Erawan chuckled, and paper rustled. “I
have been considering further details of this
alliance, sister.” The title was a barb, a taunt
of last night’s rejection. “And I have been
wondering: what else shall you bring to it?
You stand to gain more than I do, after all.
And offering up six of your spiders is
relatively little, even if they have been
receptive hosts to the princesses.”
Dorian’s ears strained as he waited for
Maeve’s reply. She said quietly, more tensely
than he’d heard her speak before, “What is it
that you want, brother?”
“Bring the rest of the kharankui. Open a
portal and transport them here.”
“Not all will be such willing hosts.”
“Not hosts. Soldiers. I do not intend to take
chances. There will be no second phase.”
Dorian’s stomach twisted. Maeve
hesitated. “There is a chance, you know, that
lily
(lily)
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