408 The Master's Bloodline

Arran hid his unease as best he could, facing the Archon with an expression he hoped conveyed a confidence he did not feel. Bloodlines were a dangerous topic, and appearing to hide something might be just as dangerous as revealing too much.

"What I know of the bloodlines?" He paused in thought, choosing his words with the care of a clumsy man forced to juggle knives. "Truth be told, I don't know much. From what I've heard, the bloodlines were granted by the gods to help the Imperium resist the Blight. Other than that, I know little of either the gods or their bloodlines."

Archon Roshan gazed at him with disapproving eyes. "You arrived in the Imperium well over a year ago. By now, you should now more than that."

"I've been preoccupied with other things." Arran managed an uneasy smile, as if embarrassed at his lack of knowledge. "I hoped to prove my gratitude to the Imperium by fighting against the Blight."