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Apollonius is stunned “How…”

“You know the answer You’ve wondered if it was possible Tharsus sold your life for your title of paterfamilias of House Valii-Rath For your monies Your men Your ships”

“I see” The charree to help you…what trust can there be between devils?”

“This isn’t about trust It’s about leverage That bandage on the back of your head is fro a cranial drill There’s a quarter ounce of high-grade explosive eray matter as well as a neural chip to stimulate your ocular nerve” I activate the detonation timer on my datapad Numerals appear on my datapad, but also in Apollonius’s vision, via Winkle’s bioht…“You have seven seconds to give me an answer Yes or no”

Six Sevro grins

Four Apollonius stares blankly

Two I back away frolass

“Very well” Apollonius ser has not abated “I accept your proposal But I have demands”

—

Thirty ra room with the patience and manners of a well-bred crocodile Each bite-sized piece is dipped into the jus and chewed laboriously before being washed doith a thick Bordeaux from our stores When he has finished, he leaves several ounces of the steak unattended, as well as a thumb of the red wine, and has only a spoonful of the iced leueless He leans back in his chair and blesses my lieutenants with an expansive smile as Alexandar takes his plate away Apollonius levels his gaze at Alexandar

“You’re a pureblood-looking boy What is your name?”

“Alexandar”

Apollonius eyes hiestures to Sevro and Colloway “Does it not rankle you to serve such genetic inferiors, Alexandar?”

“I’ve now seen sharks fly and lions bark” Alexandar laughs “A lecture over genes from a Valii-Rath” He leans forward, Apollonius’s plate still in his hands “It would have been a severe pleasure to see enes”

“And whom do you call kin, Alexandar?” Apollonius asks