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“But he did send emissaries?”

“He sent provocateurs Her and Asmodeus It was a ruse that I did not warrant worth the time of this body”

Mustang can’t believe what she’s hearing “Darrow…”

“Asmodeus was on your ship and you did not report this to us?” Dancer asks, incredulous Someone betrayed me Someone in the Howlers How else would he know? “Next you’ll say the Fear Knight himself was in your mess hall”

I fix aze on Dancer “The Ash Lord burned Rhea He burned New Thebes He’d burn every city left to win back Luna He wants the home we’ve stolen from him”

Dancer shakes his head “You had no right”

Caraval and those Coppers who cheeredhas not moved from her chair, nor can she Whatever she says will be disht indict her as well If they think she knew, she’ll be impeached, possibly worse Which is the very reason why I hi

d this from her

My star is falling If she holds on, it will drag her down too Better to stay quiet, ale A Red senator lurches up from her seat and rushes across the floor For a moment, I think she means to speak in ar eases forward to dissuade any others fro protocol

For years I waited for this day to coth, it never did And I suppose I trickedit wouldn’t But now that it’s here, now that I feel the blind hate rising and see the unpitying lenses of the ca deck above, I knoords will be lost on them The noble newscasters will sanctimoniously peel at every decision, every secret, every sin, and strea in thethe their vulture appetite for gossip

I’m not surprised, but I aar looks back athe could carryfroe

“You fucking backstabbing little rat…” he says to Dancer

“How can we trust you with our armies,” Dancer booms, “when you disobey the Senate? When you lie to the People?” He does not give me time to respond “My brothers and sisters, there is no place in our Republic for warlords or tyrants They are the death of demokracy Our seven hundred years of slavery stands testa up It bubbled up slowly, as the leaders of Earth watched and did nothing We must choose Is our Republic ruled by its voice, or by its sword?”

He sits, his work done Amidst a roar of approval that spreads to more than just his usual supporters, Dancer of Faran, the hand of Ares who pulled rave to ns And across the room, like a noble old olive tree neither flame nor axe can fell, Julia au Bellona watches otten proins to smile

Publius cu Caraval stands in the chaos Only by Mustang haround can she quiet the senators enough for the Copper to speak If anyone could find so to say to defend me, it would be him