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Around us, adversaries are getting up to return to training

As I stand, I angle so close to him that I could kiss his cheek if I wanted My lips brush his ear, and I feel the way his body shivers

"This is why you’re stuck at Novice," I say in a low voice, and I mean every word "You won’t take risks"

I walk away Although I know he is staring after me, I do not look back

"Hey, wait up," I call to Mis

Shaking her head, she slon "Don’t say I didn’t warn you But maybe I should warn hi means a feast Suddenly I see a possible route to my father

"Maybe I will" I try to srirandmother will find out and put a stop to it You’ll be lucky to keep your place in the stable I don’t see how you dare risk it"

The family of General Esladas can be throay as easily as the shards of a broken cup My lifeI would rather die in the mines But I can’t say that to her I have to distract everyone so they think I’ to do with my father

I say, "Kal and I knew each other before I came here"

She whistles "You call Lord Kalliarkos Kal? Don’t tell me you’ve already--"

The practice bell interrupts her and we hurry to take our places in line It takes every eries: cat, jackal, and crane I slog through the training with the other fledglings If wool stuffedebbs and swells in a fog aroundon Rivers Tana blans me to run laps around the court while the others train Running I can e: all I have to do is set one foot in front of the other in tiony in s I veer into Trees because that’s where the Novices are cli under the supervision of Lord Thynos and Inarsis Everyone else is taking off except Kalliarkos and Dusty, who are coround first The moment Kalliarkos drops he turns to stare at me in a way that causes Dusty, Inarsis, and his uncle tome to sprout monstrous pincers and four rand, Kal"

Kalliarkos doesn’t even look at hiet there, Uncle Thynos Don’t wait"