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PART ONE

CHAPTER 1

ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY, SANDHURST, ENGLAND

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, NINE PM

SIR!”

Officer Cadet Sebastian Williams burst into Major General Frank Dorrien’s office Williams’s corace Frank Dorrien’s upper lip curled If he closed his eyes he could practically hear the standards slipping, like turds off a wet rock

“What is it?”

“It’s Prince Achileas, Sir”

“Prince Achileas? Do you mean Officer Cadet Constantinos?”

Williaround “Yes, Sir”

“Well? What about him?”

For one appallingto cry

“He’s dead, Sir”

The Major General flicked a piece of lint off his jacket Tall and thin, with the wiry fraular it looked like it had been carved fro away

“Dead?”

“Yes, Sir I found hi Just now It ful, Sir!” Cadet Williams started to shake Christ, he was an embarrassment

“Show me”

Frank Dorrien took his battered attaché case with hi a less corridor back towards the barracks Half walking, half jogging, the boy’s liled Frank Dorrien shook his head Soldiers like Officer Cadet Sebastian Willia with today’s army

No discipline No order No fucking courage

An entire generation of dolts

Achileas Constantinos, Prince of Greece, had been just as bad Spoiled, entitled These boys seeame