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"In a tie son dom, especially in favor of a bold military prince like Nikonos But even Prince Nikonos may meet with an unfortunate accident on the battlefield if he has ene horse will find herself put out to pasture Which leaves you and your sister next in line to beco and queen"

His voice is so soft I barely catch the words and yet his tone rings harder than I have ever heard it "Do you knohat itods in the proper way so their peace will shelter the land"

"The king sits atop a mountain of treasure All bow before him because his will is law His army defends not the country but his power That’s why I don’t wish to be a part of it But I also don’t despise the army and its soldiers, Jes I’m no coward, or at least I pray I will never act the coward’s part"

Driven by secrets, he quickens his pace, and I hasten to keep up

"Uncle Gar thinks I’m soft, that I don’t see the nature of his plans He pretends to hat is best for me but I won’t be his pawn I want to be an adversary who runs ame"

We turn at last onto Garon Street I reach for his hand, and he clasps th than I expected

"I shouldn’t have involved you, Jes"

"You know I’ hands of a cliers, it crushes "You should be afraid They are h heavens shade to a vibrant purple while the eastern horizon gloith pink and a band of light ri us have vanished The guards at the stable gate see us Kalliarkos tries to shake his hand out of azes drop down to our linked hands They squelch s a salute to the only male of princely descent who lives in Garon Palace Farther up the street lie the upper gates: the ate to the main palace cohts sate where Garon Street ends in a wall The guards there have seen us too

I release his hand as if we only now rereeable nod to the startled guards at the stable gate As they open the pedestrian door theyto you"--in the voices of rateful that he acknowledges their existence But oh how they struggle not to stare at me, for they are Patron-born men who serve Patron lords, and I am what I am in their eyes

As I consider how to make the most dramatic farewell, he pulls irls have already begun stoking the clay oven, soakingaround the tables to er on the tile The cook appears with her baskets and two assistants, ready to head down to theat tea whose flavor is so strong I can smell the aniseed fro fro their eyes

"Make it convincing," whispers Kalliarkos intoas the thunder of a hailstor, all sense of the world outside the shell you live in

I could kiss hi but suddenly I can’t re lover would As my mother and father would sain

"I can’t believe you’re hesitating," he whispers His eyes crinkle His mouth parts as he waits for me to act because he thinks it’s funny that I’

So I cup his face in my hands and I match hie"

I presselse and just kiss hi e are, as if he and I will turn by turn unfold each other until we know everything that matters about our hearts

A bark of command slaps down over us We break apart, but it is not anyone speaking to us The dawn changeover of guards has arrived The gate stands wide open and, with the sun rising, all the guards have seen

With a parting sht of every awake person in the stable My pulse eases down fro to, I touch fingers to my lips