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Eventually the sow’s cries and the sounds of her struggles weakened, and the collective wingbeats of the huan finally opened her eyes again, she did not look in the aviary, but stared at the shoulders of the uests applauded They actually applauded! This was entertainhter, Dr Silk’s show of bones and blood She shuddered

Dr Silk ordered the cage to be covered and taken away, ht, the p’ehdrose, her sword, the eagle, Orhald Fallows, and now this, she wished to take action, to tear down the empire But what could she do? She was only one person She would not get far, although giving Silk a good whack with the boneould provide her with a strong sense of satisfaction She was not helpless, but she felt it, i how to reach her own tiood

"How can I top that, eh?" Dr Silk asked his guests "The best of the night is yet to cobirds fro not even the emperor has seen since his rise to power alht so rare you will not believe your eyes!"

Oh gods, what now?

A pair of white horses, red plu top drawing a garish circus wagon behind them The wooden sides were painted with fierce lions and bears, and concealed whatevertop lowered draon as the horses ca you will likely never see again," Dr Silk told his guests

Dramatic notes thundered out of the pipes of the h nervously They watched the spotlighted wagon with rapt gazes

"Are you ready?" Dr Silk asked

His guests shouted, "Yes!" back at him and clapped

He nodded to the circus on, and they dropped a painted side down to reveal a cage The wagon was probably used to transport and exhibit large, dangerous anian did not see an animal What she did see so shocked her that she could only whisper: "Lhean"

"An Eletian, ladies and gentlemen!" Dr Silk announced toEletian"

Lhean’s face was turned away frohts, his hands clenched around the bars of his cage Seg black cloth underneath, glistening as though wet and oozing His re pearlescence Karigan remembered He looked weak, the vibrancy that was him dimmed like his armor And yet

And yet, he shone, and it was not just the lights on hi of etherea The crowd, gawking at hi her She turned to him when he placed his hand on her shoulder

"It’s Lhean," she said, stricken

He raised his finger to his lips "Shhh"

"He needs--we need to--"

"Shhh"

Her every nerve prickled with energy, with urgency Cade stared at her cal her