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blunt words It would likely ruin the man’s illusions of him, but then,

Beck no longer had use for illusions “Peasants, Rhys, you’re talking

about peasants While I am thrilled to have the love of the people,

e war, and I have none I am barely able to

buyto clothe

the forests in one of

my beat-up old shirts If I can’t even take care of ot no

idea how I should go about fighting a war”

Rhys leaned forward His small, ruddy face was fervent “The

loyalists heard that Cian was fading They know that if Cian dies, you

will be half a e, but

everyone knows that if your intellectual half fades, you will not be fit

to rule”

“Hence et here,” Beck

ad past