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Ge for blankets, provisions, anything she could take It wasn’t safe to return to Ostfold She was better off hiding in the forest and at the base of the mountains In a feeeks, maybe she could venture into the outskirts of Ostfold to ask Lady Linnea for help

Gemma would have to abandon her relationship with Grand the older woman And as sad as it made Gemma to lose her, she wouldn’t allow anyone to be killed because of her Ge open a cupboard door, paused The captain said his life and the life of his men would be forfeit if I escaped…No I cannot afford to think of the inside the cupboard andon

She climbed a ladder to find a loft filled with straw and peppered with swan feathers Her conscience railed at her as she cliainst the ladder when she stepped off the botto They were kind to me, and surely they have families and loved ones ill ainst the dirty ladder "What does itmy life--not th for it No one would…except for Lady Linnea"

Gemma closed her icy eyes and balled her hands into a fist "By the Snow Queen," she cursed before releasing a great sigh "Lady Linnea is right I a the shack She retreated back up the shoreline, picking up the abandoned laundry when she found it She dawdled on the lakeshore for a few ht on her skin in spite of the blustery wind) before walking back through the royal gardens and into the palace

She set the stolen laundry down in an empty hallway and wandered deeper into the palace It took her a while to find the dungeon stairs, and when she happened upon theulps of fresh air and set her shoulders

Geed down the stairway Her heart beat heavier with each step she took, and every instinct screamed at her to run But she followed the stairs all the way to the dungeon When she reached the bottom stair, she leaned forward to look down the aisle formed the boundaries of the cell blocks The door to her cell was open, but there were no guards to be seen Obviously, someone had freed the man who delivered Ge distance to her cell, but her legs stiffened and froze So she plopped down on the lowest stair, hunched over her knees in a miserable ball, and waited to be discovered Her shoulders shook in a moment of despair Panic clawed at her, and her emotions threatened to overtake her It isn’t fair I never asked for this, I--Geht and threw her ar her head on her arms She didn’t look up when several sets of heavy footfalls raced up the aisle

"Any news froeon called

"None She did not go out the front gates--or if she did it was before we notified them," a differentmaster," the first man said

"I already have; he asked for her blanket," the second soldier said as he ran past Gemma and the staircase "If we’re lucky it will have her scent--," the soldier cut himself off and backed up to stand in front of Gemma and stare down at her

Ge," she said, ih, burning with tears

The soldier pinched his eyes shut and rubbed theuard fro with you,louder as he drew closer "Are you--," the guard--or the captain, as Genized him once she could see his face--cut hiawk at Ge her eyes and stared back at the pair "I would walk iven out at the"We should tell the others--no! First we need to put her in her cell! Where are the keys--," he quieted when the captain placed a meaty hand on his shoulder

"Why?" the captain asked

Geaze with her sharp, intense eyes "Why what?" she proood chance ouldn’t have found you You were free"

Gemma rolled her shoulders back "Does it matter?"

"Yes," the captain said

Gemma stared at Foss and the captain Foss shifted and squirmed, but the captain was an unmovable mountain "Because you and your men don’t deserve to die Is that an acceptable answer?"