Chapter 84 - The Night and the Maiden, part 2

Shandri sat on the edge of the old man's bed and wiped the blood-streaked saliva off his chin, then turned her attention to his uncle. He had known him all his life. In other times he had kissed the ground where he walked, but with age he came to understand that man was a worm.

"And I suppose I have no say in the matter."

Leom studied his niece for an awkward moment as she pushed her long blonde hair away from her face. She was beautiful in her own way, with fair skin and fine bones. The combination of her gave him a charming air of delicacy, although in reality the young woman she possessed the bad temper of the Drake family and she could be as devious as a weasel if she wished.

“Not in the least, I'm afraid, my dear. I wish it were otherwise, but I'm not the one who made the law. By accident of birth ... you turned out to be ... female. With no male children, your father's line ends and mine begins as the oldest