‘No. I don’t want to either.’ ‘Oh.’ She paused and made another conversation attempt. ‘Do you still feel your mother’s presence at all any more? You hinted before there was some form of link between you and her but that it ended suddenly when the Young God came into your life.’ ‘No, I don’t. I did, but not now. The link I have with you, now that Andraste’s residing in you, is so very similar to how it was with my mother. Anyway, I don’t miss it any more. That’s how come I know why Grania’s miscarriage is upsetting you so much. Why didn’t you tell me yourself?’ ‘I was trying to change the subject just then.’ ‘I know, madam.’ ‘If you know everything, why do we even bother talking?’ She spat the words at him and took another bite of food; she couldn’t even taste it, her mouth was so dry.

