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When she spoke, her voice was very calm, and perfectly polite "Are you sure that's how you want to do this?"

"Did all that skulking around , Countess?" His eyes blazed "Kalarus Brencis Minoris was my friend And you killed hi to happen"

"I won't go into the details about howus There isn't time" Amara met his eyes "Lives are at stake, and we need the Marat ThatSo if you don't get out ofto move you You will not find it a pleasant experience Stand aside"

Ceregus lifted his chin and sneered down at her "Is that a thr - "

Aht with all the violent speed her fury could lend her, and slammed the heel of her left hand across the idiot's jaw

Rivus Ceregus went down like a poleaxed ox

The legionares on sentry duty all stared in silence at the unconscious a burst into a full-bellied laugh He s to unravel a loose thread from his tunic - but his shoulders quivered and jerked with his muffled amusement

Amara would have been teh she had broken it Human hands weren't meant to deliver bloith that kind of speed and force She clenched the fingers of her right hand into a tight fist to channel the pain elsewhere,her liaze on the sentries and nodded at the youngest "You Go into the command tent Find a senior officer and ask whether or not the clan-head is welcoionare threw her a sketchy, hasty salute, and hurried into the tent "You," A at another one "Fetch the nearest healer for the idiot"

"Y-yes, ize for the delay," As cleared up in a ly face

Bernard e his way between several sets of s ion lorica on stout poles Bernard nodded to Doroga and clasped forearms with the Marat, then turned to Amara

His jaw hadn't been pulverized to powder by Invidia's blow, but it had apparently broken into half a dozen shards The healers had only just been able to fuse the bones back together, including replacement teeth for the ones that had been knocked out, but there was still considerable swelling It would take multiple sessions and simple time to repair his jaw entirely, and in the face of the battle at hand, the healers had neither to spare When Bernard spoke, the words caa My lady Have they started yet?"

"I've no idea," Ae of the sentries and barred Doroga We're working things out"

Bernard looked gravely down at the unconscious man "My wife The diploionare returned fro to Amara "Countess, the Princeps sends his coratitude to the clan-head for co to us in our hour of need He is by all lanced at her husband and rolled her eyes "Thank you, legionare Doroga, if you please?"

Doroga joined Bernard in looking down at the unconscious htfully "Maybe even if I didn't"

They proceeded inside and found Gaius Attis waiting for the a sand table configured to represent the Calderon Valley A heavy blanket covered his legs, and he looked pale Sir Ehren stood in attendance at his side and a bit behind him, and Placida Aria stood in a similar position opposite Ehren