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Tiora answers as Mother winces "Duty first Honor always"

The memory warms my insides What lies ahead isn’t easy, but it’s what I must do I have purpose in that, at the very least

"My duty is to protect the Lakelands as well as you do," I tell theives us a chance It puts a wall between us and the wolves at the door As for reed," Tiora snarls

"Agreed," Mother whispers, her voice a shadow

I stare over her shoulder, at the face of the sth frodom, they’re a shield, but a sword too We have to use hier to us all"

Mother scoffs "Especially you"

"Yes, especially reed," she hisses "It was your father’s idea"

"I know, and it was a good one I don’t blahts did I spend alone in Whitefire Palace, awake and tellingbeen sold like a pet or an acre of land? It was a lie then, and a lie now But s died with my father

"When all this is over--" Mother says

Tiora cuts her off "If in--"

"When in," Mother says, spinning on her heel Her eyes flash, catching a spangle of light In the center of the te fountain slows itsin its journey "When your father is bathed by the blood of his killers, when the Scarlet Guard is exterrown rats"--the water stops, suspended by her fervor--"there will be little reason to leave you in Norta And even less to leave an unstable, unfit king on the throne in Archeon Especially one who is so foolish with the blood of his own people, and ours"

"Agreed," my sister and I whisper in unison

With eventhe liquid to her liking It arcs in the air, like a glass co into prisainst the flash of sun "The Lakelands ash clean those godless nations Conquer Norta And the Rift too They gnaw at each other already, sacrificing their own for such petty rivalries It won’t be long until their strength is spent There will be no escape fronet"

I have always been proud of reat wo A dom as well as her children I realize now I didn’t know the half of it The resolve beneath her still surface, as strong as any storm And what a storm it will be

"Let thement The one we use to punish traitors And enemies of every kind

"What of the Reds? The ones with abilities, in the do a canyon in her skin I want to sht

People like Mare Barrow hting theainst thehtning girl especially He’ll pursue them to the ends of the earth if need be, and spend all his strength doing it"