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Kai again strove to loosen his grip, lest he accidentally leap across the table and jab a chopstick into the witch’s eye His father had tried every coe an alliance with Luna, except the one thing he could not agree to The one thing he was sure would signal the end of freedoe to Queen Levana

But nobody objected to Sybil’s coe fro out of his head The Lunar

It chilled him not only because of what he’d seen, but of what he could iht, then Levana had put her arive her hand away so easily

So what else was she hiding?

And did he dare risk finding out?

Marriage War Marriage War

The servants si clouds of steaarlic and sesame oil

Kai mumbled a thank-you to the servant over his shoulder, but the words were interrupted by a gasp fros screeched across the floor

Startled, Kai followed the queen’s gaze to her plate Instead of thinly cut pork tenderloin and rice noodles, the plate harbored a s silver-white frame

"How dare you?" Levana turned blazing eyes on the servant who had delivered the ray hair The servant stumbled back, her eyes round as the mirror

Levana stood so fast her chair tus creaked on the floor as everyone stood

"Speak, you disgusting Earthen! How dare you insult me?"

The servant tossed her head, mute

"Your Majesty--" Kai started

"Sybil!"

"My Queen"

"This human has shown disrespect It is not to be tolerated"

"Your Majesty!" said Torin "Please, calm yourself We do not know that this woman is to blame We mustn’t jump to conclusions"

"Then she must be made an example of," said Sybil, quite coolly, "and the true perpetrator can thus suffer the guilt, which is often a far worse punishment"

"That is not how our system works," said Torin His face had flushed red "While you reside in the Commonwealth, you will abide by our laws"

"I will not follow your laws so long as they permit disobedience to flourish," said Levana "Sybil!"

Sybil rounded the queen’s fallen chair The servant backed away, bowing,what she said

"Stop it! Leave her alone!" said Kai, rushing toward the servant

Sybil snatched a knife from the service table and held its handle out toward the wo as she did so

Kai’s jaw dropped He was both disgusted and mesmerized as the servant turned the blade toward herself, clutching the handle with both hands

Sybil’s beautiful face remained complacent

The servant’s hands tree was poised at the corner of her eye "No," she whimpered "Please"

Kai’s entire body shook as he realized what Sybil , he squared his shoulders "I did it!"

The roo sobs

Everyone turned to Kai The queen, Torin, the servant with the tiny inflamed scratch beside her eyelid, the knife still in her hand

"I did it," he repeated He looked at Sybil, atched him without expression, and then at Queen Levana

The queen fisted both hands at her sides Her dark gaze seethed Her cocoral lips

Kai ran his dry tongue across the roof of his mouth "I ordered the kitchen to put the ainst his sides to keep the "It was norant decision, and a joke that would not cross cultural lines, and I can only apologize and ask for your forgiveness" He leveled his gaze at Levana "But if forgiveness is not in your power, then at least direct your anger toward me and not the servant, ould have had no idea that the mirror was there The punishht the tension bad during the appetizer course, but noas choking on it