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On i He and Hector were et it "Thank you, Father"

He pats et sohts a few candles for us, then retires for the night I pace for hours, thinking about prophecy and God and Godstones, wondering how it’s possible for me to wish Ximena far, far away--but at the sa and an Everything’s going to be fine, , our backs and necks ache fro room Nicandro escorts us as ind our way into the Wallows, the uish one building fro structure of rundown adobe patched with driftwood and palm thatch The streets are narrow and crooked, the paver stone buckled--or re h the crowd, brushing against everyone they pass, rateful fors out bread and coins and are almost mobbed before Nicandro holds up his hands and yells, "No more left! We’ll be back next week!" The crowd h a warren of e--and into a narrow alley We come to a door that is warped and dry froes and lock mottled with rust He looks around towatched; then he pulls out a key and unlocks the door I wince as it squeals open We step into cool darkness

"I must return to the monastery," he says "Soe party from Amalur that arrived here In the next rooround village"

I reach out and take his hands "Thank you, Father"

"God be with you, dear girl When it begins, I’ll help however I can"

I search for words to tell him how much it ht, htened princess into his sacred archive and told her the truth But he is gone before I can bring it to my lips

For once we have a quick, easy journey The stair is long and steep, and it dumps us into a sh the doorway into cavern glooht

The underground village is just as I re crevices filled with sunshine and lush plants, hanging vines that al around the far wall before plunging into a tunnel that leads to the sea But this tiuild taxes, the cavern is also filled witharmor Others practice ooden swords in a cleared space near the river Still others nap or cook or help the villagersquietly No one speaks above a whisper

When I left,But I see lots of unfaarrison of sixty Maybe rated

I sent a Godstone to Captain Lucio with orders to trade it on the black market and use the funds to rebuild my Guard, but his achievement has exceededhope

Two guards stand at attention outside the clay hut, and they step forward to block our path, swords drawn Hector is the first to reasp

"It’s the commander!" one yells, and the other shushes hirabbed the attention of every person in the cavern And when I remove my own hood, an even deeper silence descends on the place

Then all of a sudden we are swar excla indiscriers latch on to Store of his robe to their cheeks as if it confers so Murhout the cavern Storh, his gaze full of exquisite boredo every second

"Back," Hector orders when I’m jostled one too uards collect the around at one another shaaze out over the s deep of the ood to be holad to see you all" I open ure darts out fro skinny ar ht "I told them you would come back," he says "I told them"

I s the sudden luht"

He squirs the boy just as fiercely "I’ood job of it, I see," Hector ansith equal gravity

Rosario spots Red and cocks his head "I’s, avoiding his gaze

"You’re al as ly

I raise an eyebrow at Mara, who takes o inside and get acquainted, shall we?" she says, and Ito spend lots of tiers,Whatever he wants

I return my attention to my Guard, and find Captain Lucio off to the side "Captain, how do you find the Guard? Are they battle ready?"

"At aless "I see a lot of new faces a you Know that you are most welcome If Lord-Comht"

This isoath sworn to the queen is a wonderful thing for some; it means three meals a day and a monthly stipend

I spot Fernando in the crowd and resist the urge to single hiht back with me fro still, but Lucio must have promoted hiht, I notice Conde Tristán, kneeling alongside the rest, surrounded by men in the ivory and sky blue of Selvarica Our eyes meet, and he ss have not gone well for hilad to see hi up with everyone I’d love a long nap and days’ worth of hot meals And dear God, I’eneral figures out I’ "pilgrims" a secret for ht

With a deep breath and a raised chin, I address my Guard "The fate of Joya d’Arena and the world stands on a knife’s edge, so pay attention Conde Eduardo’s adviser Franco, the man who tried to assassinate me and who kidnapped Lord-Commander Hector, is dead at the coreet this announcement "We crossed the border into Invierne and learned much about our ancient enemy Then we journeyed to Basajuan, where I met with Her Majesty Queen Alodia and Her Majesty Queen Cos story short, I will just say that they swore fealty to me and to Joya d’Arena You are now an Ied our newfound accord to bargain for peace with Invierne" I have an aard moment where I pull the robe over my head just so I can reach my pants I toss the robe aside and retrieve a roll of parchment froned by

"I share this with you so you knohat is at stake The treaty can only remain effective if I am in power" I pause to consider my next words carefully "But this is not about me Our actions will not be re, disposable ruler we put on the throne They will be ree of history and deterive them a moment to consider, to absorb