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I smiled at him "That’s so sweet of you to ask It was a ht’s sleep couldn’t take care of"

"Wonderful Leif tells ed your mind about me," Bruns said

It about killed me, but I stretchedso silly I ht about it, I wondered why I would protect the Commander when he fired o to ht"

With his arm linked in mine as if ere old friends, he led arrison Before entering, Bruns ordered oons to remain outside As we climbed to the top floor, I searched ive to Bruns about the Co room, complete with a pretty secretary She handed him a stack of papers andfor hi us a pot of tea, please?"

She ju a door behind her desk, Bruns escorted me into his vast office It occupied the rest of the fifth floor The sleek furniture was made of ebony wood My boots sank into lush carpets, and the opulent paintings had gold fra s covered the entire back wall Unable to resist, I gazed at the view Sunlight glinted off the Jade Sea in the distance Right beloere the training yards and ar reed that we needed to prepare for war and offered it toyou?"

"I believe I’ the questions" Bruns’s voice held a dangerous tone

Uh-oh I turned "Sorry! I shouldn’t ask such obvious questions Of course all the Councilors support you You’re going to save Sitia"

Bruns relaxed "Sit down, Yelena"

I sat in one of the leather armchairs The dark maroon color reminded me of dried blood Bruns tossed the papers on his desk before sitting across from me

"Do you knohere Valek is?" he asked

An easy question "Not exactly When we parted, he was headed to the coast of MD-1 to deal with Storo was that?"

I calculated "Twenty-three days"

"Do you think that’s enough time for him to finish?"

"I don’t know It depends on how smart the thieves are"

"Is it possible that he followed you to Sitia instead of going to the coast?"

"Uh" That would , but he wouldn’t lie to me "It’s possible, but not probable"

"Why do you say that?"