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IN THE BEDLAM THAT FOLLOWS, I’m spirited away by Diomedes and a coterie of his men They take me back to my room and push me inside

“Dioht turns “Cassius, I want to see him I need to know if he’s alive”

“It is not safe for you in the halls”

“I helped you”

“You are still a Lune Whether he lives or dies is up to him”

“And your surgeons”

Realization dawns “Do you think ould not care for hiil myself and send hen I know his fate”

“Thank you”

He hesitates “He betrayed your grandmother, yet you travel with him…”

“He savedI am bound to him”

“I understand” He nods, his first sign of respect to me “But if he dies, you will be free of him Then to ill you be bound, Lune?” He leaves me with that and shuts the door It locks from the other side I pace the cold stone, unable to think of anything but Cassius on the floor askingin

I retreat inward Forcingmy breath as the breeze that rass and kisses the water A second movement of breath now comes, which moves the lavender and pushes the bees and tinkles the wind chimes of summer at Lake Silene A third movement is that of fall The fourth breath that moves the curtains and twists the flah an openand makes Cassius’s cape dance in the wind is that of Luna’s winter

Deep in that distant pool of ain for the first time

The young Bellona stands with his back to rounds beyond the balcony Sun glints off the gold tip of the Legion Pyramid headquarters in the distance His hair is coiled and shines with scented oil Snow melts there His coat is dark blue with feathered silver epaulets and a silver fringed collar He wears a silver razor on his hip and silver buckles on his boots He looks like a storybook knight, and it makes me distrust him

Though capable, he is a petty, spoiled creature who lured my favorite House Mars student onto the bank of a river and there betrayed him Why? Because he could not absorb what Grandhest lessons of the Institute—the bearing of loss If the loss of a single brother in the Passage broke hirind of war?