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He did stand, daring to aze

Queen Levana was horrifically beautiful, with coral-red lips and skin as pristine as white lamour, of course Everyone knew that, but it didn’tat her could steal the breath of any ht very, very quiet in his head--the princess could steal both their breath and their heart

"Sir Clay," said the queen, her voice a lullaby now compared with the harshness fro your surprising yet joyful return I would like to see you reinstated to your previous position soon Our guard is weaker without you"

"I am yours to command"

"I’ve taken into consideration the co with two years of loyal service I’ve also had a tea into your claims about this … device Linh Garan invented, and it seems you were correct He unveiled a prototype he called a bioelectrical security device at an Earthen convention o As it happens, this discovery has also solved a mystery that my pack of special operatives in Paris had encountered earlier this year We no that Linh Cinder was not the only person to have had this device installed--but that her longtime protector, a wouess how h his heart was expanding at this news Cinder had seemed sure noAnd if she rong … if there were et one for Winter He could save her

"No h the air "We’re already finding ways to ensure no such invention will ever come to the Earthen market The reason I called you here was to discuss what is now to become of you And I have a special role in reeable"

"My opinion hter do yet carry soht Princess Winter may not have been born with e that she is a part ofthe court And I did love her father so" She said this with a sh Jacin couldn’t tell whether it was faked or not She turned away

"You knoas there when Evret was h the s "He died in my arms His last plea was that I would take care of Winter, our sweet daughter How old were you when he died, Jacin?"

He forced his shoulders to relax "Eleven, Your Majesty"

"Do you re what she wanted him to say Winter’s father and Jacin’s father had both been royal guards and the closest of friends Jacin had grown up with plenty of admiration for Evret Hayle, who had kept his position even after uard even after Queen Channary died and Selene disappeared and Levana ascended to the throne He often said he had no desire to sit on the throne beside her, and even less to sit around drinking wine and getting fat a the poh," he finally said

"He was a good aze slipped down to the fingers of her left hand There was no wedding band there--at least, not that she was allowing him to see

"I loved him very much," she repeated, and Jacin would have believed her if he believed she was capable of such a thing "His death nearly killed me"

"Of course, My Queen"

Evret Hayle had been e in the ht, and Jacin still remembered how devastated Winter had been How inadequate all of his atte to the sad gossip: how Evret had died protecting Levana, and how she had avenged hie’s heart

They said Levana had sobbed hysterically for hours

"Yes, well" Levana sighed again "As I held hi, I proardless She isHis reserves oflow