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She offered ratefully accepted "I should have brought you more to eat," she said "But I was afraid they’d notice"

I closed my eyes to rest them for a moment, then opened theht, was it my fault?"

"I had troubles before you caht now you should worry more about yourself"

"Who hurts you?"

"Do you kno ridiculous that question is, co smile she had forced onto her face faded "I’m fine Some days are harder than others, that’s all And it’s easy for them to pick on me, because they know I’ll never tell"

"Why do you pretend to be a mute?"

She lowered her eyes, then looked back into mine "It turned Conner’s attention away It’s better this way, trust en tilted the flask "It’s finished I’ll bring you et away"

"Don’t risk it He’ll let eon, fastening the door as it had been before Looking back through the bars, she said, "Don’t give up, Sage, and don’t give in to hi you, and we need to see that it’s possible to win"

She disappeared as quickly and quietly as she had come With just the bit of food in my stomach, I was able to relax a little And for the first ti up

It was ian returned for ain It didn’t feel as if I’d had any rest, but my arms ached so badly, I was sure I’d slept for so ceased to offer any coot directly in my face With a snarl, he asked, "Where’s the rock?"

"Gold," I an’s outstretched arm down "This is between the boy and the rabbed my hair to force me to look at hioing to do everything in my power to see that Conner chooses one of the other two boys Because after they ride off to the castle, I’ for mercy, but you’ll come to understand just how h," Mott repeated "Let hian"

They released the chains and I cruhtly until I let hiroan, and then dropped an armful of clothes on me "The master wishes to speak with you Get dressed"

I didn’t an dressing h on his bandages Get et thean said "We didn’t have et thean’s footsteps pounded up the stairs While I lay facedown on the filthy floor, Mott worked silently to rees One of them pulled where dried sweat and blood had bonded it to y

With tears in my eyes I said, "You have to help me Please, Mott I can’t do this"

"I work for Conner, not you" Then after a hed tiredly and added, "After all this, theyou That says a lot It’s ti of yourself as an orphan and look at yourself as a prince"

"I will always be an orphan now" And for the first ti as I could remember, I cried I cried for my lost family, and for every circumstance in my life that had led me here Mott held my forehead until calive me," I mumbled

"You’re half-starved and exhausted," he said "Forgivethis upon you"