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And her feelings for hi how she viewed Vrekeners

Lanthe could still call them lame--but if anyone else did, she’d shut that down

Sabine, when you read the rest of this letter, please keep an open mind I’ing change to Rothkalina, I plan to here Once all the dust settles, you can give me queenly pointers!

When Lanthe felt a vibration of power, she frowned, laying the quill down She sensed sorcery--not hers

She leapt to her feet So, a threat to the people here She raced for the assembly hall

Where was everyone? Was it dinnertime already?

Lanthe hastened toward the vibration, out the front doorway of the Hall A portal was opening, right before her eyes

On the freaking steps of Skye Hall

Her jaw dropped when Sabine ealia, with a broad gold headdress atop her flame-red tresses A metal breastplate served as her top, and a jade mask adorned her face

Sabine was a jolt of color in thisyou," Sabine said blithely as she traipsed onto Vrekener land "Look at your necklace--is that red gold? To die for! It al!"

"As I feared, the Vrekeners brainwashed you, just like so et you back When we return to Rothkalina, I’ me I want to stay with Thronos"

As if Lanthe hadn’t spoken, Sabine said, "The stress of all you’ve been through isn’t helping I know about the Order, about your fight to stay alive About your capture and imprisonment here"

"I’m not imprisoned! Why would I still have"How did you find the Skye, Sabine?" Can others?

"The same way that Dacian vampire did: with a one-of-a-kind scry crystal It’s been tucked away in hidden Dacia for ages Anyway, the leech let us borrow it And then we used a portal power similar to yours"

"We?"

With a wave of her hand, Sabine used her sorcery to make Lanthe’s necklace invisible "I wouldn’t want that to be taken frola with fear when Morgana ealia

Her pale blond hair was interwoven throughout her gold headdress Her irises were the color of a botto colors swirled around her Lanthe had never perceived sowith reclaimed powers, laden with thelared at her enemy’s doesture of yielding for Sorceri "Now, let’s just talk about this, Morgana Can we do that?" Lanthe glanced around; the people were all gathered in the bastion, which ana to smite For now

But this also meant Thronos would return soon

"We shall talk," Sabine said "Back at Rothkalina Come, Lanthe, we’re on a bit of a clock here"

"Tick tock," Morgana sneered "I’ve seen h"

When Lanthe vowed, "There’s no way I’auntlet, turning her toward the portal On the other side, visible through the threshold, was Lanthe’s tower roo to a baby, she asked, "Do you remember your room? All your fabulous clothes, luxuries, servants, and self-help books are just beyond this threshold Your TV and vault of gold await you That is where you belong"

Lanthe fought to throw off her grip "I belong here What can I do toanywhere--"

"Nooo!" Thronos had caught sight of thes snapped close to his body as he dove for theri

"Stay away!" Lanthe screaana of hty body, and all his battle-hardened centuries, Thronos couldn’t match that queen "She will kill you!"

He didn’t even slow; the rage in his eyes

Morgana raised one hand As if a giant fist had seized hih he grappled to reach Lanthe

"Don’t hurt hiana squinted at her as if she were an insect in need of a good crushing "Careful, little girl, I’ll snatch that persuasion froainst me" She turned her attention back to Thronos in the air With another wave of her hand, the queen began lowering him in front of her for a better look

Lanthe turned to Sabine --Ai-bee, please, please help us! I love Thronos--

Behind her mask, Sabine rolled her eyes --You cannot be serious--

--I’ve loved hiana kills hi me!--

--I don’t believe your brainwashed babble It makes no sense!--

--What if there’s even a chance it’s true? Iine how you’d feel This is HAPPENING to ht now--

--How could you possibly love one ofthem?-- Sabine flicked her hand in Thronos’s direction

Lanthe wanted to strangle her --If I’m brainwashed, you can always kill him later For now, HELP US!--