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Prologue

Ah cold, heavy rain as she neared the caion Cirrus, her wind fury, held her aloft on the shoulders of aany flier found necessary, she alh it, and she was definitely sick of shivering with the cold

A trio of arht and swept toward her upon their own furies' gales, and A in place to meet them It was the third and last perihts flashed a challenge in broad hand signals to her while the other two took position above her, ready to dive upon her if necessary

Anize her, but in these troubling times, a familiar face was not necessarily any assurance of a friendly party She gave thehts Aeris take their hands from their weapons and form up around her in a friendly escort as she wearily flew the last mile or so to the camp

Amara did not land at the standard location, just outside the camp's palisade She'd covered more than three thousandthrough the cah to knock her unconscious She caulations against it and the debris Cirrus's approach would scatter all over the area Her legs quivered, all rubbery with fatigue, as she settled her weight on the the effort to direct Cirrus

"Countess," rey hairs shorn close to his scalp, Legion style He was rather dapper in his fine tunic, but Amara knew that Enos, a former Cursor himself, was one of the deadlier knife hands in Alera Mild disapproval in his voice did nothing to da in here as bold as you please, I see"

"I'm sorry to make extra work for you, Enos," Amara replied, as they stepped underneath a nearby pavilion, out of the rain

"Nonsense I'll get one of our Subtribunes Logistica to tidy up We valets are far too is, you know" He offered her a warm towel, and after she had used it to wipe her face and hands, he pressed a steaers

Aroan of pleasure Long flights always left her enor over the past few days "Bless you, Enos"

"Not at all, Countess," he replied "The least I can do for soht speed record from here to the capital by a full day"

"The First Lord doesn't pay me to lark about," Amara said, and flashed him a smile "How much did you win?"

"Fourteen silver bulls," Enos said, his tone unrepentantly s "Lord Aquitaine's head valet just can't see"

Amara finished the broth, and Enos i of tea She sipped it Delicious Perhaps she'd e to walk all the way to a warm bunk before she collapsed, after all "Is he available?"

"The captain is in conference with Lord Aquitaine," Enos said "But he insisted that I take you to him as soon as you arrived"