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“Oh, F’ryan, I miss you,” she murmured

It an’s avoidance of her all the an had been the last to see F’ryan alive and had taken his place a the Green Riders She was, in a sense, Estora’s last connection to F’ryan

Activity picked up near the kitchens Cooks and bakers would have already been at work for hours now, and she sht spilled through the arched entryway of the kitchens, and cooks and servants bustled within, clattering dishware and chattering boisterously a themselves The kitchens were cavernous with nu a castle full of soldiers, ade undertaking, which the kitchen operations reflected

Estora smiled and continued toward the servants’ entrance only to discover a certain Green Rider there with a pair of bulging saddlebags thrown over her shoulders and her hand on the door handle

“Karigan?”

The Rider swung around, startled Panic flickered across her features when she saho addressed her

“Good ,these provisions, so I must—”

“Oh, no, you don’t!” Estora strode forward and stood squarely before Karigan “You will not run off on ain”

Karigan opened her mouth as if to speak, but Estora cut her off “I know I upset you in the past, but is it really a reason to avoid ize if that will help But really, avoiding me is not the most adult reaction”

At first, unsettled ean’s face, but then she took a deep breath, steadying her expression It was not the open, friendly face Estora was accustomed to but closed and set

“It an said, “as improper for a commoner to associate with the future queen in such a familiar manner”

Where had that coan she was talking to Never before had Karigan adopted so formal a tone with her

“Karigan, I ae to the king changes nothing”

“It changes everything, my lady”

“Don’t be ridiculous I—”