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Invidia folded her arms "Obviously It wasn't a part of the context"

The Queen tilted her head "But you intended to conquer Alera"

"I intended to take it whole," she said, "by co-opting its systeover nance The use of military force was never a preferred course of action Certainly, there was little probability that I would ever have a need to attack this re a convenient and predictable place for the Marat to attack, it's been of no historical importance whatsoever"

At that, Isana looked up from where she sat, near the imprisoned Araris's feet, and se, only slowly gathered back under control The burned woman turned to the Queen, and said, "Every s complications"

"They are not 'our' forces, Invidia," the Queen said "They are mine And you still think like an Aleran My troops will not desert in the face of starvation They will not cast their allegiance with another They will not hesitate to obey nor refuse to attack an enemy at my command Do not fear"

"I am not afraid," Invidia said, her voice coldly precise

"Of course you are," Isana said calmly "You're both terrified"

Invidia's cold eyes and the Queen's alien ones both swiveled to coht that such eyes looked like weapons, soht that by all rights, she should be frightened herself But given the past days, she found herself having difficulty giving fear much credit In her first days in captivity, perhaps fear would have ly Now no She was really rather more concerned with the fact that she'd not bathed in days than that her life ht come to an end Terror had worn into worry, and worry was an old companion to any mother

Isana nodded to the Queen in mock deference, and said, "You've been dealt a harsh blow by the first Aleran force actually prepared to resist you They didn't have it all their way, of course, because you are unwholesomely powerful But even so, the valley stands, and thousands of your warriors are no ht seeht and die - which ht is not hopeless Yet you cannot see how that would be You fear that you have overlooked soe all of your careful equations - and that terrifies you"

Isana turned to Invidia, and said, "And you I almost feel sorry for you, Invidia At least you had your beauty And now even that is gone The only haven left for you, your best hope, is to rule a kingdo Even if you take your crown, Invidia, you know that you will never be admired, never be envied, never be a mother - and never be loved Those who endure this war to live under you will fear you Hate you Kill you, I should iine, if they can And, in the end, there won't even be anyone left to remember your na and terrible torhtest end you can hope for is a swift and painless death" She shook her head "I do feel sorry for you, dear I have good reason to hate you, yet you've served yourself a fate worse than any I would ever have iined, much less wished upon you Of course you're afraid"

She folded her hands in her lap, and said, calmly, "And both of you are noorried that I have realized so much about you both About who you are About whatwhat else I know And how else I ainst you And why I have revealed what I know here, and now And you, lonely Queen, wonder if you haveme here You wonder what Octavian inherited from his father - and what came from me"

Silence filled the hive Neither of the two half women to whom she spoke moved

"Do you think?" Isana asked in a conversational tone, "that it ht? I've always found a good cup of tea to be "

The Queen stared at her for a time Then she whirled to face Invidia, and said, "Youcrafters," she hissed Then, the he, the vord Queen stalked from the hive