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"Even after I begged for it, you failed to tell me the truth Only the devils know the difference between that and a lie You have hurt and insulted me"

I had no answer to that and only said, "You will never find ain, Princess"

"I hope not Neither to spare your feelings nor e"

The dance step called for ht If she noticed e it When I stood straight, I could speak again "Call me Jaron"

"You dance like a royal, Jaron Better than your brother did"

"Don’t compare me to him"

She stiffened "It was my attempt at a compliment"

"Darius and I are very different people If you think of him when you think of me, I’ll always be a failure to you"

Her eyes fluttered, blinking back tears, and we fell into silence We both knew there was more to be said, much more, and yet we completed the rest of the dance without another word

As the music ended, Amarinda pulled away from me "What happens now, for me?"

"Whatever you want," I said

"All I want is to be happy," she said softly "But I fear that is too etic I hadn’t caused my brother’s death, but I was a consequence of it "We’ll talk later In private"

She agreed, though the look of disgust had returned to her face "May I have your permission to leave now? I’m upset and wish to be alone"

I nodded at her, and as Aain alone in a sea of strangers

Still at the head of the roohness, there ret that your old crown is long lost"

"I have it!" Tobias pushed forward through the crowd, holding so wrapped in a kitchen towel in his arms He et and smelled horrible I wondered how he’d made it this far into the castle He stopped when he sawWhy couldn’t I see it?" Then his face paled "Oh, the criainst you"

"You co to Jaron"

Tobias nodded and unwrapped the towel "Your crown, my prince"

Conner was suddenly there beside hient It is my duty to crown hiether, Conner whispered, "If you forgive me here, I will serve you forever On your terh it did not go the way he had intended, Conner’s plan was complete Mine was not

The cere went by very quickly Kerwyn produced the Book of Faith, which Conner read fro When it was finished, Kerwyn gave hied to King Eckbert," Conner said "It was your father’s"

"The king’s ring" It was heavier than I’d expected, old and ie and looked funny onI’d stolen rather than inherited through birthright

Then he lifted fro been washed "This is a prince’s crown A new one will be commissioned for you immediately, but it will do for now" He placed it on entler hands than had crowned ain and said, "Hail, King Jaron"