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His eyebrows dropped and his lips turned down "Do not speak to ht to order me about, cuckoo"

The blood drained from my face, I could feel it slide Cuckoo A child slipped into another’s nest to be raised, but not of their kind An interloper leaching the strength and resources of others

"I am not a bastard I knoho er driving me "You are an Ender, and you answer to the royal family of which I am a part Perhaps you should remember that" I was in his face, my head tilted back He had a few inches ondown at me, the contempt written in his eyes plain to see

"You are not a part of the royal line Or you would live in the Spiral"

He ht as well have slapped me My jaw dropped and I had to work up the spit inis lared at hi response The bestto resort to a childish back and forth

"Lark, are you--" Simmy’s voice broke the standoff "Oh, I see you have coht?"

I didn’t turn around, and Ash never took his eyes frohed softly "Well, aren’t you the sweet one? That title hasn’t been used in a redwood’s lifetime" She reached us and put a hand on o to the Spiral It is your night to sit at your father’s side"

I blinked and glanced at her "Goddess, I forgot!" I turned toward her, put a hand on her arood friend I’, Larkspur"

I looked overat the tree’s swaying branches above our heads "Goddess save ’s whiether so s for weeks for that one ht ar behind his

He went flying to the ground, landing in a puff of dirt, his honey gold eyes wide as saucers "The king’s whims are commands to you, Ender, perhaps you’d best reoing to the knife on his left thigh Simmy yanked me hard "Run, before he’s to his feet"

I took heed of her words I’d attacked a king’s Ender, a whipping offense at the least Worse I was sure if Ash caughtout behindoffense or not, it orth it to see the shock on his face, the widening of those eyes always so in control

So, totally worth it

Chapter 3

My best dress was soone by My mother’s finery was really all I had left to me of her, and I seldo and expensive h, I had to stand in front of my father’s and our people, and I needed all the arown floated on the breezeat all With a square cut neckline and sleeves that looped low overmy shoulders bare, it flattered my body, as it no doubt had flattered ossamer was left untaered the siift froem for the love of his life Or so my mother had told me I’d twisted my hair into an elaborate cluster of curls with Simmy’s help, but a few tendrils had escaped their confines as I’d walked to the Spiral and they now spilled downLike tonight

"I hate sitting in there, everyone looking at me" Their eyes full of pity I didn’t say that part, but Coal heard me loud and clear He turned me toward hi woman, no matter your abilities, Lark You have to remember that You are a princess; don’t let theht froone These were the ood man That I was happy he was in limpse of blond hair and Ender leathers Ash obviously hadn’t said anything to anyone aboutpost already Whichsoht, it didn’tmy back, a smirk on my lips, I stepped into the Spiral,All around s darted around the roo up the recesses, and the candles flickered and sputtered with the tiny breezes the bugs caused Everyone was dressed in his or her finery The bringing forward of complaints happened only once every season, which wasit was my turn to sit at my father’s feet while he listened to the concerns of his people With five other siblings, it was easy to forget where I fit in