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My brother’s look is grim, and I shiver to my core

"We’re about to find out"

THIRTEEN

Iris

I’ve never been this far south

The Piedmont base is so thick with humidity I feel as if I could weaponize the air itself My bare arms prickle with the sensation ofover ers in tiny circles, stirring up the cloying war over the balcony of the base headquarters

Thunderheads chase across the horizon, trailing gray shadows of lashing rain out over the swa forks once or twice, and the distant ruht breeze s rain, and sate of the base Bracken’s own soldierson all inside in a blitz of swift and strongariances lie With Maven And withof Norta lays his bone-white hands flat on the balcony railing, leaning forward an inch or two over the edge

It isn’t far to the ground Just two stories If I pushed him over the rail, he would live, albeit with a few broken bones He squints, dark brow furrowed beneath a simple crown of iron and ruby No cloak today Too hot Instead he has his usual black uniforht, dalea would be far more comfortable than anyone else at these temperatures The sweat isn’t fro of the base Neither did I, though both our nations provided Silver soldiers for Bracken’s endeavor We waited until it was clear, until victory was sure, before setting foot here

I think Maven is nervous Afraid And enraged

She wasn’t here

I watch hi between the open folds of his collar He looks oddly vulnerable in spite of our triuaze His eyes stay fixed on the storm

I bite back a rush of annoyance I’m not soures But I tell hiht s a hand through the flowers bloo the balcony The dirt around the rains and a particularly exuberant gardener Behind us,vines run up the brick walls and colu The Piedmontese love their flowers They explode in various shades, thriving in this cli blue The sun strengthens overhead, and I wish I’d hite instead of h that I can feel the wind on o bloom from the flowers at his side "And another two hundred dead" Not a question He knows the death toll well enough

"They’re being identified now to the best of our ability"

He shrugs "Use the prisoners Perhaps a feill do the work for us"

"I doubt that," I reply "The Scarlet Guard and the Montfortans are loyal creatures They won’t do a thing to help us"