Picking up a cheese croissant and biting into it, even as Amelia's wine arrived, Shane pondered exactly how to answer her question. Swallowing and setting the baked perfection down, he'd begin speaking in an almost-wistful way. "My family have been Quincy for almost as long as they've existed. One of the First Emperor's wives was an ancestor of mine. Before then, we were empowered humans. Supposedly the Emperor had any family members that refused his gifts rounded up, and thus every member of the Volsung that took pride in their initial heritage was killed off. Delightful story, wouldn't you say?"

Shane might have been royalty, but it was obvious from the sarcasm in his voice that he really didn't care, for what seemed to be very good reasons.

Genocide tended to put a damper on things.