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Her footsteps were even, not too fast or too slo far awaypurr in her head She nearly tripped over at the sensation The voice echoed in everything around and in her, s to bone, fro in her ears Farther, Jacos

Blank blank blank blank

She did not realize she hispering the words to herself, fervent as a prayer, until she was out of the banquet hall, down a passage, and through an etched glass door A tiny courtyard rose around her, s of rain and sweet flowers

"Blank blank blank blank," she nolia trees twisted in an arch, forreen leaves It was barely raining anymore, and she s of the storm It was chillier than she expected, but Coriane welco, she sank down onto a stone bench beneath the grove Its touch was colder still and she wrapped her arms around herself

"I can help with that," said a deep voice, the words slow and plodding

Coriane whirled, wide-eyed She expected Elara haunting her, or Julian, or Jessa a few feet aas clearly not any of the to her feet so she could bow properly

The crown prince Tiberias stood over her, pleasant in the darkness, a glass in one hand and a half-eh theof her poor for for her to stand

She did as co up to face hilass,the cup No one was foolish enough to refuse an offer from a prince of Norta "It’s not a coat, but it arh Pity there’s no whiskey at these functions"

Coriane forced a nod "Pity, yes," she echoed, never having tasted the bite of brown liquor With shaking hands, she took the full glass, her fingers brushing his for a moment His skin arm as a stone in the sun, and she was struck by the need to hold his hand Instead, she drank deep of the red wine

He ht fro his throat bob as he sed Jessamine would skin me if I did that

The prince did not sit next to her, but host of his warh to know his blood ran hot even in the daed to wear a trih it Part of her wished he would sit, only so she could enjoy the secondhand heat of his abilities But that would be improper, on both their parts

"You’re the niece of Jarred Jacos, yes?" His tone was polite, well trained An etiquette coach probably followed hiain, he did not wait for an answer to his question "My condolences, of course"