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Jacin’s jaw tensed He waited Waited for her to accuse hi a known traitor Waited for his punish too

Finally he dipped his head "All due respect, Your Majesty, uard was your decision Not mine"

She shot hihing, Levana rose to her feet and walked behind Winter’s usual chair She s the top of the upholstery "After much deliberation, I have devised a test of sorts A mission to prove your loyalty once and for all I think, with thisyou back into the service of er to have your skills under his colinted "Quite"

Jacin’s brows knit together and it dawned on him slowly that this wasn’t about Cress at all

He would have felt relief, except, if it wasn’t about Cress …

"I told you before of my promise to my husband, Winter’s father," Levana continued "I told him I would protect the child to the best of my ability All these years, I have held to that promise I have taken care of her and raised her as e of rebellion at these words She had raised Winter as her own? No She tortured Winter by h everyone kne she hated theured her beautiful face She had mocked Winter relentlessly for what she saw as herWinter had to be to avoid the telamour, and how much willpower it had taken her to suppress it over the years

A wry smile crept over Levana’s bloodred lips "You do not like when I speak of your darling princess"

"My queen may speak of whomever she pleases" The response was automatic and monotone It would make no difference to try to deny he cared for Winter, not when every person in this palace had witnessed their childhood antics, their garown up beside Winter because their fathers were so close, despite how i at sword fights with the son of a lowly guard He re to protect her even then, even before he kneto steal a kiss froht She laughed and turned away, scolding him Don’t be silly We can’t do that until we’re married

No, his only defense was to pretend he didn’t care that everyone knew it That their taunts didn’t bother him That every time Levana mentioned the princess, his blood didn’t turn to ice That he wasn’t terrified Levana would use Winter against hiiven the best tutors, the finest clothes, the most exotic of pets When she makes a request of h she paused, Jacin did not think she was expecting a response

"Despite all this, she does not belong here Her mind is too weak for her to ever be useful, and her refusal to hide those hideous scars hasa mockery of the crown and the royal family" She set her jaw "I did not realize the extent of her disgrace until recently Aiirl I could not have hoped for a better match for a child who has no royal blood" Her tone becaain, but he’d recaptured control of hiet no rise from him, not even on this topic

"But, no," said the queen at last "The child refuses even this generous offer For no other reason, I can fatho further humiliation on this court" She tilted her chin up "Then there was the incident in AR-2 I trust you remember?"

His mouth turned sour If he had not been so careful to hide hisdread, he would have cursed

"No?" Levana purred when he said nothing "Allow lided across the netscreen It flickered to life inside its elaborate frae of a quaint little row of shops He saw hi her with his shoulder, and letting her nudge hili

His chest felt hollowed out Anyone could see how they felt about each other