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Facing him full on, I arched an eyebrow "Oh?"
"Even when you said you didn’t want the throne, you were all that tier surged through uise it well I leaned close to him and hissed, "I did tell you lies, Master Conner, but none of consequence I was telling the exact truth when I said I had no desire to be king! If there were anyone -- anyone -- I felt could take ladly step aside If I could return to be that boy you snatched froe, I’d leave now and never look back If you knehat it hed and shook my head "Of all Carthyans, I am the least free"
"And what offormercy from the devils" I spoke more calmly now "You said you would sell your soul to them for this plan Your plan worked, and the devils may have you"
"If the devils have ," Conner spat at me "I will forever curse the day we uards "He will be there for some time Conner, it appears you will be unavailable to fulfill your duties as prient Therefore, you are relieved of that position and stripped of your title as a noble"
Once Conner was dragged out of the room, I directed the musicians to play Then, exhausted, I fell intonow The reality of that was incomprehensible
One by one, the various reet nized several of their family names They had been of little interest tonow
"You have come home to a country that mourned your loss these past four years," Kerwyn said, standing beside me "See your people celebrate you Will you join them?"
It wasn’t that sie," I murmured "I’m lost here"
"But this is your ho in the armrest of the throne "It was my home because my fain"
"You are still young, Jaron Perhaps a steould be appropriate --"
"I’ now No one else"
Kerwyn dipped his head in acknowledgment of that and stared with me across the audience Quietly, he said, "Not everyone elcome your return The eneer"
"I know"
"War is co, Jaron"
A fact I understood down to my very bones Despite that, I looked up at him and cocked an eyebrow "But surely their spies cannot travel so fast as to ruin this night There is still a little tih" He started to object, but I stood and said, "They ht"
With that I walked into the audience Again, they parted forfor all evening