### 233

You draw upon your Discipline of Animal Mastery to calm the dog, and the effect is immediate and irresistible. He stops whining and starts licking your hand affectionately.

‘Well, I’ll be!’ exclaims one of the guardsmen.

‘You certainly must ’ave a way with dogs. Ol’ Bloodfang don’t normally take to strangers.’

The Eldenorans look at their suddenly playful hound and they shake their heads incredulously.

‘I’ve never seen him like this before,’ says one guard. ‘I’ve seen ’im bite a few hands off in his time, but I ain’t ever seen him lick one!’

Your control over this normally vicious hunting dog greatly impresses the guardsmen. One of them climbs the steps and he has to put a leash on the dog in order to drag him away from you. Delissa bids them goodnight as they file out of the rear gate, and when she is sure they have gone, she quickly returns to the parlour and locks the door behind her.

Turn to 10.