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"Survive in his shadow, you mean," I snap, unable to help myself

Anabel blinks at me, her face pulled in rare confusion Then she smiles and dips her head "Queens cast shadows too"

Her dees in an instant "Ah, Pre behindas Davidson steps forward He nods at both of us, though he never breaks his gaze His angled eyes, oddly gold, dart from Anabel to me They are the only part of him that seems alive The rest, froers, seehness," Davidson says, bobbing his head again Over his shoulder, I glance at his Montfort guards in green, as well as his officers and soldiers with their insignia There are dozens of them Some acco for his arrival

Did he always have so uns? I feel the bullets in their chambers I count them off, a force of habit, and thicken the pools of iron in estures with one hand, sweeping his arm "I hoped to escort you both into our capital, and be the first to bid you welcoh he still does his best to remain emotionless, I sense a pride in him Pride in his home, his country I understand that, at least

Anabel surveys him with a look that would level noble Silvers, ance The pre the naked cliffs on either side of us, "is your Republic?"

"This," Davidson replies, "is a private runway"

I spin a ring on

Buttons gleaed into the likeness of fla He stops atto lad for it We haven’t truly spoken in months Not since he escaped death in the Bowl of Bones Before, when he was my betrothed for the first time, our conversations were few and dull Cal has a mind for battle and Mare Barrow Neither interests randh-cut hair and the uneven stubble across his jaw His cheeks are slossy, brushed back from his forehead Cal looks like he just stepped out of Whitefire, ready for his own coronation, instead of a six-hour flight on a jet carrier with a siege behind him But his eyes are dull, hard bronze, and he doesn’t wear a crown Either Anabel could not procure one for him, or he refused to put it on I assu down at Davidson

The preht discrepancy Maybe he is without the infinitely male preoccupation with size

"Yes," Davidson says "This airfield is at higher altitude, and has easier access to the city of Ascendant than the fields on the plains or the valleys deeper in the h the eastern ascent up the Haay is considered a splendid sight"

"When the war is over, I’d like to see it," Cal replies, trying to be polite It does little to hide his naked disinterest

Davidson doesn’t seelittering

"Well, ouldn’t want to overnrand and calculated picture

"I wouldn’t worry about that," Davidson says with one of his easy, languid smiles "I’m scheduled to speak before the Montfort asse I’ll ? Sir, you knoell as I do that tiht I hope you’ll join ins, gritting his teeth