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“It’s my pleasure to be of assistance,” he said with a bow “If there is anything else I can do to further diically produced a white rose from his sleeve

Estora laughed in delight, and accepted it

“See!” he said with a grin “The sun is shining again But now I fear I h I find your company more enjoyable”

With another bow, he lightly trotted up the steps and through the kitchen entrance She watched after hi if he were a kitchen servant, but despite the wear of his clothing, it was too rich for a servant and not far enough gone to be cast-off And most servants did not leave behind fancy handkerchiefs with their initials embroidered on them

XPA Who is he? she wondered And she brought the rose blosso in its scent

Karigan was still shaking later that rounds for weapons training Her confrontation with Estora left her feeling sick to her stoht she’d lose her breakfast

Wouldn’t Drent love that…

Severing her friendship with Estora was one of the hardest things she ever had to do, but the alternative seemed so…difficult How could she continue a friendship with a woman as tohad passed between her and King Zachary? How could she pretend not to be jealous? And worst of all, how could she bear the inevitable conversations friends shared, with all the intimate details?

Distancing herself fro Zachary It si like a knife within her It was safe

When Karigan arrived at the practice grounds, she found Ar for her there with his oylelike face emanated severe disapproval

Uh oh Her tangled thoughts of Estora evaporated and a treh she knew full well Drent used sheer physical presence to intimidate his trainees She wondered what sort of abuse she was in for today, and why

“I’ve been training you these past htening because it was not his usual bellow, “even though there was no reason I had to I did it because I thought you showed pro was for naught”

“W–what?”

“The museum”

Karigan’s mouth dropped open in surprise How had he heard? “I—”