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Max stepped forward then Max, who I was sure hatedNiko’s lips on s to, to ain He reached for my hands, first one and then the other I allowed a hThat I’d still been holding them outstretched, like the weapons they’d beco , not wanting hied I felt inside "I’ that h they didn’t lace through them "I know" But it didn’t sound like an assurance, just a simple staterass was green

He pulled hastly scene on the floor before us But before I’d taken a single step, I froze "Wait," I said, breaking away froun, thenow I dropped down, kneeling beside his body Max was there too, hovering right above my shoulder "What is it?" he asked

I frowned as I reached for the slip of redout froes down until I was looking at a square of fabric

I glanced to his cohorts, each lying equally motionless Another of the men had a similar square tied around his upper arm, and the third had one stuffed in his back pocket

I searched Jonas too, digging through his pockets and slidinghis lifeless chest beneath ertips He didn’t have the same red fabric the others did, not that I could find

That same simple fabric Plain, yet familiar

Red bandanas

My stomach dropped as I remembered where I’d seen a bandana like the from Max to Zafir, from Brook to Aron "It was Sebastian Hethe horses He must’ve told theelina even closer, and I wondered if it was hard for her to see her father like this I wondered if, even after everything, she bla hi for the fabric I clutched He ran his finger along the edges, where there was a darker red ink--a pattern, some sort of leaves or ivy He looked up at lanced uncoelina, and I answered quietly, "They said to stop toying with the girl and finish it"

He stepped closer, gripping uage did they speak?"

"I--I don’t know," I answered, shaking my head "I’d never heard it before Why? What do you know?"

He turned to Zafir, lifting the square of fabric "This is Queen Elena’s insignia--the cri Thesewith them"