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Kip thought of histo blast her brain on haze or any other intoxicant she could get until she was able to forget hi a slower, less noble suicide day by day But Andross Guile wasn’t looking for co her and laying open my veins in the bath And do you knohat saved me?"

"Me?" Kip asked dubiously

"Ha! Don’t flatter yourself Nine Kings Distractions saved rief, but those distractions kept h to do it My petty tortures of you keptto look forward to Would Kip fail here? What could I coame tomorro else could I test the boy, in ways that strained you but gave you some chance for victory?"

"You did not let me win Don’t even pretend you--"

"Bah! You think your wits are a match for mine? Well, I’ll let you wonder Now shut yourto thank you"

Kip fell into sullen silence, feeling abruptly like a child again Robbed of his rage, he felt powerless in Andross’s august presence

Andross sighed "Well, there Thank you That is all"

"That’s it?" Kip asked

The man sank doer in his chair Grimaced "You’ve earned my respect, Kip You’ve overcome adversity that would have crushed lesser men You’ve surprised usted and disappointed that my son could make… this And yet, despite this blubber and this loud mouth and this utter lack of self-control, these Tyrean manners and…" He waved a hand, as if there was ent "Despite it all, Kip, you consistently win" His voice grew scratchy "I have lost my wife and all my boys now, one way or another Perhaps I am to blame for some shred of that But you, Kip, you have proved you are a Guile I will hinder you no o

Kip walked to the door slowly, bewildered

"Perhaps," the lonely old , "perhaps soame you owe me"

Kip left the cabin and closed the door under Grinwoody’s disapproving eyes

Chapter 106

Gavin knocked on the door out to the balcony and let two very cold Blackguards back in They didn’t rin at the floor "Well done, sir," one said beneath his breath "Wos," the other said to the first, clearly intending to be overheard

The first winked, not at all stealthily, at Karris, who covered her face and laughed ruefully They were like her brothers Gavin wasn’t going to get in the e now that she was his wife But Gavin didn’t want to kill her joy Let things change in their proper season He rang the slaves’ bell

Marissia and another slave, a skinny old woari skin tanned so leathery she looked Atashian ca at Karris’s direction

"I didn’t even realize you’d s in," Gavin said

"I wanted to wait for you; it see asked, but hed He noticed as Marissia dressed hi how he looked at Marissia Hiding it well, but jealous For her part, Marissia was a cipher Professional, cal than usual, but that was because she’d probably slept in the hallway, rather than in her closet-sized room off Gavin’s quarters, where she slept when she didn’t share Gavin’s bed