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Aelin leaned against the stone wall, hands sliding into her pockets Nothing huh Elide marked the way her hands, even within their confines, shifted

Bound in irons Battered

Only weeks ago, it had been the queen herself in Vernon’s place And now it seeh sheer will Stood here, ready to pry the inforthened Elide enough that she said to her uncle, "Your breaths are liest you use them wisely"

"Ruthless" Vernon smirked "The witch-blood in your veins ran true after all"

She couldn’t stand it To be in this room with him To breathe the same air as the man who had smiled while her father had been executed, smiled while he locked her in that tower for ten years Smiled while he’d touched Kaltain, done far worse perhaps, then tried to sell Elide to Erawan for breeding "Why?" she asked

It was the only question she could really think of, that really mattered "Why do any of it?"

"Since my breaths are limited," Vernon said, "I suppose it makes no difference what I tell you" A small smile curled his lips "Because I could," her uncle said Lorcan growled "Because my brother, your father, was an insufferable brute, whose only qualification to rule was the order of our birth A warrior-brute," Vernon spat, sneering toward Lorcan Then at Elide "Your mother’s preference seems to have passed to you, too" A hateful shake of the head "Such a pity She was a rare beauty, you know Such a pity that she was killed, defending Her Majesty" Heat flared across the rooht have been a place for her in Perranth had she not--"

"Enough," Elide said softly, but not weakly She took another step toward hith, his talent Of his wife" Vernon opened his mouth, but Elide lifted a hand "I a steady, shoulders back "I do not care why you are here I do not care what they plan to do with you But I want you to know that once I walk froain Your name will be erased from Perranth, from Terrasen, from Adarlan There will never be a whisper of you, nor any rehtly Then he smiled "Erased from Perranth? You say that as if you do not know, Lady Elide" He leaned forward as much as his chains would allow "Perranth now lies in the hands of Morath Your city has been sacked"

The words rippled through her like a blow, and even Lorcan sucked in a breath

Vernon leaned back, s as a cat "Go ahead and erase me, then With the rubble, it will not be hard to do"

Perranth had been captured by Morath Elide didn’t need to glance over a shoulder to know that Aelin’s eyes were near-glowing Bad--this was far worse than they’d anticipated They had to move quickly Get to the North as fast as they could

So Elide turned toward the door, Lorcan stalking ahead to open it for her

"That’s it?" Vernon demanded

Elide paused Slowly turned "What else could I have to say to you?"

"You did not ask me for details" Another snake’s same, Elide"

Elide returned his s lanced toward Lorcan and Aelin, toward their coathered in the hall "But they still have questions"

Vernon’s face went the color of spoiled milk "You mean to leave me in their hands, utterly defenseless?"

"I was defenseless when you letre over her "I was a child then, and I survived You’re a grown man" She let her lips curl in another smile "We’ll see if you do, too"

She didn’t try to hide her liht Lorcan’s eye and beheld the pride glea there

Not a whisper--not one whisper frouided her Not from fear, but … Perhaps she did not need Anneith, Lady of Wise Things Perhaps the goddess had known she herself was not needed

Not anymore

Aelin knew that one word from her, and Lorcan would rip out Vernon’s throat Or perhaps begin with snapping bones

Or skin him alive, as Rowan had done with Cairn

As she followed Elide, the Lady of Perranth’s head still high, Aelin forced her own breathing to remain steady To brace herself for as to co in her hands, the cold sweat down her back To learn what they needed, she could find some way to endure this next task

Elide halted in the hall, Gavriel, Rowan, and Fenrys taking a step closer No sign of Nesryn, Chaol, or Sartaq, though one shout would likely su warren