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“No,” I grin “That would be coolio”

Dervish winces—that was one of Bill-E’s favourite words—but I don’t care For the first ti to look forward to I experience a feeling I haven’t known for ages and it takes me a while to realise what it is—happiness

We eat dinner together, which is a rarity I nor is one of the few pleasures I’ve been able to relish since ined anything as delicious as fish and chips, pizza, sweet and sour chicken The strange flavours baffled and repulsed in with, but now I look forward to my meals as I never did before

After dinner Meera banishes Dervish to his study and the two of us shut ourselves in e four-poster bed, Meera teachesa subtle wrist and deft flicks of the fingers

We try different shades of lipstick, blusher, eyeliner and e and out of place to me, but Meera likes the various effects

“Didn’t people wearon my eyelashes for the fourth time

“Nothing like this The warriors were the most intricately decorated Many had tattoos, and so”

“Charh er and wirier than it’s ever been “Wewith this And pierce your ears”

“I’d like that,” I s or be pierced before”

“Why not?” Meera asks

“I was a priestess’s apprentice,” I explain “Priestesses couldn’t marry, so eren’t meant to make ourselves attractive”

“I bet that was a man’s idea!” Meera snorts

“Actually it was practical Our ic worked best if ere unsullied”

“You uy?” Meera asks sceptically

“Yes”