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She drew a sharp breath in surprise

Valara Baussay ake and studying Ilse with those brilliant brown eyes Though Valara’s expression seldo, and even those few clues were often deliberate indirection, Ilse had the i constantly assessed by her companion In that she was much like Raul

“You didn’t wake me for my watch,” Valara said

“No You were tired and—”

“—and you were afraid of your nightmares Was it the same one as before?”

Her voice was uncharacteristically gentle

“The same one, yes”

“Ah I have them, too”

Ilse glanced up, suddenly wary “You never said so before”

Valara shrugged “I don’t like to think about it”

Ah, well Ilse could understand that

“I’ll restart the fire,” she said “We can eat breakfast and make an early start”

“Breakfast” Valara’s mouth softened into a pensive smile “I’ve dreamed of breakfast, too, from time to time”

She stood up and stretched She wore the dead courier’s gloves and his shirt over her own Valara had rolled up the sleeves and tied a makeshift sash, but her thin frame was almost lost in the folds Even dressed in such a mismatched costume, she had the air of one about to issue a royal decree—yet another similarity to Raul

“What is wrong?” Valara asked

“Nothing,” Ilse said quickly “Nothing we can change”

Valara regarded her with narrowed eyes “As you say,” she murmured

She headed downstrea for their latrine Ilse collected tinder and a few larger branches, and coaxed their fire into life She set a pan of water to boil and refilled their waterskins A brief inspection of their supplies was discouraging: a handful of tea leaves, enough s for midday, and a few dried apples They had eaten the last of the courier’s flatbread the night before Karasek had provided theear and provisions as he could spare, but it had all been so haphazard, those final hours at the Mantharah Hiding all traces of their ca out their escape, and how Karasek ht lead the search in the opposite direction What came next, after they were certain they were safe

Ilse blew out a breath After Yes

If I ishing, I would wish for Raul I would ere together in Tiralien, without any fear of war between our kingdoainst what Markus Khandarr ainst us We could be Stefan and Anike, two ordinary people, living ordinary lives

Impossible wishes Ilse had prodoe for peace, in return for Valara’s help in recovering the last of Lir’s jewels She could argue the vows no longer applied Dzavek was dead The jewels had departed from the ordinary world All the variables she and Raul had depended upon had vanished or changed in unpredictable ways