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"The boy speaks true," the manservant Holland says He shifts to stand next to Maven, strangely protective of his prince "He’s felt this way for months now, since he returned from the front"

"And you told hihts?" Farley sneers, turning her fearsoaze on Holland But the man holds firm

"I’ve known the prince since boyhood Anyone close to hi at Maven, as if re the boy he was "Think what an ally he could be What a difference he could make"

Maven is different I know that firsthand, but so tells me my words won’t sway Farley Only Maven can do that now

"Swear on your colors," she growls at hi toon your life, your family, and your children to come, all at once And Maven doesn’t hesitate to do it

"I swear on e e proposal, but this is far more important, and more deadly

"Welco away her scarf

I move quietly over the tile floor until I feel his hand in mine It blazes with now familiar heat "Thank you, Maven," I whisper "You don’t knohat this means to us" Toa Silver, and a royal at that, but Farley barely reacts at all "What are you willing to do for us?"

"I can give you inforht need to continue forith your operation I sit on tax councils with my father--"

"We don’t care about taxes," Farley snaps She casts an angry glance at"What we need are naets What to hit and when to cause the ive me that?"

Maven shifts, uncomfortable "I would prefer a less hostile path," heyou any friends"

Farley scoffs, letting the sound echo over the conservatory "Your people are a thousand times more violent and cruel than mine We’ve spent the last few centuries under a Silver boot and we’re not going to get out by being nice"

"I suppose," Mavenof Thomas, of everyone he watched die His shoulder brushesinto hs out loud

"The little prince and the little lightning girl" She laughs "You two suit each other One, a coward, and you"--she turns to --"the last ti in the mud for a miracle"

"I found it," I tell her To ceht over us

The darkness seems to shift andorder, stepping out from trees and bushes Their faces are masked with scarves and bandannas, but they don’t hide everything The tallest onelimbs I can tell by the way they stand, tense and ready for action, that they’re afraid But Farley’s face doesn’t change She knows the people ainst Maven, or even reat surprise, she finally ser