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He crouched down, squatting close to her so his eyes could focus on hers The feeling of blackness made her dizzy, forced her to tremble and cower Her arms were heavy with the chains "I knoho you are," he said "Who you truly are"

She sed, a would prevent hi it

"What did the Aldermaston of Muirwood tell you? Or did he ever tell you?"

Lia was silent, waiting for the other man to speak She slowly slid away froainst her back

He rose, loooodness disappeared from her heart and soul in his presence Every spark of kindness or love sapped away She shivered with the feeling, even though the Leering in the roonized you," he said softly, al kindly in the way it made her feel "I see it before rirandmother’s features The slope of your chin The clever expression when you smile You are a Demont, child It is plain for anyone to see" He stepped closer, squinting at her thoughtfully "It is a wonder Garen Denize you But then the hteous and blind Yes, child – you are a Demont How old did they tell you that you were? When was your name day?"

"I am nearly sixteen," Lia said, confused and wary

"No, you are eighteen At least eighteen You likely had your first year before you were abandoned at Muirwood Too little to re of where you came from Or who your reat ability He was Sevrin Demont’s oldest son and he died with his father at Maseve When they sought an alliance with the Kings of Pry-Ree, he fell in love with a wo to the nobles of Pry-Ree A lady in waiting as a hetaera"

Lia flinched

"You know the word, for you are a maston yourself You have studied the maston lore She betrayed her lover, as all hetaera betray those they love She betrayed hi his child You It was in secret, of course No one was to know that you had been born or when you had been born You were sent to Muirwood deliberately, child You were sent there to destroy it" His sifted with the Mediuun to learn its full potential So you see, child – Dochte Abbey welconized the kinship in your blood You have betrayed the Evnissyen You have betrayed the Aldermaston of Muirwood And very soon, you will betray Colvin Price, the man who loves you so fiercely When you do, you will pass the hetaera test and realize your full power as a daughter of Ereshkigal You will learn all of our poisons and their many potencies There are a variety of serpents, after all, each one with venohts and minds and bodies of those bitten Yourwife after she birthed her first and only child – Ellowyn Betrayal is your heritage, child It is the heritage of all wretcheds and the reason they are not allowed to study" He laughed softly "Poor fool, Gideon Pen you, he destroys his He had unleashed a hurricane of doubts against her mind But she held firm in what she knew to be true There was some element of truth in his words She sensed it, but could not discern the specks of gold with all theto, she cla to poison her thoughts, seed her with doubts so that the Mediu who she really was, he would then e

"I ca up at the void that threatened to s her

He s of the Blight, child? Truly, how tiresome"

"It may be tiresome, but it is still true," she said "It will strike here first It will strike the heart of Dochte Abbey Then it will spread and consu"

The Alderht co? Hmmm?"

"An Aldermaston," she replied

"Froe the reliability of your clai come?"