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“Yes But he was ive you one last chance to open the safe”
Cassius grunts “So you can have a war that will send es? Funny You don’t look stupid”
“These are the dark ages,” Seraphina says “We will bring order back”
“Says the little girl Have you ever seen a city after orbital bombardment?”
“I saw Ganymede after the docks fell from orbit,” she replies bitterly “I’ve seen horror—starvation A whole city frozen”
“You haven’t seen war” His heavy eyes strafe the rest of the Raa “You all think you’re the chosen people The keepers of the flaht that? You’re just like the rest Too vain to realize the flaone out The dream of Gold was dead before any of us were ever born You want a war because you think the Rising is vulnerable? Because they still battle the Core? You don’t know Darrow You don’t know his people If you attack, you lose everything”
“The Slave King has already fallen,” Dido says, s at Cassius’s confusion “Of course, how could you know? He has become an outlaw His own mentor and wife have turned their backs on him The Obsidian Horde is thinned The remainder stirs with discontent Their Senate devours itself and debates peace with the Pixies of the Core They are flailing, scattered, and weak”
“The Ash Lord has sought peace?” I ask
“It seems war has softened his resolve He is craven, and will be dealt with once we have retaken Mars and Luna Rhea will be repaid in full” Dido turns her eyes to me “They say your family is cursed, Cassius How lucky you are to have a brother survive the Jackal’s purge Which one is he? Theseus? Daedalus? They would be his age by now…” She looks back to Cassius “It doesn’t ive ons suck the marrow from his blasted bones”
Cassius looks over atfor this for the past ten years A chance at rede her war is that chance It crushes him now to know the price it will cost But he will pay it, I realize Even if that price is my life
“I swore to protect the people That is what I will do No matter the cost”
“And do you share your brother’s insanity?” Dido asks me
Cassius would have stayed to free the prisoners on the Vindabona He wouldn’t have run at the first sound of Obsidians like I did, because he is a hero, and I am not Whatever hate I have for Darrohatever hope these Gold have kindled in me, I cannot betray Cassius now I love the man too much But it breaks my heart to know that the masses he would die for would have his head on a spike if they could
“He speaks for the both of us,” I say again
Didothe i for a way around it “Diomedes A bloodfeud needs resolution Will you do the honors?”