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"You’re in thetoward his uniforreen of a soldier, its gold buttons glea even in the shadow of the tree

His smile vanished "Yes, I’m in the arainst ued by his answer I looked up at hiray eyes "Your family didn’t want you to join?"

"No, they werewith his knowledge of a language I’d never heard before I wondered who he really was, and where he was from

And then I frowned, confused as I recalled the way he’d reacted e heard the applause coallows in the square "If you’re in the ar? At my parents’ restaurant? You jumped when the crowd cheered"

His response wasn’t at all what I’d expected: He grinned "Do you think being in the army makes me heartless?" he answered

"No, but I--" I what? I was surprised that someone in the military didn’t support the queen’s decision to have people hanged or beheaded for breaking the law? Was he not allowed to have his own thoughts, his own feelings?

I glanced around, nervous that so the queen’s policies It was not so in public, shielded only by the low-hanging branches of the tree But instead I saw so Across the street were the other two e--giants a a normal human populace

My pulse quickened beneath the surface of my skin "Why are they here?" I tipped my head in their direction, accusation thick in my tone

"It’s okay" His dark eyes watched me closely while he answered "I asked thehtened"

I straightened my shoulders "Why would I be afraid?" But my question was absurd Their presence, even from across the busy street, terrified me

"Don’t worry about the the space between us I watched it move toward ing frohtly across the tops of h the tree trunk if necessary--to create some distance between us, but so I could walk you home And please, don’t say no this time" He kept his voice low

I wanted to tell hi to say, but instead I heard , "I--I don’t even knoho you are" I tried to ignore the longing I felt to move closer to him rather than away