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"I can’t believe you lured me into this mess, Darrow," Lorn ray to be party to squabbling "Can’t even trust your own council"

"Grunawed druainst the table, unimpressed by the display

"We would hear your wisdom, Arcos," Kavax says respectfully

"I would listen to your councillors, Darrow" Lorn pops his knotted fingers "I’ve got scars older than them, but they aren’t completely naïve Better safe than sorry Confine Victra to her quarters"

"You don’t even know me, Arcos!" Victra protests, finally pulled out of her chair You see the warrior in her now, flaring just beneath the cultured cal with Darrohen you were still cowering in your floating castle pretending it’s ad 1200"

"Time does not prove one’s loyalty" Lorn scoffs and touches his scars "Scars do"

"You took those fighting for the Sovereign You were her sword How much blood did you draw for her? How many men did you watch burn at the side of the Ash Lord?"

"Do not speak of Rhea to liht beneath the wrinkles andthe wrathfulness of youth in her, and he looks to s Golds like Tactus and Victra to his side Does he even knowOf course not

"Honor in the first Honor in the last Those arelady, well, the name Julii does not exactly lift one to nobler purpose, does it? You’re just traders"

"My naet snakes," Lorn replies, not even looking at her now "You o, you are a snake And what do snakes do, rass, and then they bite"

"We could ransorippina joins us or at least stops pissing all over our plans"

"You’re a sinister little shit, aren’t you?" Victra asks

"I’m Gold, bitch What’d you expect? Warm milk and cookies just because I’ eyes

"It see unfair, hypocritical even," he observes "All here know ht even think I come from noble blood and noble seed But we Fabii are a dishonest breed Mother’s a Senator who lines her pockets with agricultural funds and lowColor medical subsidies so that she can live in randfather poisoned his own nephew over a Violet starlet a quarter his age, who ended up stabbing hi herself when she discovered he killed the nephew, her lover But that’s nothing next to reat-uncle, who fed servants to lae passion Yet here I aer no one here questions my loyalty

"Why then do we doubt Victra’s? She has remained steadfast to Darrow since the Acade about it, so I insist you shut your mouths Even when her ustus, she stayed Even when the Praetorians came to kill us on Luna, she stayed Now she is here, e are littlecoalition of bandits, and you question her You disgust st you bickerers So if another man or woman questions her loyalty, I will lose faith in this fellowship And I will leave"