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Aelin didn’t reach for it "I’d rather you keep it"

"And I’d rather you have it," Elide challenged, holding the queen’s stare She asked softly, "Haven’t you given enough, Aelin? Won’t you let one of us do so "I failed You realize that, don’t you?"

"You put the keys back in the gate That is not failure And even if you had failed in that, I would give this ring to you"

"I owe it to your htened "You owe it to mythe ring into Aelin’s face "Take it If not for ain And then took it

Elide tried not to sigh as the queen slid it onto her finger

"Thank you," Aelin murmured

Elide was about to anshen the tent flaps opened, icy air howling in--along with Borte "You didn’t invitedraht rukhin were too tough for baths"

"Do you see how nice the men keep their hair? You think that doesn’t imply an obsession with cleanliness?" Borte strode across the royal tent and plopped onto the stool beside the queen’s tub Not at all see to care that the queen or Elide were naked

It took all of Elide’s will not to cover herself up At least with Aelin in the adjacent tub, the lip of the bath was high enough to offer the above thehts," Borte declared, flicking the end of one of her braids

Aelin shtly

"Hasar is cranky and cold Sartaq is used to these conditions and doesn’t care Kashin is trying to make the best of it, because he’s so damned nice, but they’re all just a little nervous that we’reon a hundred thousand soldiers, potentially more on the way, and that Erawan is not out of commission Neither is Maeve So they’re pissed They like you, but they’re pissed"

"I’d gathered as much," Aelin said drily, "when Hasar called me a stupid cow"

It had taken all of Elide’s restraint not to lunge for the princess And froods above, she knew it had been just as difficult for them

Aelin had only inclined her head to the princess and s now

Borte waved off Aelin’s words "Hasar calls everyone a stupid cow You’re in good company" Another smile from Aelin at that "But I’m not here to talk about that I want to talk about you and htly

Borte grinned "You’re alive You ht you’d be dead" She drew a line across her neck for e to haveone of the flanks into battle, but I’ve done that Been good at that" That grin widened "I want to lead your flank"

"I don’t have a flank"

"Then who shall you ride with into battle?"

"I hadn’t gotten that far," Aelin said, lifting a brow "Since I expected to be dead"

"Well, when you do, expect me to be in the skies above you I’d hate for the battle to be dull"

Only the fierce-eyed rukhin would have the nerve to callon a hundred thousand soldiers dull

But before Aelin could say anything, or Elide could ask Borte whether the ruks were ready against the wyverns, the ruk rider was gone

When Elide looked to Aelin, the queen’s face was so"

"It’s been snoith little rest for days now"