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"Proof that I was really a ht to be a ested "Skins will not help you against that lot" I jerked uards

Coazed at the slain cat, then th hair shortened into his buzz cut, fine lines of age growing on her face as he eround as his wrinkle-free unifor them dismissively

"You shouldn’t do that," I said "She’s a part of you You ain"

"And do I need you, Yelena? Can I trust you to keep my mutation a secret?" the Co you back Isn’t that answer enough?"

"Valek swore me a blood oath of loyalty when I carved my initial on his chest Would you do the same?"

"Does Valek know about Ambrosia?" I asked

"No You haven’t answered my question"

I showed the Coainst ed my loyalty to Valek, who is faithful to you"

The Commander reached for the butterfly I stood still as he removed it from my necklace He took a knife fro the pendant in his bloody hand, he extended the knife towardas the knife bit into it Our blood ed between our palift was in my hand I returned it to its proper place over et back?" he asked

"You’re the Co around at the ring of soldiers, he drew his sword "We fight," he said

I pulled the spear fro the weight of the weapon in hter than a bow, and a bit off balance by the ed the htened iht

The men were skilled, but the Commander was a master swordsman He had bested Valek and killed a snow cat It was like fighting with five more defenders by uard’s heart, he exploded into a shower of snow crystals that floated aith the wind

Time slowed as I hacked at one man after another, until finally ti for an opponent only to discover that we had dispatched all the men Snoirled around us