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"No It’s also a disinfectant It will sting, butI’ll be fine if you want to wait--"

I hush her by touching a blob of the stuff directly to the tear She hisses

Her skin feels strange beneath ertips, so lumpy and stiff, hardly like skin at all But it’s as ware the salve along the edges of the wound, pretending not to notice when itblood I refuse to let , Mara is this way because of me She did it for ainst the wall as she squeezes her eyes closed

"Your gown is ready," Xiive Mara’s arm a squeeze, then rinse my hands Ximena dresses e of h to bend over and reach s on While she works, I pull out the pin holding upalone on the floor of the atriuht, isn’t he? I need e, my sky But once in a while, e , like today, then yes, it would be nice to have one more person Maybe two" She slips on a pair of soft leather slippers

My world is already so croith guards and constant visitors It’s been nice to have a se of privacy in the atrium with only ine adding a stranger to the mix But as Ximena sweeps up a layer of my hair and pins it with a mother-of-pearl comb, I say, "I’ll speak to the mayordomo about it soon"

She plants a kiss on my cheek "You’ll do what is best" She helps me to my feet

"Will you stay here with Mara?"

"I’m sure she’ll be fine without me"

I open my mouth to snap that it’s a command, not a question But at the lastnaling the guards to accompany ht for swords

Lord Hector hurries up as we round the first corner The guards shift foration," he says "How are you feeling?"

"Healthy and hearty and eager to see old friends" We descend a wide stairway, and I gladly take his offered are to think of Cosmé as queen," he says "I still picture her in her s an easy smile "And I still see her in leather boots and a desert cloak, tending to the wounded and teaching the little ones to use their slings"

"She has always been exceedingly capable," he says

"Indeed" Many times I have wished I were half so capable as Cosuards clear a path so I can knock on the door nize hi me "It’s Queen Elisa," he hollers over his shoulder

I clasp his upper arrown tall, Matteo"

His eyes are wide as he steps aside, and we have passed beyond him when he adds hurriedly, "I’ll be fourteen next e beds instead of one The bathing area is partly blocked by a velvet curtain, but I see the edge of a garderobe and a large wooden tub with carrying handles

A faure pushes the curtain aside

My breath catches as I look into the grinning face of Father Alentín, the one-armed rebel priest who becah-woven tunic and robe, and as usual, his empty sleeve is tucked in at the shoulder

Alentín wraps irl," he says "It has been too long" He eirl instead of a queen, and Ithe dusty cook-fire scent of his woolen robe I have to squeeze ood to see you too," Ifor you every day"

I step back and hold hiling with liarrison on the Invierne border Growling at anyone who gets in her way Putting nobles in their places"

"So, the usual"

"She sends her love Actually, she said ‘regards,’ which a"

I smile There was a tiard indeed

Alentín’s expression turns serious "Elisa, there is so you should know"

"Oh?"

He turns toward the bathing area and hollers, "Co man steps from behind the curtain, and my throat squeezes He is impossibly tall and reed thin, with a sharp jaw and hooked nose that make him austerely handsome He wears a black leather patch over one eye

It is Belén

The betrayer The boy who soldwe had fought for, in hisGod’s will

Softly he says, "Hello, Elisa"

I’m not sure what to say It aches a little to see him, because before he betrayed me, he was my friend And once he realized his i’s plans

But I can’t force warmth into my voice when I say, "Why are you here, Belén?"

He opens histo say Instead he hangs his head

Alentín reaches out and gives Belén’s shoulder a squeeze "This boy is quite reforine The court demands his execution, but Cosht tohi visits to the city have beco There was a scuffle in the stables--"

"But why send him here? Why to me?"

"Because I asked her to," Belén says He dares to holdback and forth between his eye and his patch before focusing detere of his nose "The Scriptura Sancta says thatfire unto the soul And that’s what I want to do: to e my life to your service"

I stare at him