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Endelle’s brow puckered "The rights of guardianship, which means Alison would have full protection froht actually have so black hair at the temples She blew the air from her cheeks and shook her head

"What does this mean?" Alison asked

"When COPASS was created at the turn of the twentieth century, one of the rules we put into place and to which Greaves agreed was that all private property held by either party could not be attacked All the Guardians of Ascension as well as Greaves’s generals have this saht We don’t attack their estates and they leave ours alone In addition, the rule extends to personal attack We stay away from them and except for conflicts at a Borderland or on Mortal Earth they stay the hell away frouardian, apart from conflict at a Borderland or on Mortal Earth, must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law Even Greaves doesn’t cross this line"

"So wherever I am, on Second," she said, "I would be safe?"

"As safe as is possible in this world and a thousand tination"

Alison drew in a quick breath She turned to Kerrick and sent, Then I have a chance, our daughter has a chance

Kerrick nodded He even smiled Exactly, he sent

"Well," Endelle cried "I have to say, Warrior Kerrick, that this is a goddaratulate you and I will see to this COPASS owes me because of the attack on the palace and the Corinder! Hah!"

Kerrick recoiled at the iery, and more than one warrior hissed On the other hand, for all the trouble Greaves had caused … well …

As hope soared, Alison trembled She saw in Kerrick’s eyes a determination that had not been there before She wanted to leave the rec rooe of heart, but there was still one more matter to be settled

She turned to Her Supremeness "Madame Endelle Will you rescind my orders to train as a Militia Warrior?"

"And ould you suggest, ascender? With guardian status you could still serve as a Militia Warrior, since you’d be safe froaze She saw the striated brown eyes and she had experienced the woman’s compassion For nine thousand years, Endelle had carried her burden of authority and command alone The woer ht it likely Endelle could use a friend

Though she felt certain that the suggestion she was about to let fly was akin to inviting a scorpion to ride around on her shoulder, she said, "If it would please you, I would serve as your assistant" Oh, God, had the words really left her ret thisdays, weeks, months, years, hell, decades … oh, God

A slow sh she had also read Alison’s thoughts Of course she had Endelle said, "I think the punishment in this case fits the criet back to business as usual while you,office tolanced past her to Kerrick and looked hiht in her eyes "If you can even walk by then"

Alison kept the blush from her cheeks, but just barely She had very much entered a neorld, of warriors and vaht-ready, of violence, profanity, and all sorts of sideways references to sex Tied then said, "When alking a significant problehing

Endelle nodded "Well, well There ht be hope for you yet" She lifted an ar moment after she left

Finally, Zacharius offered thesnakeskin?"

The myth of the breh-hedden

Alive in the hearts of lovers

Behold what is most precious

--Collected Poems, Beatrice of Fourth

Chapter 24

Kerrick took a deep breath and drew his wings back into his wing-locks He knew one thing as he leveled his gaze on Alison--he’d be taking her to bed and coht

He was about to suggest they depart when Thorne caught his arm

The leader of the Warriors of the Blood looked hih smile "So this is it, man"

Kerrick returned the set lower

Thorne punched hiht, just so you know"

Kerrick started to protest since he could always join up later, but Thorne split his resonance "No," he stated in his I’-boss voice, the one he rarely used, especially with Kerrick "See you tomorrow"