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"Ahnastasia," Ravenna said, one claw tracinga hot line behind "You’ve run ed She silently snarled and stepped closer, close enough forI couldn’t quite place

Across the clearing, a trill rang out fro of the dancers

"May I have this dance?" Ravenna asked with abow

And I had to accept, because as much as I needed to kill her, my country needed a well-danced ritual and a perfectly fallen Sugar Snow And she knew it, damn her I inclined my head just the tiniest bit, and she held out her arm, as a man would The dandies loosed me, and I let her lead me to my place at the head of the line She stood across fro hundreds of others, tense and excited, for the first notes to ring out

It was always beautiful, that song I could so easily picture Casper’s ni the ivory keys with an intith I knew all too well As the first notes leaped into the air, I turned to bow to the gentle the dandy in the purple coat waiting with athe three of therace and beauty expected of the crown princess Whenever it came time to pro at her daer than that of anyto trip racefully was a pretty little revenge Casper played the song perfectly, as if he had written it hiratified at his success

"Where have you been, princess?" Ravenna asked, gazing overbuffalo"

"Liar"

I snorted

"Does Olgha live?"

"She’ll be here soon with an army of daimons to overthrow you"

"I tire of your lies, little tsarling"

"I tire of your hed and took ure, she blew soe musical words I went dizzy but didn’t ha live?"

"No" The as out of my mouth before I could think it

"Where have you been?"

I clenched my teeth, but the words leaked out the side of my mouth "Drained in a valise"

She smiled, almost friendly "There That’s better Why are you here?"

"To kill you and take back Freesia"

"Oh, I don’t think that’s going to happen You’re not doing well so far"

I tried to stick ue to the roof of my mouth as I looked over her shoulder Casper was curled over the harpsichord, his face suffused with rapture It was truly thehim play it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, especially since Ravenna seemed to have the upper hand When I looked up at theto swirl in a circle and sparkle as if tiny fairies fleithin The smell eet and heavy, like a bush about to blossoht, except that the blooh and ere dancing well enough, the next chorus would bring the first snow

"What have you done to Alex?" I asked

"He’s ensorcelled, of course That began long before I had your parents executed Alex is on a steady diet of my blud, which cale will happen in summer, I think, at the Basilica of Aztarte"

It had been said to enrageblood, and the hand I heldnoise She didn’t flinch, and neither of us ed to marry Alex and killn forever

"What of the Svedish king?"

A wicked smile "That’s the second act"

"The people will never stand for it," I hissed