““Was that what this evening’s hubbub was about? Get the Verdantian woman, DeAlbero? Curious that he left you behind.” Narr walked up and stroked her cheek. “I wager that was unplanned. He seemed...enamored.” Steffania gathered the saliva in her mouth and spat in his face. Her head rang from his return blow. Her eyes streamed involuntary tears. The bastard had held nothing back. Narr pulled a pocket linen from the inside of his jacket and with icy composure, wiped his face. “Strip her. Put her in a bed.” He turned to the white-coated man at his side. “Nissler, I want her wiped. Don’t bother with the niceties – just leave her alive enough to know fear when I fuck her.” In””
