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Talon’s aqua eyes widened in disbelief, and he screa

"Your father didn’t tell you?" Muralin asked mildly "Or should I say your father refused to clai pleasure fro is not His shame is understandable"

I should probably have kept hred away froht-- or was it nine? -- hundred years Not too shabby for an elf" I lowered my voice in commiseration "Must have embarrassed the hell out of you Your shame is understandable"

Rudra Muralin’s hand hite-knuckled around the dagger’s grip "Since you’re an elf and fe process will probably shatter your sanity You should be grateful that I’littered with sohred rejects Ta that should have been drowned at birth"

I pushed down ive you a hug"

Rudra Muralin turned to Talon’s guards "Bring hi tied up, and his guards had to virtually drag him across the floor to me

"You need do nothing," Muralin told ht shoulder My legs weren’t chained and he wasn’t taking any chances "If ht in one at a ti next to hred has done this in to respond to his voice, to do what he said I fought the urge to thrash and struggle I was still desperately trying to co not to look desperate

One of the guards grabbed a handful of Talon’s long hair and jerked his head back, exposing his throat Rudra Muralin hred I couldn’t use its power, but it was there, quivering in anticipation, waiting, eager

But not for Talon’s blood

It was ignoring Talon completely Its attention was elsewhere--and so was

I met his black eyes "It’s not Talon’s fault" I let one corner of rin "It’s yours"

Rudra Muralin was a thousand years old, but he was still just a boy

The lower hells reed on so

Why would you want a boy when you could have a man? A voice cae Tam’s voice

"Release oblins silently eed from the tunnels and quickly surrounded the Khrynsani Dark power rolled in waves frohtclub bouncers Tah-powered, out-of-town talent

The Khrynsani weren’t outnuht was crossing their minds They looked to Rudra Muralin for the command they had to expect but didn’t want to hear Even death-loving Khrynsani didn’t want to die

Taht This wasn’t the Tae, forical enforcer to the goblin queen--and a really pissed-off father

Ta Rudra Muralin to his reserved place in the lower hells He was in black froh His ar blades anywhere and everywhere he had the roooblin battle braid When he stepped into the room, his braid didn’tbetween Taine that could e and black er to explode Most people would run screaoing to run toward it; I could see it in his eyes And if he got the chance, Rudra Muralin was going to do the exact sa there like a side of beef, smack dab in the middle of the room, with Piaras sprawled in a corner, out cold

Like I’d said, things were going to get ugly

"I offered you a place of honor a my new disciples" Muralin’s voice was oift"

I blinked So the petulant punk was going to slaughter Talon out of spite?

Tam looked past Rudra Muralin to nity for now, but I don’t like his plans for later"

"Plans can change"

"I was hoping you’d say that" I tilted ht "Piaras is on the floor over there Please get him out of here"