded, on the other hand, wasn’t so welcome"

"He offered? Did you have the option to refuse?"

"Yes His Holiness was always fair with us"

It was a new side to Garoth Ursuul, a kinder side than Dorian had known It was unsettling "Why didn’t you expose me?"

"Because I didn’t have anyone to report to, and I didn’t knohat you were trying to accomplish By the time I did, you had accomplished it It was, if you will pardon my presumption, one of my few failures as Chief of the Hands"

No wonder he didn’t knohat I intended I didn’t intend it

Hopper sed "Your Holiness, I suspect souard against , but I have not thehow Dorian had blundered into success He’d kept Hopper in the throne room the day he had seized power The Vürdmeisters had come into the room and had seen not only a fearless Dorian, but Hopper off to one side, tacitly endorsing hiht had that carried?

Dorian suddenly felt sick to his stoain at Pricia’s body dangling in the room Death was so common here that life wasn’t considered sacred Or did the cause and effect run the other way?

"What is your naet--I’ht Clan Hil was annihilated" Garoth had used the krul to wipe the saved ht I had potential I did ht"

The fleshpots So the krul and their feeding habits were no great secret

"Vondeas Hil, I will remember your name and the sacrifices you have made Will you serve me as the Chief of my Hands?"

Vondeas bowed low

"I have questions for you Where areV&uuious summons when His Holiness your father died He called all V&uu Khali home Currently, your Hands believe them to be in your eastern lands"

Eastern Khalidor was sparsely populated There were no major cities there, and hadn’t been since Jorsin Alkestes had turned Trayethell into Black Barrow "They’re at Black Barrow?" Dorian asked