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"Aras!" Teia said

Ben-hadad said, "Teia, you said you didn’t want to hurt people for a living" He see out as a personal betrayal

"I don’t!" Teia said, defensive

"Then, what? When I argue for you joining the Blackguard, what they do is garbage and idiocy, but Kip co! Not all of us are bichroo wherever you want, do whatever you want You’re going to be powerful enough that no one will care who your parents are I don’t even have a real color"

"Your color is just as real as anyone’s People just don’t recognize it yet, Teia, we’ve talked--"

Teia shot back, "If no one recognizes it, no one’s going to recruit me for it either Maybe in five years ot no other options It’s all I’ood for Don’t you understand? I tried to find another sponsor I failed, and uard"

"I didn’t know your mistress ordered it I’ht, but he said nothing He was the one who’d unwittingly revealed the secret He was just hoping that by being quiet he ht avoid further wrath

"And you, partner, thanks a lot," Teia said

Chapter 20

Kip finished his breakfast, still feeling hungry Teia got up and went over to the lists on the wall She left her bowl and spoon and glass on the table, as it seeot up and left, too, heading in different directions Only Kip and Aras were still sitting at the table The gangly boy was a slow eater The apple of his throat was distractingly large, e, kind vulture

"Are we supposed to do anything with our bowls?" Kip asked

"Huh?" Aras had been looking over at soirls Pretty, in the same plain uniforms as everyone else, but with jewelry at their wrists and throats Rich girls Out of reach, but not out of the reach of dreams, from Aras’s distant look "Bowls? What?"

"Are we supposed to put away our bowls?" Kip asked Back ho up

"Slaves do it You should go First shift starts soon" Aras went back to staring at the girls

Leaving the table felt like abandoning safety to go back and play in the fields of the wolves But there was no putting it off Kip stood and headed toward the wall of lists He passed by soirl walked by, their arms down at their sides, eyes intent with concentration, their food held on blue trays that they each were drafting Each raised their hands slowly as they walked, trying to adjust the open luxin without spilling their food and drink Then they sealed their trays, almost si He’d sealed the luxin badly, and even as he reached the table, his tray disintegrated, dropping his bowl and glass, both of which shattered

"One for the girls!" his opponent said, setting down her perfect tray easily

The boy swore under his breath as soister piped up, "You’re cleaning that yourself, Gerrad No slaves"

Teia intercepted Kip before he got to the lists "We’ve got mirror duty, blue tower"

"What?" Kip asked

"You weren’t here for bearings hen they show us how things work You don’t know anything," Teia said "So I switched chores with someone I’ll be on your crew all week"

"Really?" Kip said It was a ray of nor his black clouds of utter cluelessness

He was about to thank her when she said, "No Don’t"