10/03/2026 20:05

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In the closet hung a row of priest's vestments, old and frayed but cleanand pressed. Tribute-bearing envoys arrivedat intervals from Koma, but with Shiragi there was no communication. He'd volunteered his wife withoutconsulting her or even considering her mental state, Mitch thought, hispatience wearing thin. * But Shiragiwas nothing if not treacherous, and, even while making these valuablepresents to the Yamato Court,

Megan held her place, gloved hands jammed on herhips, the muscles in the back of her neck knotting from looking up athim. Bruce DePalma went through the same song-and-dance he'd given herbefore. God help her, she couldn't defend against something she'd craved all herlife. **There were no subdivisions into minutes and seconds in old Japan.