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A her lips with the back of her hand just as a cat does "The handsome prince is sweet on you, Jes," she purrs Her meanest smirk peeps out "How did that happen?"

"Shut up!" I crouch by the shaft, trying to decide how far the drop really is

"I’ll go down first," she says unexpectedly "You need to stay here to lower down the others because you’re stronger than I am"

"Are you sure?" This isn’t the fussy Ahts are words she shows her teeth, and a faint hiss escapes her Then she smiles "I’m not afraid, Jes"

And she isn’t afraid Without a cos her legs over the opening When I’ve hooked my elbows under her aro Her splash resounds in an echoing space She laughs

When I lower the la up ataround her waist Twice she slaps the water just to make it jump

"It’s shallow Wait!" She flounders out of view

"Amaya!"

Her voice drifts out of the darkness "The water is just a narrow channel I’m already up on a stone floor It’s easy, Jes! We just need e behind me, and Ro-emnu backs into the space He cradles Mother’s head, while Coriander uely, and her mouth foro down first," I say to Ro-eht: it is easy Coriander and I lower Mother into his arms One by one we transfer the others: the listless, mute oracle; Maraya with our baby sister; Cook; Coriander with the boy and the other lanterns Last, Kalliarkos rests a hand on ht us this far flickers, catches a last flare of oil, and drives back the shadows

Exhaling, I lean against hith and e for the last push His lips brush mine They’re cool and a little dry and their touch makesain

"Jes!" Maraya shouts as if she disapproves of our eht!"

Just as I open my mouth to reply, the lamp at our feet spits one last spurt of flame and dies A soldier’s curse snaps out of me A faint flame wavers below

"Go, and I’ll follow," he says