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Rokan took a deep breath The directness of his gaze strengthened his rese cold or judgal as he could, but uncertainty ritten all over hiument with Clarisse

"I wasn’t able to wake you earlier, or I would have warned you Nobody knoent to the Mistwood We think it would be best to keep your true identity a secret for now I hope you’re not offended"

"Of course not," said Isabel, who had no idea what her true identity was "That seems wise"

Rokan ran his hand over his hair and clutched the back of his neck "Oh Good" He hesitated again, then blurted, "I don’t actually know that much about the Shifter"

Then you know ave himatic smile and said, "Tell end An is of Saed the back of his neck "When the realoes to the Mistwood Then there may be no Shifter for twenty, fifty, once even a hundred years But when she is needed, she always co about you," Clarisse put in "It’s very pretty, if you like the high notes"

Isabel ignored her Based on her brief experience, that already seemed like the best way to deal with Clarisse She stepped closer to the door and turned sideways, so that she could be closer to Rokan without allowing Clarisse or Will out of her line of sight

Rokan dropped his hand to his side and continued "You left ten years ago, and at the time you were called Isabel I was a child then, but…" He faltered and glanced at his sister "We weren’t sure you would co through the snow, blood trailing behind her Tears falling, not leaving aPain Terrible, terrible pain…

"Yes," Isabel said without thinking, "there were"

Rokan straightened, pulling away from the wall He, Will, and Clarisse looked at one another They were afraid Rokan and Clarisse both hid it alh, but Will’s face was near white

Rokan recovered first, leaning back gingerly against the wall, trying to act casual "So why did you leave?"

Isabel lifted her eyebrows "I ahness"

Rokan’s hand tightened against his leg, but all he said was, "I understand"

Isabel highly doubted it She changed the subject "You were speaking of hiding my identity Hoill that be possible, if people remember me from last time?"

Rokan let out a breath "Not everyone kneho you were For the past hundred years or so, you’ve always pretended to be an ordinary mortal--a sorceress, an adviser, once a nursemaid There were always rumors, of course, but only a few people have ever known for sure"

Isabel lifted her eyebrows "Won’t there be rumors this time, too?"

"Of course, especially after your rather drarinned at her, and Isabel’s lips started to curl upward in response Then Clarisse snorted, his sht line "But we don’t have to confirrow accustoht she couldn’t tell he was lying She only wished she knehat he was lying about "Isabel is a coh name We’ll say you’re frohters whose father bought his way into the nobility There are so ht"

Isabel nodded, then walked past him and Clarisse to take a seat on the plush wooden bench near the fireplace Some of the tension had drained fro As she sank into the cushion, though, she re else "What about the bracelet?"

The royal siblings exchanged another look she couldn’t decipher Were they afraid she was going to ask the her wrist, the tiny, cool crystals rubbing against her skin

"Nobody outside of the royal faive you away Many of the women at court wear jewels, so you won’t stand out I’owns, too--"

"Oh, no," Isabel said sharply "I won’t wear a skirt I can’t walk in"

For a hed "Oh, those aren’t in style anyht skirts for years They’re all sort of--you know--flowy Like Clarisse’s"