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"No! Not if Franco seesto have me killed"

"So it would be sufficient distraction They would abandon us for a while to chase after you"

He opens his nizes that I’ve trapped him on purpose

"This Franco He htened of him"

Fury rolls off him in waves He says, "Your Majesty, he is a trained assassin"

I gasp An Invierne assassin in my own palace all this time In the employ of a Quorum lord I never even suspected What if he’s the one responsible for the atteain

I say to Store Like a frightened rabbit"

He scowls

"Don’t worry," I add "I’m sure I can find someone to keep you company"

"I’d rather be alone"

I turn my lips into what I hope is a decent approxirin "I know"

"You would do well to hide, too," he says "Franco is cunning and skilled He is to ic"

"Oh" I letthat Storm will see and be amused "Hector, we have to tell everyone about this"

He reaches over and gives my knee a squeeze "Yes," he murmurs, and I close my eyes to savor the sensation

When we break for the noon meal, I tell everyone else what I learned from Storm No one is s to Xirip Her veil blurs her eyes and nose, and I’ there, even more relieved that we cannot make eye contact Because I’m terrified for her, too

"I can take care of hiht I’ll slip into his caer to his throat"

"Storht be your match"

"I can take care of him," Belén repeats

I knohat Belén can do Cosmé once told e as he snuck into an Invierno scout camp, slit the throats of three of their warriors, and disappeared like fog Should I send an assassin to kill an assassin? I know so little about Invierne Is this Franco an ano tradition of elite selection and training, like

Tristán says, "I’d like to change my vote"

"Vote? What do you mean?" I ask

"I think our company should split up," he says "At the next port, you and a few others should go off in search of the zafira without the rest of us We’ll try to draw the assassin away It’s an opportunity you shouldn’t pass up They’ll eventually figure out what happened, but you could buy yourself days, even weeks, of safety"

I nod, considering

Xi to be followed by the servants of a pouting Quoru entirely" She looks down pityingly at the creature clinging to her

"Hector, when is the soonest we could split off?" I ask

"If we can ht be able to commission a ship I know a captain who’s scheduled to be in port soon with a batch of early-harvest wine"

Probably wine from his home in Ventierra "Someone you trust, then?" I ask

He nods "With my life and honor"

"Then we continue on to Puerto Verde and split off there We’ll keep a close eye on Franco and his group until then and adapt as necessary" I look around at everyone "Unless I hear convincing counsel otherwise?"

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