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I witness Dido at long last: the immensity of her resolve, the cruelness of her intellect, and I aant as to presuend ht me all I know—randmother dwells in this woman At her side, Seraphina sits with a weary expression that seems to say she understands all but will suffer it because she must

But I cannot watch er

There will be no end to it

No mercy Just death, and for what?

Cassius li over the body of his foe The floor is littered with them “I ao on “Son of Tiberius…son of Julia” He squares his shoulders and suht, and my honor remains”

“Mother! Stop this madness!” Diomedes cries out “He has won How many of our blood will you throay?”

“As many as honor demands,” she says “Save your kin, Diomedes”

He does not rise

“A pity,” Dido replies I feel the words cos bouncing, her fingers tightening the laces on her boots, and I saw Dido notice the glances shared between us at dinner Now the woman turns to me, only one card left to play and she plays it well “Ser

aphina, honor House Raa”

SERAPHINA BOLTS UPWARD LIKE A KUON released fro the heads of those seated beneath us, and pulls free her razor before she lands on the killing floor Diomedes watches in fear for his little sister But the Golds cla for their chance to face Cassius now sit back down in disappointed silence They think the matter settled Seraphina is the executioner

Cassius bleeds and sweats, his golden curls ed byfrom pain as steam trails off his flayed skin and openone of the discarded hasta for a crutch, watching neutrally as tall Seraphina lopes into the circle This is his end But there’s nothing glorious about it

All I feel now is dread

The sarand to stop it Not even when I saw Cassius and the Reaper’s pack finish Aja I cannot hate hi to protect those I love And I do love him In thisI wanted to be as a child Tears, unwelcome and unfamiliar, leak out my eyes as Cassius looks atThat is all he wants Absolution in death But it is the wrong absolution

The wrong death