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Powell tensed
Dangerous ground,Talon thoughtTwo Queens in the say or just plain ready to kill “Put caste aside for a moment and tell ”
Powell relaxed “Ah Well Plain girl Comes from a simple family and expects to work for her keep Earns the friendships she , she’s never asked by a handsome man for any of the ro and is required to dance with the girls ouldn’t have a partner otherwise Her heart’s probably bruised because of that, but she’s learned to accept it
“Then there’s the pretty girl Spoiled and pa”
“Wait,” Talon interrupted “Father’s darling would apply to both girls” Having met Lord Burle, it was clear he was more than proud of Cassidy, and not because she was now the Queen of a whole Territory That pride was for hisgirl, who just happened to be a Queen
“You’re right,” Powell agreed “However, the pretty girl is used to getting her oay, is used to being preferred over the other girls, always has her dance card filled before she arrives at the dance, and if she snubs one partner in favor of soiven—and her actions defended—because she is an aristo darling
“These two girls have competed in the same social arena”
“And when the plain girl did get a dance partner the pretty girl wanted, the pretty girl stole hih there is some history between Kermilla and Cassidy”
“Theran made no effort to hide his preference Cassidy told Kermilla to leave; Theran said she could stay That had to hurt Cassidy’s pride”
“And the pretty girl wins again” Talon sighedSweet Darkness, please let it be that simple “Ranon and Gray have an intense dislike for her”
“Which has uests” Powell paused, then added, “I have to say, Warlord Princes are the only caste of males who can act politely and still leave ‘I want to kill you’ hanging unspoken in a room Ranon and Gray are the most attuned to Cassidy Ker to dislike her, no matter what”
“And Theran? Is it a young irl, or is it a Warlord Prince feeling the pull of a Queen?”
“I don’t know,” Powell said
“Shit” Until he’d met Cassidy and had felt that pull himself, he hadn’t realized hoerful a chain that connection between Queen and Warlord Prince could be If that was the reason Theran was reacting to Kermilla
Talon scratched the back of his neck “She came here for a reason No matter what she says, Ker to getso ”
“I agree, and I don’t think she got what she ca her to stay The First Escort counter the Queen’s order for his own pleasure? Can we allow that, Talon?”
“It’s his house He’s right about that And Ker”
“Itto Cassidy”