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Back in ilded dress laid across their aremstones, the others fix my hair and h I look frantic and harried after such a ether to discuss the upcos rich ladies talk about, but today is different We’re back on the terrace overlooking the river, the red uniforh the crowd, but there are far morewith a full legion

Cal and Maven are there as well, both glittering in their h pleasant conversation while the king himself shakes hands with the soldiers All the soldiers are young, in gray uniforues et when they’re conscripted These Silvers are going to war, yes, but not to the real fighting They’re the sons and daughters of important people and to them, the war is just another place to visit Another step in their training To us, to me once, it is a dead end It is doom

But I still have to do my duty, to smile and shake their hands and thank them for their brave service Each word tastes bitter, until I have to duck away from the crowd to an alcove half hidden by plants The noise of the crowd still rises with the ain For a second, at least

"Everything okay?"

Cal stands overaround soldiers; I suppose it’s his natural habitat

Even though I want to disappear, eants"

He frowns "Mare, they’re going to the front I’d think you of all people would want to give theunfire "What part ofoff to war like it’s soo doesn’t make them any less brave"

"Well, I hope they enjoy their barracks and supplies and reprieves and all the thingssoldiers will ever want for so h he looks like he wants to yell at e Now that I knohat his temper is capable of, I’m surprised he can keep himself in check at all

"This is the first co into the trenches," he says evenly "They’re going to fight with the Reds, dressed as Reds, serving with Reds The Lakelanders won’t knoho they are when they get to the Choke And when the booing to get ion will take theinal"

But Cal doesn’t gloat Instead, he looks sad "You gave me the idea"

"What?"

"When you fell into Queenstrial, no one knehat to do I’h I try to speak, no sound co, let alone combat maneuvers Cal stares at me like he wants to say more, but he doesn’t speak Neither of us knohat to say

A boy fro, the eaver Oliver, claps a hand on Cal’s shoulder while the other clutches a sloshing drink He wears a unifor, Cal?" He chuckles, gesturing to the crowd around us "Next to the Lakelanders, this bunch will be easy!"

Calhis cheeks "I’ll take the Lakelanders any day," he replies, his eyes never leavingwith the ?" he says "Cal’s leading us! His own legion, all the way to the front"

Slowly, Cal shifts out of Oliver’s grip The drunk eaver doesn’t seeeneral in history, and the first prince to fight on the lines"

And the first to die, a ainst my better instincts, I reach out to Cal He doesn’t pull away fro eneral or even a Silver, but that boy at the bar, the one anted to save"When?"