is

mbled to the main entrance of the manor. I heard Cydney shrieking ord

chief steward, stood outside the massive iron gates, his expression impassive. He was a man carved from granite,

ed to carry over the commotion. "Cydney, we are here only to witness. An agreeme

a public rebuke. Cydney fell silent,

to salvage the situation. "Elders,

er's blustering. "The agreement is clear. The assets are to be retu

of the manor. The rooms were filled with beautiful things-rosewood furniture, silk draperies, priceless art.

my mother's, my brother's, and my chambers that belongs to us personal

mother watched for a moment, her expression lost, then she took a deep breat

a sharp suit, a lawyer, stepped forward and read from a document in a loud, clear voice. "Under federal property law, obstructi

r. The public shame of having sheriffs force thei

A few of the manor's servants, long tired of Cydney's tyrann

the precision of a disciplined army, marching past my sputtering,

er and began issuing orders. "The Persian rug in the great hall, item A

eless vases, carefully dismantling chandeliers, rolling up ancien

ted two of the stronger footmen who had come with Marcus's team. "The window," I said, pointin

the wing. It drew the attention of everyone nearby. I stood in the

rying across the manicured lawns. "We are taking them with us today

saw Belia flinch, her fac

who lived nearby were gathering at a safe distance, their

to the front lawn, arranging them in neat rows. It was an ostentatious di

ng hollowed out, its opulent shell crac

had sent a mind-link to his personal guard at the barracks, a desperate attempt to use force. The reply came back, and I saw the flicker o

his mind, a suspicion that he was caught in a web far larger a