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"What about Mare?"

Even now, on the heels of his own death sentence, how is Cal stupid enough to worry aboutfor the first tie His voice quivers, as it should The coward has everything to be afraid of, including me "Guarded But not hurt"

Distaste flickers across the Colonel’s face I suppose he wants me dead too Who could overrule him, I don’t know Farley’s mysterious Command, perhaps, whoever they are

"Is that what you’ll do to people liketo bring Shade down here next and put hie like some sort of pet? Until we learn to obey?"

"That depends on hiut "He’s been a good soldier So far Just like your friend here," he adds, putting one flat hand on Kilorn’s shoulder He reeks of fatherly pride, so an orphan, even a father as horrible as the Colonel ood "Without him, I would’ve never had the excuse, or the opportunity, to lock you up"

I can only glare at Kilorn, hoping aze hurts him as much as he’s hurt me "How proud you must be"

"Not yet," the fish boy replies

If not for our years in the Stilts, ourlike alley rats, I would’ve never seen it But Kilorn is easy to read, forhis back and shrugging his hips, it looks natural But there’s nothing natural about what he’s trying to do The bottoes It slips dangerously, sliding between the fabric and sto fros free It bursts open inneedles as it falls They hit the floor, shattering and spilling fluid across our toes Most would think thee still intact, half-hidden by Kilorn’s curling fist

"Daht He reaches for the box, hoping to salvage soets a needle in the neck for his trouble

The surprise of it gives Kilorn the second he needs to squeeze, ee into the Colonel’s veins Like Farley, he fights, cracking Kilorn across the face He goes flying, colliding with the far wall

Before the Colonel can take another step, Cal explodes out of his chair and slaainst the observationThe Lakelander soldiers look on helplessly frouns ready but useless After all, they can’t open the door They can’t risk letting the s and Cal’s dead weight knocks the Colonel out cold He slides down the , knees buckling beneath hinified pile With his eyes closed, he looksNormal, even

"Ow" sounds froed or not, the Colonel packs a ht, I take quick steps toward hi to comfort hi against bone He howls,his balance altogether

Ignoring the pain in ether "Now youaround his ainstto catch you down here either way Figured I’d do ood if I wasn’t in the cell next to you" He heaves a sigh "I told you to trust me Why didn’t you believe it?"

For that, I have no answer