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"So, if the queen was your sister, then you’re--"

"Julian Jacos, at your service" He sweeps into a co more than a few old books My sister was the late queen Coriane, and Prince Tiberias the Seventh, Cal as we all call him, is my nephew"

Now that he says it, I can see the rese is his father’s, but the easy expression, the warmth behind his eyes--thoseto turn me into some science experi offended, Julian laughs aloud "My dear, the queen would like nothingwhat you are, helping you understand it, is the last thing she wants"

"But you’re going to do it anyway?"

Soer "The queen’s reach is not so long as she wants you to think I want to knohat you are, and I’o, that’s how intrigued I a at me over a stack of books "I’m sorry to say I must also do as asked, to prepare you for the day you step forward"

My face falls, re what Cal explained in the throne room You are their champion A Silver raised Red "They want to use me to stop a rebellion Somehow"

"Yes, my dear brother-in-law and his queen believe you can do so, if used appropriately" Bitterness drips from his every word

"It’s a stupid idea and i and then" My voice trails away Then they’ll kill , Mare You don’t understand the power you have no much you could control" He clasps his hands behind his back, oddly tight "The Scarlet Guard are too drastic for e, the kind people can trust You are the slow burn that will quench a revolution with a few speeches and smiles You can speak to the Reds, tell the and his Silvers are You can talk your people back into their chains Even the Silvers who question the king, the ones who have doubts, can be convinced by you And the world will stay the same"

To my surprise, Julian seeet myself and my face curls into a sneer "And you don’t want that? You’re a Silver, you should hate the Scarlet Guard--andas thinking all Reds are inferior," he says, his voice grave "Whatto the deepest levels of hu you in an endless cycle of poverty and death, just because we think you are different froht And as any student of history can tell you, it will end poorly"

"But we are different" One day in this world taughtintoat a freak, Julian

"Will you letwill change"

Julian sighs, exasperated He runs a hand through his thinning chestnut hair "For hundreds of years the Silvers have walked the earth as living gods and the Reds have been insects at their feet, until you If that isn’t change, I don’t knohat is"

He can help ht even help me live

"So what do we do?"

My days take on a rhyth, Lessons in the afternoon, while Elara parades me at lunches and dinners in between The Panther and Sonya still see since the luncheon Maven’s help seems to have worked, as , this tinore me completely Despiteas I try to rereen Welle, greenwardens, green and gold Lerolan, oblivions, orange and red Rhambos and Tyros and Nornus and Iral and many more How anyone keeps track of this, I’ll never know