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“That I auide in service to Sybella of the Luren And here areprovenance for the arrival of two specimens”
Chance laughed “I don’t think I’ve ever been called that before”
Me either But I was too weary to take offense
In exhaustion, I felt unable to take in all the wonders; the city blurred before h stone streets, which seemed to be laid out in concentric circles After we passed through another set of gates, ere ushered inside a eous uided us into a sumptuous chamber to confront Greydusk’s boss
Sybella wasn’t just beautiful She was…I didn’t have a word Her hair was black silk; her skin gleamed like a pearl Her eyes shimmered like tropical waters, and her mouth was lush and succulent like dew on a perfect red rose Shit I was only looking at her out of the corner of e to the throw myself at her feet and lick them
Double shit
Beside me, Chance studied the patterns on the floor
Sybella was speaking, but I found it hard to focus on her words She smelled luscious, cinnahtly burned, a sugar-sweet scent that rabbedintently, were lovely Her feet were slih-arched, alabaster pale and sly innocent shade of pink, and the effect was…disar
“And so, I aht of the Luren caste concluded
Unfortunately, I had no idea ords had co But ht be flattered Then again, shepeople that way, and so it would lance at Greydusk, but its iht to proceed
“When would you like to get down to business?” I asked
It was a bluff, of course For all I knew, she ht’ve already offered me a deal, but I suspected Sybella wasn’t the type Such efficiency would strike her as uncouth
“You need rest,” she said sotiations I give my word that you will be safe in my house”
At this, Greydusk inclined its head slightly I could trust Sybella to keep her proreee, but this was a simple matter
So I nodded “I’d appreciate an opportunity to freshen up and sleep Chance will share my quarters”
“You’re dismissed, Imaron” The scorn in Sybella’s voice raised my hackles, but I didn’t dare meet her eyes to express my reaction with a dirty look
Greydusk planted its feet beside me “With all due respect, e me”
Sybella went arctic “Pardon me?”
“I have coood faith, and the Binder now employs me”
“I…see,” the knight said quietly She stepped toward uide e “And you’ve been busy, filling her ears with tales, I see Not necessarily with an eye toward et this”
“Indeed” The deive a damn
Not nearly soon enough, Sybella summoned a lesser Luren to shohere ould stay for the ti and allspice; he was golden like a lion, with tawny hair and gilded skin and eyes like layered topaz He shotsmile as if he sensed my rebellious hormones I didn’t want any demon to affect me like this, but at least I wasn’t alone
This was sort of their purview, after all
Balls to the Wall
The hallere palatial yet other On the floor, patterns looked alien, laid in black and bloodred tiles It seeer I studied it, but before I could unlock the riddle of where it led, the Luren paused outside an ornate basalt door, etched with peculiar syave me a half nod
“They are protective sigils”
“I am Gilder,” the minion went on “And I will be stationed outside your quarters for your own protection In the event our people grow…curious”
That wasn’t why Well, at least not entirely But I already knew that de sure I didn’t escape this coot whatever she wanted from me I pretended I didn’t realize the difference because it couldn’t hurt if they underestience
Greydusk leveled a flat, black gaze on the other de the inside of the door So be warned” That was all it said, but the tone sent shivers down my spine
By this point, I was so tired that I aying on h to a suite that would charold and scarlet, not restful colors but opulent ones And the furnishings were baroque in the extreme, as if I’d wandered into an old pleasure house Yet everything gleae
“Thank you,” I said to Greydusk