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Her rapists had shattered the bond between sex and inti Kylar, she’d left him with only intie Kylar as she had been darity bethat Kylar’s body did and what his heart felt was still intact He was sorely tempted, but so far unbroken If he cheated on Elene, he would be a cheater in his own eyes--for the rest of a very long life

He’d turned and walked out of her dreaaze "Things with Kylar are fine"

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Dorian kneas in trouble as soon as the dancing girl entered the throne roohlander whose raven hair hung in great hland tribe, and Grakaat Kruhn was highly regarded by all the tribes He had cohlander play, hlanders hadn’t made a serious attempt at independence for more than a century--and Grakaat had found Dorian satisfactory in all ways Until this

"Your Holiness," Grakaat Kruhn said, his half-lidded eyes too self-satisfied by far, "I would like to present you with a gift to seal our treaty" He gestured and two girls came forward The dancer was about sixteen, the other, who held a highland flute, was perhaps thirteen, and though they were both pretty, Dorian had no doubt they were the chieftain’s daughters

As the dancer began a sensuous rondaa, uards and all of his courtiers averted their eyes The highland version of the dance was different froarerated wide shoulders from which were suspended strips of cloth Around the hips, the cloth had bells sown in As her sister played, each gyration of the dancer’s hips liirl appeared to float, chest and head immobile while her body tantalized, but the lowland dance was irl had fully covered Nonetheless, in hter was talented

The rondaa gave way to a beraa, and removed the last doubts from Dorian’s mind about what that chieftain intended The beraa was faster, irl clapped her hands in ti the sides of her breasts, her hips snapping side to side, but now also undulating front to back in a motion that would torment any man with a pulse

Dorian was trapped He wasn’t sure if he was glad that Jenine was sequestered for her moon blood or if he wished she were here Perhaps her presence would have changed things Grakaat Kruhn wouldn’t have his daughter dance a beraa for the Godking unless he planned to give her to hiht in the north than it did in the southron realms, but the smile that had been on the chieftain’s face told Dorian so else

Dorian thought that taking un by entering the castle as a eunuch, but if anyone found out that he wasn’t using his harehland warrior like Grakaat Kruhn achieved his place through the force of his virtu, which th and hlanders, the three concepts were one What manliness could a eunuch have? How could a war chief subesture and the throne roouards and several V&uuhter didn’t iving the chieftain any clues Inside, Dorian’s stoth for what I’ht of what the God would think of this cooled whatever arousal Dorian still had left Would Jenine understand?

Maybe If she didn’t have to see it

Daiven hi a bid to take over the barbarian tribes of the Freeze Moburu was calling hi, and the hell of it was that he had been born on the right day--oron which scholar’s calendar you believed But even if Moburu died before spring and especially if he didn’t, Dorian needed this highlander to bring all the other highlanders to him to face Neph Dada and his V&uuet out instantly: the new Godking was either i at all Grakaat Kruhn would have killed hiot to rule like a Godking

The dancer finished with an exuberance and intensity in her smoky eyes that surprised Dorian Had she convinced herself to love hier? Or was there fear soy to fuel her dance?

Dorian wrapped his knuckles on his throne appreciatively, the Khalidoran equivalent of applause He s They’re stunning Gorgeous The younger one dances too?"

Grakaat looked confused "I--yes, Your Holiness, but I ift Child, what’s your na to the flutist

Her sudden fear confirmed what Dorian expected Grakaat had intended to bait hi he’d expected was that a eunuch would want both of his daughters Between the young girl’s fear and the older girl’s incredulity, Dorian wanted to say, "I didn’t want this Your father used you as pawns against a god A god can’t let hiirl said She was barely flowered, pretty in an aard girlish way Dorian’s stoth

He reht and acco e pacts publicly, don’t they?" Dorian asked

Fear shot through the chieftain’s eyes and Dorian knew that the younger daughter was Grakaat’s favorite "It’s a tradition we’ve not practiced in ood tradition," Dorian said, "especially when there are doubts about the grooth

"I, I Your Holiness" Grakaat was turning green His men-at-arms averted their eyes

Eesa still didn’t knohat they were talking about Before she could figure it out, Dorian laid a tracery of vir on her She visibly relaxed Her pupils dilated, and she couldn’t seem to look anywhere but Dorian’s face He continued the spell, delicately coaxing her body into deceiving her mind Whatever he did to her now, she would enjoy Later, if she were as horrified as she ought to be, they would tell her that he was a god, that there was no sha him however he desired, that she should feel honored to have attracted his attention

"I don’t know all the intricacies of your quaint barbarian customs, so a few pillows on the floor will have to do That is, unless you object?" Dorian stood and shrugged out of his ermine over-robe With the vir, he devoured the rest of his clothing with tongues of black fla with layer on layer of vir, thorns of it clawing out of his skin, a black crown of it springing through the skin of his head, Dorian glowered at the chieftain The huge man trembled He tried to turn his head, and found it locked in place He tried to close his eyes, and found he couldn’t blink