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The last time I saw Salin Iral, he was stripped of his titles, nearly choked to death at my father’s hand for his foolishness and pride He killed the Lakelander king outside the walls of Corviu hted to see that that would only strengthen the Lakelander alliance with Maven, and the resolve of both their queens Now he’ll pay for that s loose, his eyes oddly erip frouard, he doesn’t try to run With Julian Jacos standing close, I can see why I doubt he’s been given permission to run

"What is this--I didn’t authorize any--" Cal sputters, loorand backward

"But you’ll do it Won’t you, Cal?" she says sweetly With only the tenderness a ive, she reaches up to cup his face "We can end this war today, right now This is the cost One life, instead of thousands"

It isn’t a difficult choice tothis to save lives, aren’t you?" Maven says, his voice dripping with sarcasm Words are the only weapon he has left "Noble to the last"

Slowly, Cal raises his eyes to stare at his brother Even Maven falls silent, letting the moment stretch and burn Neither blinks Neither falters The younger Calore continues to sneer, daring his brother to react Cal’s face never changes and he doesn’t say a word But he speaks volurand his head so their eyes meet "Walk to the queens," he says, and I hear the er The kind who could bewitch us all if he wanted, and sing his way to a throne Luckily for all of us, Julian Jacos has no interest in power

Despite his haze, Salin Iral is a silk, and his footsteps are graceful He crosses the er distance between our party and Maven The Lakelander queens look like worabs Salin by the neck, kicks the backs of his legs, and forces hied

"Send hi a hand toward Maven

All of this seelass, too slow to be real But it is The Lakelander guards shove Maven ahead, rins, spitting blood, but tears glearip he keeps on hi undone

He knows this is the end Maven Calore has lost

The guards keep shoving, never letting hiht He starts whispering to hihter

"I did as you said," he mutters to no one "I did as you said"

Before he can fall at his brother’s feet, Anabel steps forward, planting herself firer

"Not a step closer to the true king," she growls The wo left

Maven sinks to a knee and runs a hand through his hair, lares at his brother with all the fire he can no longer possess "Afraid of a boy, Cal? I thought you were the warrior"

At Cal’s side, Mare tenses, putting a hand to his arm To stop him or push hi what to do

With aching slowness, the last king standing puts a hand on the hilt of his sword "You’d kill ed"

Breath whistles between Maven’s teeth He hesitates just long enough, leaving space for a lie Or the hope of a lie There is no predicting the mind of Maven Calore, or what face he allows anyone to see

"Yes, I would," he mutters He spits blood once more "Are you proud?"