e P
er was cold beneath my boots, but t
fingers clawing at the collar of my tunic, d
hrough my spirit channels. At first, it was merely an annoying
d into a dull, throbbing burn, like molten lead
der patrol was accompanied by
hair, her cool, slender fingers pressing into the nape of my neck, releasing a slow,
keep wa
ng in a rose-silk gown embroidered with silver thread
wl of spiced wine, her delicate face pi
pping with practiced honey. "You're pacing like a caged
, desperate for relief, and dr
y stomach, the fire in my chest didn't subside-it flare
clatter, clenching my jaw again
't it w
n-gutting in that freezing cellar, the air
ttered conduits grain by grain. Why did her touch no
the border?" I rasped, rubbing the bridge of my
ou doubt me? You know that saving your life nearly broke my own spirit core. The doctors told me
d heavy, slamme
mbrace, smoothing her hair. "Forgive me, little
fists. "Alaina. She's poisoning your thoughts from afar! She tried her best to conceive your childre
the migraine behind my eyes sharp
creaked open. Hurbert, my chief adjutant, stepped ins
courier bird just broke through the outer perimeter wa
here," I
usly to Candida before stepping forward a
e wax seal w
s neat, sharp, and
e of Cl
he Ringless is hereby summoned for dissolution. The final hour of se
ition of abandonment will be fil
t be
fingers and scanning the lines. "A petition of abandonment? She dares threate
e has no clan, no Oath Ring, and two bastard runts to feed. She's trying to drag you in
on the floor, a dark, venomou
on of ab
ured the silence of my halls without a word of complaint. She was a stray w
use two squalling brutes to f
flaring, rattling the crystal flutes on the
urbert asked
e tonight," I said, a cruel, m
ling on is attached to an executioner's blade. Tomorrow morning, I will sign tha
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