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She’d expected a trick question frood “Actually, that rebellion was in the Quandiatur the Battlecrafter”

Nereus gave a robust laugh, his oiled chest ruht I would stump you”

“My sister and I studied ruthless leaders to pick up pointers We were convinced ould rule the worlds in one great co-queendom”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Thronos cast her a quizzical look —You know a great ? I’m not an empty-headed biestion that I study Vrekener history and spend tih—

Nereus too was ie “I find you to be quite learned about art and culture and the ways of the world I’ve made my decision” His hand landed on her knee “With your beauty and sexual prowess, you would be ideal for spawning”

He had been interviewing her She glanced down, saw Thronos’s ar as he clenched his fists

—You said you’d roll with this!— She sipped frooblet to buy time

Thronos drained his —If you’d been alone, would you have received Nereus?—

—Anatomically, I would have concerns— So how should she lead Nereus off this spawning path? Bait and switch? Whom could she throw under the bus?

It came to her in a flash “My dear Nereus, while I’m humbled that you would think of ana was a big girl She could handle an infatuated god

“I don’t understand”

Lanthe peeled his hand froana’s interest in you? She constantly rhapsodizes about your prodigiousintellect”

“I was not aware of this”

“For me to cross the Queen of Sorceri in this would be a fatalwould prove fatal

Morgana was a queen in two senses Just as Lanthe was the Queen of Persuasion, with a persuasive ability greater than that of any other, Morgana—the Queen of Sorceri—possessed the ability to control her subjects and their powers absolutely Plus, she was also the regent of the Sorceri

“Is Morgana so fearsome, then?” Nereus asked

“We are all fairly much helpless before her” Well, except for her arch-nemesis La Dorada—who, incidentally, had risen for this Accession “Taking soana wants would be a treasonous act”

He stroked his beard “I will have to think on that”

Had Lanthe done enough to deflect hi the etables as an accoh she would never touch the lobster

“Enjoy, aze upward before she got another eyeful “Allow uests don’t accuse you ofa solution to social blunders”

“Of course Take your time” She waved bye-bye, then turned her attention to Thronos, as presently slouched in his chair, wings slack, regarding everything with a giod

“When Nereus gets back, I’ to ask hioblet when he drank

Under her breath, she said, “I don’t have a choice in this I refuse to die here, and I refuse to be trapped as so the best I can in a honey/vinegar situation”

“I know this!” Thronos exhaled, then said in a lower tone, “I know And that was clever to throw Morgana into theto shake away the worst of his ire, Thronos raised his goblet before her “Taste this ale” He seemed almost buzzed “It’s delicious”

She took a sip froriulp

“That’s demon brew” Loved by demons and hated byon the liquid He must know that this drink left one steadily tipsy, until abrupt drunkenness hit like a sledgehammer

“Why would they serve ave hih “So the evidence continues to ht be deoblets”

“Three? You’re going to be tanked” Though she’d only had a little oblet of wine, she would taper off, just in case

He gazed at herdrunkenness should please you, no?”

“You’ve misunderstood me I don’t care if you drink or not; I just don’t want you to tell ht, I’ll take it easy, so one of us is on guard”

A Nereid squeezed between theoblet The female all but pressed her voluptuous brsts in his face, before traipsing off

Even though he was buzzed, he kept his lare followed the Nereid, Lanthe told him, “If she shoved her brsts any closer to your ear, I believe you could’ve heard the ocean”

“Compared to the belly of the beast, this situation is a vast ilare on him “Because the belly of the beast lacked topless nyement”

“You’re jealous” He leaned in closer, the electricity between therin, he said, “After all, you loved hallucinated sex acts with me”

Had she ever! She sipped her wine to cover her reaction to him

When she licked her lip, Thronos otten finer The breould hit Thronos soon “You need to eat so” She pointed to his platter of lobster “A full stoht forestall so, but he was clearly at a loss “Crustaceans are not soive for a nice haunch of venison” He looked around as if to see how others were handling their lobsters Thethe shell, probably throwing up that part later He turned back to her “I’ve got nothing”