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But Xander continued as he thrashed against his chains and the guards on either side of him “I trusted you You said if my revolutionaries joined forces with you to overthrow Sabara, Ludania would have peace with Astonia Have you no conscience?” he shrieked at the queen he’d coht ere friends”

Her grip tightened, and with it her resolve She drew Niko along with her, forcing hi face-to-face with Xander, watching hiuards shoved him to his knees and forced him to kneel before her “I suppose that was your first mistake, then,” she answered in a voice so devoid of emotion, it made Niko shudder inwardly “Because I nal to thethat exposed only his mouth and his unsympathetic eyes

The two guards dragged Xander toward a sh which blood could easily drain away to the sewers They, along with two others who’d appeared, pinned hiround while he continued to writhe and screaer, until he had no other option but to accept this fate he’d been handed

Then the executioner raised his blade

Niko would have closed his eyes, if those of Elena hadn’t been observing hi before her Unlike Niko, she had no interest in turning away She seemed to relish the moment

When the axe fell and the sharp crack of htest jerk froaze on her, he saw that she was frowning at the herisly view at her feet “Will you look at that,” she said, and clucked, craning her neck to get a better look, and ignoring everything else going on around her “He got blood on my new dress”

She shook her head and turned her attention back to Niko A s of the horrors they’d witnessed or the defiling of her gown Her entire de else as her hand slid froertips finding their way along the ridges of his still tensed o back to bed,” she purred “I need to get this s I’d like to show you”

He obeyed nu, back through the corridors and along the cobbled stones until they reached her opulent—if soed hie froe of what he’d just witnessed

Or forget the sound of Xander’s screams

I

My lips stretched into a tight sation of stone-faced officials who’d gathered in the crowdedroom Everyone stood when I entered, and I triedas I looked out at all the intense expressions watchingme

At any other tiht’ve explained my reaction away as nerves, but not today Today I had so to prove