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"No? A puppet, then"

Levana clenched her fists at her sides "He isn’t a puppet, either"

Channary s, she beckoned toward one of the servants At their side in a moment, the servant dropped to one knee and held a tray up above his head so that Channary could inspect his offerings A dozen cordial glasses were set into a spiral upon the tray, each containing a different colored beverage Channary selected one that was bright orange and syrupy thick "Stay there, in case I want another," she said, turning back to her sister "If he isn’t a toy or a puppet, then why in the name of Cyprus Blackburn have you spent the past month dressed up like his silamour didn’t flicker Always cool, always composed, always cheerful and delicate and lovely That was how she remembered Solstice Hayle, from their brief interactions That was how she would have everyone see her now

"The poor woe"

"You are playing with his head" A sly grin crept over Channary’s face "Which would her A palace guard, honestly Once you’re done with hiardeners"

Levana cut her gaze toward her sister "You’re quite the hypocrite Just how uards have kept you company over the years?"

"Oh, countless" Channary took a sip froered when she lowered it and inspected the poppy-colored contents again She gave it a discerning sniff "But never at the detri fun elsewhere Ideally, a lady will have three toys at once One to romance her, one to bed her, and one to adorn her with very expensive jewelry"

Levana’s eye began to twitch "You have never had Evret"

Laughing heartily, Channary set the barely touched drink back on the tray and selected an aqua white and shih I’m sure he would be hed "The minx"

Dubrovsky? Levana squinted down into the flurry of dancers It took a while, but finally she spotted the constable dancing with a young gentleman whose name escaped her One of the family heirs, she was sure

"Perhaps the difficulty is in his personal preferences"