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"You know the way Archeon’s built, with the Bridge, the West side, and the East side" My fingers race along with h map of the city in the dust "Now, the West side has the palace, coovernet to the king, and ree to our terms--it’s all over You said it yourself, Maven, you can run the whole country from Caesar’s Square All we have to do is take it"

Under the table, Maven patswith pride Farley’s usual suspicious look is gone, replaced by real hope She runs a hand over her lips,words to herself as she eyes the dust-drawn plan

"Thisback to his usual snide tone, "but I’h Reds in there to fight Silvers You need ten of us to bring down one of them Not to mention there’s the five thousand Silver soldiers loyal to your brother"--he glances at Maven--"all trained to kill, all trying to hunt us down as we speak"

I deflate, falling back against the seat "That could be difficult" I away West Archeon with a few strokes of his fingers "Legions are loyal to their generals And I happen to know a girl who knows a general very well"

When his eyes one, replaced now by bitter cold He s about Cal" The soldier The general The prince His father’s son Again I think of Julian, of the uncle Cal would kill for his twisted version of justice Cal would never betray his country, not for anything

When Maven answers, it’s ive hihing my reaction, and it’s almost too much pressure to bear "Cal will never turn his back on his crown, on your father"

"I knowyour life or saving his croe both knohat he will choose," Maven fires back

"He would never choose aze, with the eline Cal who savedmore pain upon myself Cal who savedto save others to notice how much Cal saves me How much he loves me

Suddenly it’s very hard to breathe

Maven shakes his head "He will always choose you"

Farley scoffs "You want me to pin ed love story? I can’t believe this"

Across the table, a strange look crosses Kilorn’s face When Farley turns to hi for some kind of support, she finds none

"I can," he whispers, his eyes never leaving my face

TWENTY-FIVE

As Maven and I are driven across the Bridge, heading back to the palace after our long day of handshakes and secret plans, I wish the daould begin tonight instead of to I’h the city Everything pulses with energy, frohts woven into steel and concrete It reo, when I watched the nyreenys attend their flowers In that instant, I found their world beautiful I understand nohy they want to keep it, to maintain their rule over all the rest, but that doesn’t mean I’ll let the’s return to his city, but in light of recent events, Caesar’s Square is much quieter than it should be Maven pretends to lament the lack of spectacle, if only to fill the silence

"The banquet hall is twice the size of the one at the Hall," he says as we enter the great gates I can see part of Cal’s legion drilling at the barracks, a thousand of the in time Their steps beat like a drum "We used to dance until dawn--at least, Cal did Girls didn’t ask me to dance much, not unless Cal made them"