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The Breath shot toward her Her closedher like a physical force, washing across her body She gasped, falling to her knees, body quivering with a perverse pleasure She could suddenly feel the other people in the rooht had been lit--everything around her becaasped, shaking in awe She vaguely heard Parlin rushing to her side, speaking her na she could think of was the melodic quality of his voice She could pick out each tone in every word he spoke She knew theht, steadying herself with one hand against the wooden floor as the shakes subsided What have I done?

11

But surely we can bend the rules a little bit," Siri said, walking quickly beside Treledees

Treledees eyed her The priest--high priest of the God King--would have been tall even without the elaborate miter on his head With it, he seemed to tower over her almost like one of the Returned

Well, a spindly, obnoxious, disdainful Returned

"An exception?" he asked with his leisurely Hallandren accent "No, I do not think that will be possible, Vessel"

"I don’t see why not," Siri said as a servant pulled open the door in front of thereen-colored room and pass into a blue one Treledees respectfully let her pass through the doorway first, though she sensed that he was displeased he had to do so

Siri ground her teeth, trying to think of another avenue of attack Vivenna would be calht She’d explain why she should be allowed to leave the palace in a way that made sense so that the priest listened to her Siri took a deep breath, trying to ease the red from her hair and the frustration froo on one trip outside? Just into the court itself?"

"Impossible," Treledees said "If you lack for entertainlers? I’m sure they could keep you occupied" And out of my hair, his tone seemed to imply

Couldn’t he understand? It wasn’t lack of so to do that frustrated her It was that she couldn’t see the sky Couldn’t run away fro that, she would have settled for soods Ime locked up like this?"

"You’re not ‘locked up,’ Vessel," Treledees said "You are observing a period of isolation in which you can dedicate yourself to conte your new place in life It is an ancient and worthy practice, one that shows respect for the God King and his divine monarchy"

"Yes, but this is Hallandren," Siri said "It’s the land of laxness and frivolity! Surely you can see your way toan exception"

Treledees stopped short "We do not ion, Vessel Ime in some way, for I find it hard to believe that anyone worthy of touching our God King could harbor such vulgar thoughts"

Siri cringed Less than a week in the city, she thought, and I’ve already started letting et me into trouble Siri didn’t dislike people--she loved to talk to theh with them However, she couldn’t make them do what she wanted, not in the way that a politician was supposed to be able to do That was so she should have learned fro Siri wore a long, flowing brown skirt that covered her feet and had a train that trailed behind her The priest earing golds and maroons--colors matched by the servants It still amazed her that everyone in the palace had so many costumes, even if they were identical save for color

She knew that she shouldn’t let herself get annoyed with the priests They already didn’t see snappish wouldn’t help It was just that the last few days had been so dull Trapped in the palace, unable to leave, unable to find anyone to talk to, she felt herself nearly going mad

But there would be no exceptions Apparently

"Will that be all, Vessel?" Treledees asked, pausing beside a door It almost seemed like he found it a chore to rehed, but nodded The priest bowed, then opened the door and quickly rushed away Siri watched hi her foot, arms folded Her servants stood arrayed behind her, silent as always She considered finding Bluefingers, butno He always had so hing again, shemeal Two fetched a chair froathered The chair was plush, but it was still difficult to sit in a way that didn’t aggravate one of her aches or crahts, she had been forced to kneel, naked, until she finally grew so drowsy that she drifted off Sleeping on the hard stone had left a dull, per sis tent pain in her back and neck

Each one, she moved to the bed When she awoke the second ti There was a new array each time, with no repeated outfits She wasn’t sure where the servants got such a steady supply of clothing in Siri’s size, but ither daily costuain

After dressing, she was free to do as she wished, assuht caowns to wear into the bedcha oithShe often wondered what the dressoere only worn for a few briefdiscarded to the floor, then eventually used as blankets

She didn’t own anything, yet could have whatever she wanted Exotic foods, furniture, entertainers, books, artshe only needed ask And yet, when she was finished, it was re at the same time

She yawned The interrupted sleep schedule left her bleary-eyed and tired The completely empty days didn’t help either If only there were someone to talk to But servants, priests, and scribes were all locked into their formal roles That accounted for everyone she interacted with