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In his years as Pris very little privacy, at least not fro when the Blackguards had teased hiht, sometimes loudly, seemed less humorous when he saw Marissia’s carefully blank face and deeply shadowed eyes

There are nations at stake, and I’s Gavin cursed inwardly

After getting dressed--Karris picked out his clothes, soes--Gavin went downstairs He stopped only to say, "Twenty minutes, meet me at the back door, packed and ready for war"

Karris nodded griht, and they couldn’t afford to burn toothe Spectruht it was definitely better than being stuck between two jealous woht that Marissia couldn’t have, of course, because it was a fight she would lose spectacularly, but that didn’tto Orholauards accoiven the assassination atteht, but it still made Gavin feel like a prisoner

"You have e asked

"There’s going to be a battle for Ru in two days, and I need to be there"

"And how are you going to do that? We thought you ith the fleet," the Blue said

So Gavin explained, concisely He could travel across the sea in a day There was already a map on the table with the disposition of forces that they had guessed Gavin moved and added and subtracted forces until it was accurate

"How do you know all this?" Delara asked

"I’m the Prism," Gavin said "Five minutes"

"You can’t treat us like this We aren’t slaves to take your orders What will you do if we don’t let you go?" Klytos Blue asked

Turning cold eyes on the little man, Gavin said, "I’ll kill you and piss on your corpse" He meant it

Klytos Blue’s mouth dropped open His wasn’t the only one

"I came here as a courtesy," Gavin said "But thousands of people are going to die if I don’t leave, so tellthousands of warriors over one spineless wor ht now"

Klytos opened his mouth, and Gavin pointed a hand at him and shrouded it in flame "Try me," he said " ’Cause I really need to piss"

The White intervened "Gavin, Lord Prise looked distraught that he was already considering Ru lost, but he told her if things ell, they ht be able to save the city after all He didn’t believe it, but it placated her And then he left

No one tried to stop hiether, with four uards, they crossed the seas The ships of the fleet had anchored less than five leagues froin toht when Kip was su on his trainee’s garb He strapped the dagger sheath to his calf, and checked that the slit he’d cut in his trouser leg allowed hirab it It was more obvious than he would have liked, but people probably wouldn’t be looking at his leg today He put the lenses pouch on his right hip He ran a hand through his unruly hair and stumbled up to the deck