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Maven gestures, hands open His voice is a bucket of ice water "What is it?"

"We’ve located what you asked for" I can only see the Sentinel’s eyes beneath hispicks at his nails again, feigning disinterest This only piques mine

The Sentinel bobs his head "Yes, sir"

With a cutting s his back to the railing "Well, then, my thanks I’d like to see it"

"Yes, sir," the Sentinel says again, nodding once more

"Iris, care to join ers hover half an inch fro me

Every warrior instinct I have tells me to refuse But then I openly adive him power overfor on the Piedmont base could be ience, nore his hand, following the Sentinel off the balcony My dress snaps behind me, cut low to show the whorls of water tattooed acrossas the major citadels where we house our fleets and ar ent of Sentinels doesn’t bring a transport I wish they would Despite thethe streets of the base, the shady areas aren’t much cooler than the sunlit streets As alk, flanked by a dozen Sentinel guards, I run a hand along ertips, each one running a soothing race down my inked spine

Maven follows close at the heels of his lead Sentinel, hands fisted in his pockets He’s eager He wants whatever we’re about to find

They turn us onto a street of row houses At first it seems oddly cheerful Red brick and black shutters, paved sidewalks, flowers bloo, and colu, like a city block removed of its inhabitants A dollhouse without dolls The people who lived here were either killed or captured, or they fled into the stinking, sinking swa of value behind

"These were officer homes," one of the Sentinels explains "Before the occupation"

I raise an eyebrow at him "And after?"

"Used by the enemy Red rats, blood traitors, newblood freaks," one of the Sentinels hisses behind his mask

Maven stops so quickly his leather boots leave black scuff uard, hands still concealed Despite the Sentinel’s towering height, Maven doesn’t seem at all perturbed In fact, he wears no expression at all as he stares

"What was that, Sentinel Rhaarm The Sentinel could tear Maven’s arms off if he wanted Instead his eyes widen behind hisof importance, Your Majesty"

"I decide what is important," Maven clips "What did you say?"

"I answered Her Majesty, the queen" His eyes shift to ive The Sentinels are Maven’s to co the Montfort occupation And Silvers And newbloods"

"Rats Traitors Freaks," Maven offers, still without any inflection or ee This is farwithout anything in him "Those were your exact words, weren’t they?"