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I looked first to Claude, and then to Zafir to judge their reactions to Xander’s rant I don’t knohy it mattered, but I needed to know if they’d been told yet, if they kneho I was

Zafir appeared bored, his brown eyes glazed over Claude looked incensed, as if he’d like to personally snap every neck in the roo they were still unaware

"You could have hurt her," Xander continued, treacherously quiet "I expect you to protect her with your lives All of you" And then he said the words thatyour future queen" He reached Eden and lifted his fingers to her cheek, the ropythe side of her face, and she squeezed her eyes shut "Do I make myself clear?"

Juret, devotion, and so that felt unexpectedly close to passion A tear slipped fro a path down her face She nodded, opening her black eyes once , not at Xander but past hi her fealty to irl younow in the Royal tongue He had refused to look at me since Xander’s men had holstered their weapons Since Xander had dropped the bomb about who I was

Zafir seerandmother to react when she finds out?"

The reminder that Queen Sabara--the woainst--was Max’s grandet, I told myself I had no idea where Max’s loyalties lay

"She’ll be thrilled," Xander interjected "Why shouldn’t she be? Charlie could be the heir she’s been searching for, the one her own family was unable to provide And I intend to ets her hands on her"

Zafir tipped his head, as if accepting Xander’s cryptic statelared at theer: "I have no intention of taking the queen’s place"

Only Claude and Zafir reacted tome that they were still unaware of ue

"She interprets?" An expectant smile lit Zafir’s stony face

"She does," I replied tersely, as if he’d been speaking to me

He hadn’t been "What else can she do?"

Max answered In Englaise "Nothing that she’s aware of, but time will tell"