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The second iaze at hi on the breast plate to check its fit, was that this was not his parade ar decorative e of the firebrand and the crescent moon across his breast This was Zachary’s war ar for conflict with Second Eencies There had been minor skirmishes in the north country, but no out and out battles, no formal declaration of war Still, she should not have been surprised to find her king preparing here in his private arht have to lead his forces onto the field of battle She found herself startled on soo anywhere near a battlefield, she thought Second Empire was a people without a country and only a sht to heel, but their forces were slippery, very slippery, and were backed by a necromancer Should Mornhavon reappear and reinforce themNo, she did not wish to think of it

Zachary turned toward Laren, faced her, but gazed thoughtfully into the air sohts travel? What did he see?

"Your Majesty?" She stepped forward

Her voice roused hi if I ht have a moment to speak privately with you" She alet this off first"

Vasper ca unbuckle and remove the breastplate, which he set on an armor tree next to other pieces that side tapestries depicting battles of old, hung the weaponry and shields that had belonged to past kings, so blades, others pristine pieces of parade aril of Sacoridia Zachary excused Vasper as well as his Weapon, leaving the two of theh theturning the steel in the roo for a way out, but she er

"What is it, Laren? You lookbereft What is wrong?"

It was not, she thought, so far froht you should know The standard time has elapsed and" She took a deep breath "It is ti ho into her There was a s quality to them that had not been there before Before the arrow Before the betrayal of so The dark gaze did not make her task any easier "We have removed her from the active duty rolls, and I intend to notify her father ood friend to His Majesty and the er service" This, she kneould be as difficult, if notStevic G’ladheon she’d sent his daughter into Blackveil "Zachary, it has been too long She is not co back"

He turned away from her to face the"Her brooch has not returned"

"That is true When a Rider has passed, his brooch will always find its way home" She clenched her fists She knew it all too well "But it does not indicate that she still lives It reat a barrier for even a Rider brooch to find its way home, or, as has happened historically, it will take years before it returns to us I believe the record stands at about a hundred years in one instance" She had to convince Zachary Karigan would not be co back She had accepted it herself, mostly A small part of her held out hope, but it had din or word of Karigan

She’d watched Condor closely, hoping the horse sensed so about his Rider with that special connection that ers and their horses shared, but it was difficult He appeared neither content nor disconsolate He ate his feed, but dragged, heaving long, heavy sighs Often he just stood in the pasture with head lowered, the picture of dejection No, he wasn’t declining, precisely, but he wasn’t thriving either She could not divine ent on in his horse brain Each horse handled the passing of its Rider differently

The time had come to end the lian dead

"Your Riders will be holding a ht should you and the queen wish to attend"

He bowed his head "I feared it, that this time would come However, I do not wish to believe it She has survived other dangerous missions She has always returned"

Laren did not think she needed to re into Blackveil Forest had been her most perilous deed of all And it appeared that, even in death, she had bought thean had wounded Mornhavon, and the forest had lain quiescent ever since

Zachary strode to the , placed his hands on the wide stone sill The lowering sun washed across his face Thelooked out on the west castle grounds where theher Riders, liked to exercise their horses A barely perceptible smile formed on his lips as he immersed himself in a pleasant memory He looked so very tired to her, and she did not think it was just the pressures of his kingship

"It seems I failed," he said

"Failed? What do youher presence As he gazed at her, she saw sorown into a , hardened by all its responsibilities