se spiraled downw
e smell of ozone and clean magic faded, replaced by the heavy s
Shadow sprites. The Order's invisible spy network. Ali
t behind his desk, his fingers drumm
ckground check on the Padilla family. I want to
d sharply and
of Aethelgard was alread
apprentice dropped a vial of sulfur. "Did y
otected their egos. A noble cheating was far more believable
the stairs. She walked dow
were leaning against the wall
as Alina walked by. "Think her fancy artifact i
at her alive," t
ke water over a stone. In her past life, she had been calle
Let them think she was a cheating, powerless
a fraction of a second
Gauntlet sat heavy and stable in her core. It f
iron gate at the end of the
f people in grey rags were scrubbing massive, blood-stained
te screeched, all
othes and straight posture made her stick out like a s
ter sneered. He purposefully swung the bucket hard, sending a wa
idn't j
lided backward exactly half an inch. The
nst the stone, missing the ti
ked, confused. He opened
en't clean by sundown, nobody eats!" a
parted i
eld a clean white handkerchief over her nose. Her eyes locked onto Alina,
e pulled the assignment paper f
idn't t
girl's utter lack of fear was not just defiance; it was a direct insult. It made the other workers watch, wait, holding their breath. She had to crush
ing in close so Alina could smell her sour breath. "Down here, you
uel laughter. They were waiti
n at the muddy b
She didn't bend d
her head. She lock
etely dead. Her eyes wer
the courtyard
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