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Finally, a pause, and her head i to hold on to his declaration--what do you mean you care abouthis concerns

"We are already pawns in her gaame since the day she married my father, and you since the day you were conscripted into her guard"

His lips tensed and he moved to pull his hands away, the extended contact overstepping a thousand of his professional boundaries, but Winter reached up and wrapped her hands around his She held the both of their hands between theht on how er his hands were co realization "I thought it ame board every now and then"

One of Jacin’s thuers--just once, like a tic that had to be stifled

"That would be nice," he said, "but it can’t be while I’m on duty, and it really can’t be behind closed doors"

Winter glanced past him, at the door she’d shut when he’d co that I’ like I don’t see you at all?"

He pried his hands away "So like that I’m sorry, Princess" With a step back, he uard "I’ll be in the corridor if you needat her lower lip, unable to ignore the momentary bits of elation that had slipped into the cracks of an otherwise disappointing

I care about you more than I should

"Fine," she athered up the little compact of paints, a few paintbrushes, and the fist-size s

This tied in the corridor The first ti her, but this rin as she walked around to his other side and slid down the wall, planting herself on the floor next to hi to herself, she spread her painting supplies out before her

"What are you doing?" Jacin h the hallas empty

Winter pretended to ju up at him "I’, she turned her attention back to her work, dipping a paintbrush into rich cerulean blue

Jacin said nothing else Neither did she After the first ring was co herself e Overhead, Jacin sighed, and she felt the faintest brush of fingertips against her hair A hint, a suggestion of togetherness, before he became a statue once more

Nine

"Evaporated milk … kidney beans … tuna … more tuna … oh!" Cress nearly toppled headfirst into the crate as she reached for the bottous!"

Iko stopped digging through the crate beside her long enough to shoot her a glare "You and your taste buds can stop bragging anyti her lips, Cress set the jar on the floor "Good thing we opened this one The galley was starting to look pretty scarce"

"More weapons in here," said Wolf, his shoulders knotted as he leaned over another one of the crates "For a planet that’s seen a century of world peace, you uns"

"There will always be criminals and violence," said Kai "We still need law enforce everyone’s attention toward hiun from the crate "It’s just like the one Scarlet had" He flipped the gun in his pal the barrel "She shot me in the arm once"