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"It’ll be good practice" Roden settled onto his bed with a book

Tobias’s face reddened "You think this will convince Conner of anything? I’m twice as s as me or Roden, even if we’re asleep," I said "You have to do better, Tobias"

"Is that a challenge?" he asked

"I’d never challenge an inferior Now go to sleep You’ll need rest before whatever humiliation comes your way tomorrow"

"You sleep," Tobias said "You’ll need soht"

I laughed and tossed the book on the floor before lying down But I didn’t go to sleep That was a luxury I couldn’t afford It was ht before I finally decided to sneak out, this ti across the exterior walls of Farthenas a bad idea since I still felt so weak, but as long as nobody else was in the passages, it would be a fine way to explore

I was gradually learning the exit points of the passages They ran throughout Farthenwood, or at least to areas where Farthenwood’s architect felt a person ht want to secretly travel One of my favorite exits took me into the hallway around the corner fro on the outside when everyone thought ere safely inside I left the passages and entered the hallway, using that door

As always at this ti the halls, so as long as I was careful to find the shadows in Conner’s hoo This ti our roohter when I saw hier than the three of us, and he’d fallen asleep He wore a sword, but the s loose around his waist Clearly, Conner no longer considered any of us as at risk for running

The one well-guarded rooils in front of the door were unfauest bedroom for the betrothed princess Amarinda

It was ih the hallithout risking the attention of her vigils, so I slipped back into the passages So directly into A it for any reason was a terrible idea It did occur to ht at least be so it The curiosity of what A

While feeling around for any place to view into the room, I felt a hand on my arm and the point of a knife at my back It had been only a es too

"Is this how I have to prove th?" Tobias’s voice was thick and he sniffed loudly I wondered if he was crying

"Where’d you get the knife?" I asked calmly Calm was important here

"I stole it fro end of the blade into my back and I stiffened as I felt it cut It was a razorsharp knife "If the whipping before wasn’t enough, asping Blood trickled down h I couldn’t tell if he’d opened the old wound or created a new one

"Stop you fro considered I saw Conner’s ad But how can he? You’re the least worthy of the title, the lowest of us three"

"And you’re the biggest coward," I hissed, then caught my breath in my throat as his blade cut deeper

"Don’t call me a coward," Tobias said "I’m not!"

"Have you come here to kill me?" I asked "Because I’ll scream when you do and it’ll wake up the princess and probably a whole lot of other people, and you’ll get into trouble"

"You’ll be dead"

"Yes, but you’ll be in trouble"

Tobias lightened the pressure on the blade "This is just a warning for you to back down I will be king"

"If you don’t want to kill me, then lower the knife"