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"I do"

Dieyre leaned closer, his arain?"

It er "I despise you, Dieyre"

He glanced at the door and then at her "I can live with your scorn, Lia Truth be told, I have a fleet of ’s na you with dom This is not your land I could use a hunter in my service Especially one as talented as you I need your help to find Ciana because I know she will not submit to the water rite and I wish to be on the ships when they leave Whoever will not subht Even you, if you do not subdom to fall We have mercenaries and Dochte Mandar in the ships Demont is already murdered There is only Forshee and the mastons left to defend, and we outnu wants Forshee’s head on a pike, for he took his betrothed and ran aith her It has all happened according to Pareigis’ plan Yet despite all these advantages, I have a nagging feeling inside me that you may just win I have never et you onyou to Comoros If you help me find Ciana, I will help you save Forshee"

There was the sound of footsteps colanced towards the open door and then back at her "What say you? Will we help each other?"

Lia pushed herself up and glared at hiet free without your help"

"I highly doubt it, Lia," Dieyre said, glancing again at the door "I knohat they will do to those ill not take the water rite They will kill you tonight Right now in fact Let me help you"

Lia shook her head "If my work is finished, then it does not matter if I die"

His face twisted with frustration "You are too stubborn, girl"

"I knoho you serve," Lia said tautly "I knoho she really is You are a puppet"

Dieyre’s eyes blazed with anger and his face flushed with eaze was like fire "But you resisted her!" he hissed in a whisper "Show me how! I did not believe it could be done, not after you have first surrendered You broke her spell on that mute slave Break her chains on me!"

Lia saw the panic in his eyes It was the look of a drowningin the water "I cannot break the chains you forged against yourself," she answered "She snared you long ago in the forirl you desired She lulled you with false promises But in the end, she betrays us all As she will betray you I cannot stop that, Dieyre And I cannot break your chains any more than I can make you an honorable man I cannot undo all of the choices you have made"

His jaw clenched with frustration as the Aldermaston returned, his nose purple and his face still sticky with blood His eyes were murderous as he pointed to Lia

"Take her above and let her join the others doomed to die"

Dieyre’s expression hardened "What if she submits to the water rite?" he asked

The Aldermaston’s expression was mottled with hatred "She had her chance already Take her"

Lia’s wrists were chained again in irons and she was dragged up the steps, exhausted When she reached the outer doors, she felt the cool breeze but the air was sharp with a burning sh the sun had set, the sky was illuled to see, she saw a crowd of fifty or more, forced to kneel in the turf They were surrounded by Dochte Mandar ore the kystrels openly on top of their cassocks Their faces were striped with the twists and insignias of tattoos Some of the prisoners were children

Lia was forced to kneel amidst the other prisoners The faces around her were drawn and pinched with fear and dread Many hi Soht was co from the wall of the Abbey It was not a bonfire, but a furnace-like opening that gushed with violent flah to fit twelve people She sensed the Leering in the back of it, su fire from some nether world in a roar and rush that

The Aldermaston’s voice rose over the noise "You are condeht because you have refused to submit to the water rite You have been warned and forewarned that this would happen So to the mistaken belief that the Medium will save you It will not There is a new order for worshipping the Medium now The order of the doht"