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My eyes betrayto Cal A princess must marry a prince

"You willa toe out of line"

I swear I hearsound escapesto say, but I’er prince looks equally confused, sputtering just as loudly as I want to This tih his eyes are on es to find his voice "I don’t understand," he blurts out, shrugging off Cal He takes quick steps toward his father "She’s--why--?" Usually I’d be offended, but I have to agree with the prince’s reservations

"Quiet," his lares at her, every inch the young son rebelling against his parents But hisher wrath and power as well as I do

My voice is faint, barely audible "This seems a bitmuch" There’s simply no other way to describe it "You don’t want to make me a lady, rily white "Oh but I do, my dear For the first time in your rudimentary little life, you have a purpose" The jab feels like a slap across the face "Here we are, in the early stages of a badly tihters, or whatever the hell these idiotic Red fools call thes up in the name of equality"

"The Scarlet Guard" Farley Shade As soon as the name crosses my mind, I pray Queen Elara stays out of s, scratching his neck

My years in the shadows have taught s Who carries the most money, on’t notice you, and what liars look like The king is a liar, I realize, watching as he forces another shrug He’s trying to be dis has hier than a few explosions

"And you," he continues, leaning forward "Youany h out loud if I wasn’t so scared "By o white in what I assume is the Silver version of a blush After all, their blood is silver "My name is Maven," he says, his voice soft and quiet Like Cal and his father, his hair is glossy black, but the similarities end there While they are broad and muscled, Maven is lean, with eyes like clear water "And I still don’t understand"

"What Father is trying to say is that she represents an opportunity for us," Cal says, cutting in to explain Unlike his brother, Cal’s voice is strong and authoritative It’s the voice of a king "If the Reds see her, a Silver by blood but Red by nature, raised up with us, they can be placated It’s like an old fairy tale, a co the princess She’s their champion They can look to her instead of terrorists" And then, softer, butelse: "She’s a distraction"

But this isn’t a fairy tale, or even a drea locked away for the rest ofone of them A puppet A show to keep people happy, quiet, and trah Houses will be satisfied too You’re the lost daughter of a war hero What better honor can we give you?"

IHe helped ain But Cal tips his head fro his head slowly He can’t help me here

"This isn’t a request, Lady Titanos," Tiberias says He uses h with this, and you will do it properly"

Queen Elara turns her pale eyes on me "You will live here, as is the custom for royal brides Every day will be scheduled atand anything possible toon her lip--"suitable" I don’t want to knohat that means "You will be scrutinized Froe of a knife One false step, one wrong word, and you will suffer for it"

My throat tightens, like I can feel the chains the king and queen are wrapping around me "What about my life--?"