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"Perhaps seeing my uncle in action helps you better understand why I do not wish to follow his orders, since they so often lead to unpleasant things"

A fist in my chest unclenches "You didn’t betray me"

"No, I didn’t If ated everything about hi "What I don’t understand is why you are here Your household is infor Lord Ottonor"

Everyone is still looking at us I liked it better when they ignoredeven aron took eneral"

Kalliarkos whistles "That can’t be possible"

A spike of irritation burns throughman who really understands me, and an oblivious fool "Of course it’s possible Your uncle wants the hero of Maldine to coe about that?"

He looks at the sky as at the gods and their inexplicable actions "I had no idea I thought it was a lord from the old country, someone with military experience overseas…"

"What are you talking about?" My hand tightens around the et the bad news I ah his short black hair

"My older sister left thisfor our villa at Falcon Hill She’s to marry a military man newly come to the service of Garon Palace"

16

My father isKalliarkos’s older sister

I stare as the scraps and hints of information I’ve overheard all fall into place

"Have I done anything toto keep them?" he asks in a low voice

A woe, but every tihborn woain Because I’h for such a man

"When I said I would keep your secret, I meant it," he adds