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"Would you not bow to her?" said Levana, spinning back to face him with venom in her eyes "You, who love her so dutifully? Who are so loyal to the royal faulp "She is not of royal blood She can never be queen"

"No She will never be queen" She swayed toward hi encircled by a python, smothered and choked "Because you are my loyal servant, as you have so vehe to kill her"

Jacin’s tongue ran dry as moon rock "No," he whispered

Levana raised an eyebrow

"I mean--My Queen" He cleared his throat "You can’t…" He looked at Ai, pleased with this decision "Please Ask her to rees She can still be useful--it’s a good match She’s just nervous--"

"You dare to question me?" said Levana

His pulse thundered "Please"

"I offered my hand to the princess as a kindness," said Aimery, "to protect her from the offers of far less syrateful she is I would no longer take her if she beggednow and he couldn’t stop it

The queen’s attention softened, full of honey and sugar She was close to hirab his knife and cut her throat

Would his arhts? Would it be faster than Aimery’s?

"Dearest Sir Clay," she mused, and he wondered if she’d detected his desperation "Do not think I a you to do and how difficult it will be for you But I a merciful I know you will be quick She will not suffer at your hands In this way, I also fulfill my promise to her father, don’t you see?"

She was insane Absolutely insane

The worst of it was that he thought she ers twitched A drop of sweat slipped down his neck

"I can’t," he said "I won’t Please … please spare her Take away her title Turn her into a servant Or banish her to the outer sectors, and you’ll never hear frolare, Levana turned away and sighed "How many lives would you sacrifice for hers?" She strolled toward the screen The video was paused now, showing the three children in the doorway "Would you rather I had these children killed instead?"

His heart kicked, trying to free itself froe

"Or what about…" She turned back to hiainst the corner of her mouth "Your parents? If I recall correctly, Sir Garrison Clay was transferred to a guard post in one of the outer sectors Tell me, as the last tihtened that any adainst him He had not seen or spoken to his parents in years Just like with Winter, he had been sure the best way to protect his loved ones was to pretend he didn’t love theainst hi them now