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Suddenly the gaze of cameras, heavier than I’ us as the line of vehicles passes by the stage Luckily we keep driving, h an archway to a small courtyard, but then we pull to a stop

"What’s this?" I whisper, grabbing onto Maven Until now, I’ve kept hts and the cahs heavily,a speech Just so to keep thevictory"

Maven steps out, pullingwith him Despite my makeup and my clothes, I feel suddenly very bare This is for a broadcast Thousands, millions, will see this

"Don’t worry, we just have to stand and look stern," he mutters in my ear

"I think Cal has that covered" I nod to where the prince broods, still attached at the hip to Evangeline

Maven snickers to himself "He thinks speeches are a waste of time Cal likes action, not words"

Thatin coht so, but not now Not ever again

A bustling secretary beckons us His clothes are blue and gray, the colors of House Macanthos Maybe he knew the colonel, maybe he was her brother, her cousin Don’t, Mare This is the last place to lose your nerve He doesn’t spare a glance at us e fall into place, standing behind Cal and Evangeline, with the king and queen at the head Strangely, Evangeline is not her usual cool self; I can see her hands shaking She’s afraid She wanted the spotlight, she wanted to be Cal’s bride, and yet she’s scared of it How can that be?

And then we’rewith too many Sentinels and attendants to count Inside, the structure is built for function, with s or salons People in gray uniforh they stop to let us pass Most of the doors are closed, but I limpse inside a few Officers and soldiers look down at ions Another rooy seems to hold a hundred video screens, each one operated by a soldier in battle unifor orders to faraway people and places The words differ, but the ers before the door to the video rooet a better look, but it suddenly sla back into line with Evangeline She ht

But hts on the front steps of the structure A bronze plaque next to the door reads War Command This place is the heart of the un is controlled from within My stomach rolls at the power here, but I can’t loseht When I flinch, I hear a voice inside lance at it and I almost scream Now I knohat I was saved for

Earn your keep, Elara’s voice whispers inher best not to grin

Maven follows her wretched gaze and notes the paper in ers around th intomore than to rip the paper in two, but he holdsso low I can barely hear hirieves for the lives lost, but know that they were not lost in vain Their blood will fuel our resolve and drive us to overcome the difficulties ahead We are a nation at e have been for a century, and we are not unaccustomed to obstacles in the path to victory These people will be found, these people will be punished, and this disease they call rebellion will never take hold in my country"

The video screen in my new bedroo’s speech fro loop By now I can recite the whole thing word for word, but I can’t stop watching Because I knoho coe on the screen, too pale, too cold I still can’t believe I kept a straight face while I read the words When I step up to the podiu’s place, I don’t even tremble

"I was raised by Reds I believed I was one And I saw firsthand the grace of His Majesty the king, the just ways of our Silver lords, and the great privilege they gave us The right to work, to serve our country, to live and live well" On-screen, Maven puts a hand onwith my speech "Now I know I am Silver born, a lady of House Titanos, and one day, a princess of Norta My eyes have been opened A world I never dreamed of exists, and it is invincible It is merciful And these terrorists,to destroy the bedrock of our nation This we cannot allow"

In the safety of

"In his wisdo Tiberias has drafted the Measures, to root out this sickness of rebellion, and to protect the good citizens of our nation They are as follows: As of today, a sunset curfew is in effect for all Reds Security will be doubled in every Red village and town New outposts will be built on the roads, andof the curfeill be punished by execution And"--at this, e has been lowered, to the age of fifteen Anyone who provides infor to capture of Scarlet Guard operatives or the prevention of Scarlet Guard actions will be awarded conscription waivers, releasing up to five members of the same family from military service"

It’s a brilliant, and terrible, maneuver Reds will tear each other apart for such waivers

"The Measures are to be upheld at all costs until the disease known as the Scarlet Guard is destroyed" I stare intoonlive the king"

Anger ripples throughmy face with a black void But I can still see each new order infro for their stolen children We killed a dozen of theirs and they kill a thousand of ours Part of me knows these bloill drive some Reds to the side of the Guard, butFor their lives, for their children’s lives, they will give up what little freedo their puppet would be easy co But I cannot let theers on the horizon I a me away and killsouth toward the sea When I stare at the water, I can ignorecurrent to the dark se on the horizon While the rest of the sky is clear, dark clouds hover in the south, neverfrom the forbidden land at the coast The Ruined City Radiation and fire consu but a black ghost sitting just out of reach, a relic of the old world