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Then I looked back to Co now "Your men will leave their weapons here But I will allow you to collect your wounded men, and Tobias will provide you with any help we can offer in their care Other than that, I want you and your soldiers out of ain ever to ain, but his sword re Jaron I’ll see to it at once"

I tilted my head to excuse hi soldiers deposited their swords at an’s and Conner’s bodies fro Humfrey walked forward "Lord Kerwyn convinced me to come here on the proible boy who once challenged me to a duel I believe that you are every bit as difficult now as you were then"

"You’re wrong," I said "I’m far worse now than I ever was"

He chuckled, and then with ive h to hear Hu Mendenwal’s new orders Swords clanged to the floor and the grunts and cries ofto silence, to peace

I said to Kerwyn, "I’ll return soon, but please watch over the retreat and help our wounded"

Kerwyn started to ask es, he only s for you"

Ireat hall ofgown, carefully saved away all these years, and a wreath of miniature roses in her hair The hall was filled to its capacity, and the courtyard outside was just as thickly packed, awaiting our first appearance as king and queen, husband and wife

Tobias and Amarinda had married several months earlier and were happier than ever They lived well here in the castle, and thened since the war’s end He had become apprenticed to the castle physician, a profession that ensured he would continue finding ways to frustrate me, at least as often as I found ways to injureMott’s life He moved slower than he used to, and I knew the wound he’d suffered still gave hiain, I hoped to lead a kingdoain be necessary He spent our entire first conversation after his recovery lecturing s of recklessness, but ended it by proreater loyalty I wasn’t sure that was possible

Fink held the ring for Iave it tofor congratulations that he had nificant accoer brother toEvery bit as valuable

Roden and Harlowe had spentto know each other as father and son Roden had been the one to tell hih he’d waited several days after the war’s end to find the right moratitude to me was as warm as the day I’d saved Nila’s life Roden spent the bulk of his free time with his father, ihout his life But he re continually more confident in his role Under his coh to always keep us free

My fears that Harlowe ht abandon his attentions to me had turned out to be unfounded Over the past several months I have come to understand that love can only expand and allow any nuht have come to lovewith my own father too For the first ti about him

Immediately after the battle’s end at Farthenwood, I had relinquished iven the rule entirely to Erick As far as I knew, he continued to lead them Even still, their brand re to them If ever they called for me in a time of need, I was bound by oath to answer

It had been a difficult year in rebuilding Carthya We had lost far too eneration away But each day was better, and nothing remained to threaten us

Certainly not Avenia Coer had taken the throne and presided over a ed him to build schools, not weapons, and so far he seeotiations, Gelyn and Carthya gradually reopened trading routes, though I kept a standing army on our northern border now And the relationship ar an eventual child for I Hurandchildren Although his intentions ell ht of ht of ever releasing her Better still was that Ien held me too She was my family, my life, and the center of my world

All that I kneas at peace