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It was a circlet of gold, with rubies set at the base of every arch, and was triold bands The crown had been row into, so I suspected it would fit better now than it used to It was in perfect condition, other than a dent I’d created when I fell fro it

"The pirates rescued this from the ship before it sank," Conner said "They presented it to me as proof of Jaron’s death"

I’d left the crown behind before I snuck off the ship I had intended it as a sy abandoned the royal family forever

"Face the mirror," Conner said

I obeyed, and watched as he set the crown on ht of it resurrected a flood of ain And soon the entire country would know it

Conner’s plan was for Cregan to drive him and ued that Tobias, Roden, and Ien should come with us, but Conner expressly forbade it So I nodded at Ien, and then shook hands with Roden

"It’s not too late to back out" Roden’s grip was powerful "You never wanted this"

"No, I never did" We had no disagreement there "But this is er crossed Roden’s face, but he backed off while I shook hands with Tobias

"I think you’re supposed to be the king," Tobias said, sht"

He must have felt the note I placed in his palm e shook hands, and he hid it e pulled our hands apart

The ride to the castle was very quiet between Conner andto quiz me on any last- I had to know, and told him to let me have my silence

I watched the castle rise into viee approached I hadn’t been there in four years, and when I left, I had never expected to see it again It was one of the younger castles in the surrounding region and, as such, had borrowed heavily froranite blocks from the mountains of Mendenwal and used the round, heavily decorated turrets of Bymar rather than the plain and square turrets common elsewhere Like Gelyn’s architecture, the heart of the castle was tall and layered, while its wings were long and square And ses extended beneath the s To the people of Carthya, it was the center of their governn of the prosperity we had always enjoyed To me, it was home

However, it quickly becaet through the gates A dozen carriages were ahead of us in line One by one, a castle guard spoke to soot through, but most were turned away

Conner leaned his head out the door and signaled to a carriage that had been refused entrance "What’s happening?" he asked the occupant

"Can’t say exactly Whatever I said to the guard, though, he waved us away Can you i-lost son of Carthya, Prince Jaron, with et a look at him myself, but Conner pressed es hold theprince?" Conner asked

"There are several frauds, I’es contain nobles invited to the castle to greet whatever king is nah But my boy, er, the prince, is with me, so they have chosen poorly"

"Let us hope the correct boy is crowned tonight," Conner said, and then wished hiain, Conner added, "His boy looked nothing like Prince Jaron The guardsonly the e, your reseh"

I wasn’t worried

But e reached the gate, Conner learned the truth about the screenings

The guard looked at me and arched an eyebrow At least he was impressed "Who is this?" he asked Conner

"Prince Jaron of Carthya, as you can plainly see Heis naht," the guard said "Have you anything else to say?"