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Gathered in the tent were roup of tired, bloodied, travel-stained ri with ions were also there, along with representatives from the Senate - who, Amara felt sure, were there s considered, the tent was quite crowded

A beside her father, the silver-haired Lord Cereus

"Amara," Veradis said, and hurried over, her expression concerned "What happened?"

"Oh, I bu obstinate," Amara replied

Veradis took her by the left arm and lifted Amara's hand in tandeood cause I'll have someone see to it e're finished"

Veradissound with her ive it to me"

"There's no need to - "

Veradis lifted her left hand and quite calether, as if in the ently andto herself The pain eased over the next several seconds, and Aa asked Bernard

"Yes"

Doroga shook his head, studying Gaius Attis Then he said, "Be right back"

The broad-shouldered barbarian calot close, both Ehren and Lady Placida seerow tenser Lady Placida slid half a step forward, to place herself between Doroga and Attis

"Take it easy, woa drawled "Just want to talk to the a blinked, then seeel He offered it to Lady Placida by its handle, and released it as soon as she had it The cudgel fell with a heavy thurunted She had to ain and set it cala nodded, then stepped up onto the platfor down at hia?" Attis asked politely

"Yes," Doroga said "You are the man whose people convinced Atsurak to lead thousands of a, then swept his gaze around the room Finally, he looked down at his own blanket-covered lap and smiled, rather bitterly "It wasn't difficult"

The buzz of conversation in the room simply stopped Everyone stared at Attis, Amara included Oh, certainly, everyone had knoas behind the events preceding Second Calderon, but there hat everyone knew, then what they could prove Lord and Lady Aquitaine had gotten aith it without leaving any concrete proof to connect them to the Marat invasion No one had spoken of it openly - such a charge, made without proof, would have been instant and undeniable reason for the Aquitaines to call the speaker to the juris macto

And yet, Attis had just admitted to his part in the plot, in front of the , evidently unaware of what he had just done "Lot of people died Yours and a said, "you and Iof which I aa nodded "It is done Dealing with the vord is more important But I will have your pro in the future"

Attis looked bea nodded and extended his hand Attis reached out, and the two traded grips of one another's forearms