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Bracken dise hand "They knew the risks, as do all in hter" There is true sorrow in his words, laced beneath the anger

"Let us hope we don’t lose anyof myself And what my mother said Itbetween Bracken and the folio It has to be filled with information on Montfort, their mysterious cities, their mountains, their armies Information we need

"We’re prepared to do what you cannot, Bracken," he says Maven is a skilled perforht aht lure Bracken to his side before I even get a chance to play my hand "I understand that, while the Montfortans hold your children, you can’t ainst them The smallest rescue mission could jeopardize their lives"

"Yes, exactly true" Bracken nods rapidly He’s eating up everything Maven gives hierous"

The Nortan king raises an eyebrow "And?"

"We were able to track the children to their capital, Ascendant," the prince offers He extends his hand, holding out the folio to us "It’s deep in the mountains, protected by a valley Our maps of the city are old, but usable"

I take the infor the folio It’s heavy, worth its weigh in gold

"Were you able to find where they’re being held?" I ask, eager to crack open the pages and get to work

Bracken dips his head "I believe so At great cost"

I crossthe substantial book to my chest "I won’t waste it"

The Piedmont prince looks me up and down, his face pulled in respectful confusion Maven is less obvious He doesn’t e The teree But I can s He’s sh to keep his mouth shut in front of the prince, unable to stopthe tea Bracken with my most deter ood choice on my part I look more like a warrior than a queen "I’ll use Nortan soldiers and soldiers of the Lakelands, a sh unnoticed Rest assured, we’ve been hard at work since yesterday"

Even though it makes my skin crawl, I put a hand on Maven’s arm His flesh is cold beneath his sleeve I can’t see it, but I feel the tiniest tremble in him My smile widens

"Maven came up with a brilliant plan"

He slides his hand over ers like ice A threat plain as day

"Indeed I did," Maven says, his lips pulling into a feral smile to match my own

Bracken sees only the offer, and the possibility, of his children’s rescue I don’t blaine what my mother would do, if Tiora and I were in the sanificent," he offers, bowing his head one e to uphold the alliance we’ve had for decades Until the blood freaks decided to intervene" Bracken hardens "But no more The tide turns today"