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Lia frowned "Am I forbidden to see you?"

He looked down at her and shook his head "No, the prohibition is over I auest of the Aldermaston It is only natural that his hunter would be asked to accompanymy peers to hunt and hawk I enjoy it h When our little ar for the coronation, De the battle and knew that iance to his father He told me about the existence of his niece – a secret that I knew from my father I had been told of it as a child You see, when the old king destroyed Pry-Ree, he wanted to ensure that no prince would rise in the future to unite the people against hio, the lord prince of Pry-Ree married De began his invasion She was great with child at the ti the war the child was born – a daughter Sadly, the birthing killed the mother" He looked at her seriously and Lia sed, unable to keep eating

Her heart burned inside her

Colvin’s voice was soft "Much we do not know Those who survived say the lord prince was so bereft losing his young wife that the Mediu hi’s men His head was fixed to a spear in Comoros The Pry-rians were crushed The child was taken into the king’s custody and hidden in an Abbey She was to be raised a wretched" His eyes were intent on hers "Lia, I was asked to find this child I believed…I truly believed it was you You were about the right age The orb spoke to you in Pry-rian I did not think it likely that they would put the child so near Pry-Ree as Muirwood, but that alone does not invalidate it You do bear some resemblance to the Demont family Not your hair but your face, your countenance – it is hauntingly like that fauer thought so," she whispered

"Demont told me that I needed incontrovertible evidence He sent me to the archives I was not to tell anyone of my mission – only to search the records to find out what happened to the prince’s daughter I knew the year when Pry-Ree was lost I found a to The child was taken by the king and banished to Sefall Abbey"

Just as the Alderht

"It is a s, in the eastern part of the real with rebels, and so he sent Ed by another name The Aldermaston had lived there when she arrived and knew her true identity, though he had never spoken it for fear of the old king He released her into our custody with a warning He was told by the king’s men that if she ever escaped, his Abbey would be burned to the ground The king’s men swore they would find the child and kill her and any of her offspring He charged us to protect her, and we have kept that charge The Pry-rians want her back naturally as she is the only surviving heir"

He crouched near her, so close she could see her reflection in his eyes His expression was alht it was you, Lia I had hoped that by not keepingyou far better news I am sorry I abandoned you For the last year, I have been at various Abbeys while Ellowyn is taught to read and scribe in our language, Pry-rian, and Dahoes, instead of one Her head nearly burst! My sister, Marciana, is her companion It has been a…difficult transition for Ellowyn She was a lavender at Sefall When I met her, she s The scent re down at the grass "Knight- in the woods, the Privy Council has threats of war froirl to read who is terrified of learning, who is terrified of the Mediuh" He looked at her, being open with his disdain "When the latest threat to her life caested we come to Muirwood This is the oldest Abbey in the realm Your Aldermaston is very wise and may help her to master her fears But most importantly, I wanted to be able to tell you in person why I could not co you The Aldermaston will not let you become a learner in the cloister You ation is fulfilled But my oath to you still binds me It is a duty which I will, for once, enjoy I arave, Lia, but I am not forbidden to share with you what I know and what I have scribed in my own tome"