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The thought of Father showing up at the Queen’s Prison to bargain for my release makes me choke

"Jessamy!"

I al the saold scarf flapping at his neck e, so naturally the soldiers give way at once He hauls me over to the spider captain

"My lord," says the captain wearily, as if he already knohat is going to happen

Kalliarkos is so highborn he does not even identify hi person intobetter than to smirk I wish a trap would open and s ust is like hot ash blown in id politeness "Then if you will be so kind, my lord, and ratitude"

Oblivious to the sleft behind a puddle of blood and a forgotten little sandal with one broken strap

"Why are you here?" I de beside him I’m too breathless and too horrified by what I’ve just seen to be in awe of a rich young lord sweeping out of nowhere to rescue me

"You never told me where you train"

"You followed me to find out where I train? You e "You should be very glad right now that I a ain But I need answers "How did you knoas here?"

"After your father took you off the balcony I made my way around to the servants’ area I justI followed Good fortune for ot yourself into trouble Noe can talk"

"Good fortune? There’s a dead child, and people getting arrested!"

His bitter s displeasure Without a word he leads us to a long straight stair set off with tall railings and guarded by silent soldiers They bow to Kalliarkos and let us pass We climb forty steps in silence No one else uses these stairs; theyhe pauses, setting a foot on a bench

"My lord, I beg your pardon forwords stick in ry, but no lord will let the likes of me scold hiht to speak to you that way"

"No, you are right to speak It is easy for ht of a situation that does not threaten htfully over the roofs and awnings of the Ribbon Market The many lanes and stalls take up almost all of the crater A thread of smokethrough the narrow alleys flash as the sun hits their polished carapaces at just the right angle It reauge where traps are concealed There are a lot of clues and cues an astute player picks up on Kalliarkos’s tense posture tellsI just have no idea what

I can’t help but notice the things Amaya would His profile has the classic beauty of the Patrons in the slope of his cheekbones, the curve of his eyebrows, the cut of his eyes His black hair is so short it stands straight up, and with a restless gesture he coh its stiff strands

"I didn’tthe Fives frooes on "I won’t tell anyone"

He looks so serious that I nod like I’h I feel all at sea, unable to gain"My thanks, ry at his "You can thank s I can’t win ten Novice trials and becoh to run as a Challenger,I want"

"Every Patron uish himself in the army"

"I don’t"

"How can you not want to serve in the arlory of Efea Soldiers are the truest servants of King Kliatemnos and Queen Serenissima It is the arhter That’s all you’ve ever heard It’s not e fight"