en agonizing seconds. The only sound was the fain

stage. The hard soles of his leather shoes clicked ag

sive frame blocked out the light from the c

ant only for her ears. "Deacon's name is not a bargainin

tilted her head up, meetin

back, her voice steady. "General Deacon saved m

illion miles an hour. She rapidly calculated the p

uld easily use this naive, broke girl as a puppet to plant spies directly inside Deacon's heavily

a mask of deep, maternal compassion. She stepped

ly, placing a gentle hand on the patriarch's arm. "Maybe a

ow, furious growl ripped from his throat. He couldn't be

t. His fingers clamped down like an iron vic

teeth, his breath hot against her face. "You are goin

oked down at his hand, and then up at his face. Her

rm back, twisting her wris

ing sure the surrounding guests heard her. "Show so

d from his lips. A sudden, inexplicable, and entirely nameless void crashed v

pain of loss. His brain immediately co

He looked at his grandson, who was losing control of

cane and slammed it

d of elites. His face shifted back into the s

Peregrine announced into the microphone, "the Chavez f

g authority of the patriarch, the guests quickly forced smiles onto

iel's face. She looked incredibly relieved. His heart squeez

urt. He just knew he wa

, socially flawless curtsy to the patriarch. She

to spend another second breathing

e walked with elegant, measured steps straight towa

he Red Sea. Their eyes were filled with inten

rd. His instinct screamed

and clamped onto his bi

s whisper. "Do not make a scene over a woman wh

of the hallway hit her face, instantly washing away th

in the polished steel doors. She looked at her own young, healthy face

a long, sh

turned around, and watched the doors close, completely shutting