Chapter 55

　　Present Day

　　Laughter spilled out of the other chamber and Yelena looked up as Sylvin turned his head. By comparison to the tangle of voices from the other sitting room, their little breakfast between the two of them in the main chamber of Sylvin’s apartment was silent.

　　Yelena heard Greshyn’s voice, and then Tillie’s, and another burst of laughter from the human boys and Sylvin’s pages and squires. They sounded, she thought wistfully, like a happy family.

　　Sylvin resumed scowling at his food, his thoughts elsewhere and his motions efficient and neat, but with no appreciation of the meal before him.

　　“What are your plans regarding those boys?” Yelena asked him.

　　“Plans?” He was puzzled by the question.

　　“Other than using them as spies. You cannot intend for them to run loose forever? Do you train Corin and the other pages and squires?”

　　“Hmm,” he tilted his head. “At the war camps we trained daily. Recently, less so. I should resume their training, yes.”