wn, the lock

re the door

the knife that was

en entere

None of them looked at me. One stripped the bed, another cleaned the fireplace, a

ickly and spo

the older woman and he

this under

ued pouring wat

carrying the scent of l

the Lord Regent or the Captain

peaking

n finall

urns around my wrists and the dried mud on my clothe

seamstresses are waiting with your clothes. Th

re about th

lded t

th chair is waiti

other ste

wrote

e youngest maid dropp

floor with a

ick it up, her hands shaking so

older maid

ime, she looked

e had g

d answers," she said

dropped

efore the curse

t cu

d to the othe

d said

cher, signaled the others,

ammed shut

, the key turn

ed aft

d in

d at th

, but for a moment I imagined the muddy ca

, I un

tung the cuts a

the water turne

m my skin and hair, but I couldn't wash away

I dried myself wi

hes waited

dress embroidered

t reinforced

ok was

ed it

nd a loose linen shirt. They were made for a young nobleman,

d to the

blocked th

and pulled with

didn'

ge of towering white cliffs. Far below,

d be no cl

toward

one w

e brass ring

th

y palm agai

out!" I

ot a pr

not a p

ce came from

k click

k tunic as before. A sword hung at his side,

mp hair, the plain shirt,

ply not free

to go

to step

o see the

n didn

he doorway w

n others. Until the Regency Council accepts your claim, th

ded m

me here in a r

bath

ed me like

telling me I'm n

e blood," Ca

means very little

are gatheri

ether you are someon

ice ha

one they mu

his

at do y

aned sligh

scent of rain, ceda

" he said. "It mak

refuse to

ouched the corn

ock the d

ested on t

keep th

gaze for an

ped back in

word, Cassian

clicked o

alone

e room felt even s