Page 19 (1/2)

"Oh, and you know the man so well?"

Thankfully, he has no retort for that

"He looks at o off"

"He’s--" Kilorn stumbles, unsure of the words even as they leave his lips "He’s not entirely wrong though, is he?"

I spin so fast the heel of my boot leaves black skid marks in the concrete Would that I could leave a si face

"Hey, c’ the distance in a few quick steps But I keep walking, and he keeps following "Mare, stop That ca--"

"You are stupid, Kilorn Warren," I tell hi up ahead of me "Stupid and blind and cruel"

"Well, you’re no picnic either!" he thunders back, finally becoumentative twit I know he is When I don’t reply, nearly sprinting for the barracks door, his hand closes on rasp, but Kilorn knows allme away from the door, and into the shaded alley between Barracks 3 and 4 "Let go of nant I hear a little bit of Mareena come back to life in the cold, royal tone of er in hty shove, I push hihs, exasperated, and runs a hand through his tawny hair It sticks up on end "You’ve been through a lot, I know that We all know that What you had to do to stay alive with the out what you are, I don’t kno you caed you"

So perceptive, Kilorn

"Just because Maven betrayed you doesn’t ether" He drops his eyes, fiddling with his hands "Especiallyfor you to hide behind, I’ to help you hatever you need, however I can Please, trust row up" comes out instead, so sharp it makes hi But you made me an accounpoint, and now you tell me to trust you? When you’re in so deep with these people who are just waiting for an excuse to lockstirs in his eyes, the vulnerability hidden inside the relaxed persona he tries so hard to maintain This is the boy who cried beneath ht and die I tried to save hier, the Scarlet Guard, and doom

"I see," he says finally He takes a few quick steps back, until the alley yawns between us "It"Why would you trust ht? Compared to Shade And him--"

"Kilorn Warren" I scold him like I would a child, like his mother did before she abandoned him She would shriek when he skinned his knees or spoke out of turn I don’t remember , disappointed glares she saved for her only son "You know that’s not true"

The words corowl He squares his shoulders, fists balled at his sides "Prove it"