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Charlie’s eyelids fluttered, then opened She searched past Max, past Angelina and Brook, focusing solely on the unconscious wo on the floor beneath the throne as she lifted her head "I win," she rasped at last And then she closed her eyes and collapsed again

Behind hiled wheeze, and he kneithout a doubt that it was her final breath He didn’t even have to turn to know that she was gone; he could see it in Charlie, as her breathing becaelina’s touch spread over her skin like a lightning storers touched htly over n, as if it no longer fit ersensation and felt a breathy chuckle against nized why iled to open my eyes, but even that was harder than it should have been; they felt heavy, weighted down And when I finally pried theht Wherever I was, it was far too bright, and it took several tries for my eyes to fully adjust But when they did, I found ray eyes that I’d have known anywhere

I was relieved to see so about host of a smile curved his lips

"Where am I?" I tried to ask, but my voice was lost in an arid whisper

"Don’t try to talk yet," Max instructed, reaching for the glass of water beside the bed

I was in a bed, I noted But where? How?

And ht the water to ain, I was besieged by the sensation that soer insidefelt different and new

"Better?"

I tried to sister s Rich tapestries, fine art, delicate linens

K"0e ne"We’re in the palace, Charlie Don’t you re All at once it ca

and Angelina

My skin tingled still

I drew my hand out fro it over and pulling back

"A me closely, and I wondered what I ht flickered froeven ht I’d seen coelina