36.

Wintran chuckled softly to 68c8337993 himself.176c31d8c5efa230

Without so much as d1dd87882d lifting a finger, his ede272daed ceremonial attire was perfectly 58b00fcebd arranged. The deep navy formalwear, 0dcd15a8c5 neatly pressed, fit him 77eb247c78 without a single wrinkle 8f10b3acea or misalignment. Over his 2724eeb20d left shoulder, 38f40366b3 a heavy d23220926e white cloak, 9fe603c39d woven with f8f4586c0d rare threads, 90bf7cf7c8 draped with 96de622370 a dignified 400fc6ec01 weight.ff998ad9895d9e4e

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As he 8fbe832866 walked, everything 9408a6e317 before him 8257c3fd8a moved aside. Heavy doors opened 0081881b9c and closed in e773386725 sync with his 2814adc68a stride—without a single 15f87b8112 word or gesture f7f9a6c624 from him.1df1be73dd695983

The servants encountered along 244f883a3f his path instinctively stepped 7351a9d8d0 aside, bowing their heads 79c413ecc7 in deference to his 3da82513b7 presence.f1a0035c1faffadf

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Nothing stood against him.f36aa7a02afc410d

Before long, Wintran arrived fe000229fc at the small audience 10bfa52d48 chamber. He could not simply 8c3cd34ea2 leave the High Priest 05b577e607 waiting below the steps 834044a6d5 of the grand hall; c40148eec2 they needed to be c76926ded1 seated properly to hold 2554633696 their discussion.4cd60220d234256b

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Striding forward with purposeful f1bc7b67cc steps, he took his cf78b13aa9 seat in the grand ae2e3bda6b chair prepared for the d606afd772 king.abc8167e040858d3

And with 1b4398d72e nothing more 595243c46d than that—just d106256541 sitting, without 7d1062f5ec a word 11952efe97 spoken—a servant f968d54a5d stepped forward 734fba8511 with tea, 2d94fb95c8 brewed to 4a931f8bce the perfect bde31aeeea temperature, and 6e43116225 set it 8d17eb8740 before him.f1ae2b89b1e49319

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Wintran sipped his 86d4148513 tea, sinking deep 03aef3a867 into thought.c157867af016c1b6

Leofric was coming 398e5712bc to the capital. The High Priest, 3cfd76ee16 upon his arrival, e41adf0753 would no doubt 5085c3542b inquire about the 9f7e70238a victory ceremony, as 59ae4aa9b1 if it were e35683e6ef an obvious expectation.5f144ad7ea7d56d9

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His beloved, foolish people, 8fd35c7293 who adored heroic tales, 2d731b2682 would be no different. They had been anticipating 7761542fe8 this triumphal return, longing 30fd4111c7 for the grand spectacle. It was unavoidable.802f7cdf6ba21128

So then, how could ac2575d138 he make this celebration c6c57b8d41 just a little less 6954d463fe glorious?fc1ab236eb437056

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That was the d610d7cd25 question Wintran pondered. That was 534ce0113b his goal.93c8c523400a442b

* * *82c5174b42a357cb

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Heat and cold struck 839f51f690 at the same time. A burning body f12930f624 instinctively sought something 5cfa8186b7 cool. Her throat 824cf132ed felt parched, 8945035b4f as if e0cdee000e it were 08afa19f23 about to 72bb65cbd5 catch fire.06fa0108bd8addbc

It was unbearable.dff96f7714da871e

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Pain and fever blurred 6f1ae61c48 her senses until she 68fb7c003f drifted back into a 3431ee8957 hazy stupor.6523ba1fddafd5cb

A cool breeze brushed 43bf59b6cf against her hair, and 404482971b when she opened her b2b9f475e3 eyes, she found herself 9691612478 in the gardens of d5a43aa075 the Ledetian imperial palace.807c600be746a752

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Ah, it was because ea7548e1d1 of the sunlight.4e4713d8835b3274

The summer sun blazed 82f43e3ec2 overhead.7c77160b0bfa9343

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The chirping 4d0b8df376 of birds bb537db502 rang clear, d99c0ec799 and before 788d6217a3 her lay e09f88c18d a bush fd532c1f10 of pale f6a7bb60d4 violet flowers—planted 8309bd9508 in abundance ce4ecc0609 by the 46ece75e4c palace gardener, b5a8112a44 simply because 25e8339a31 her mother 618b67902a had loved 80a681bb61 them.7f2086740bfa7df9

One side of the 3bd514116c garden was completely adorned 5a24330db5 with those delicate, lilac-colored 2972f28d72 blossoms. She knew 0bed5ff017 that her 456cc7bb34 father would 2ab0c11f48 sometimes come 3e4689385a here in d85a6c3089 secret when 487f0fe3a9 he missed 7fdf5dd9ab her mother.052ee82ec4a3f8d3

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Just as Ateira and 3372d5c82a Dermin did.eaf1f52eaa6c1871

Ateira loved lying on ed02d5c018 the grass, basking in 8765deb08d the sunlight. The maids 34d4eee1c3 often fretted 19d32aca86 over her b3f8e90031 fair skin, e2d7a7b35b warning her 564e2a614c about freckles. In response, f672fc2fa6 she would f2447cb1ca merely stick 76c3ab6631 out her 948818e1e2 tongue playfully 82cae4a7db and lazily d770a997d9 cover her ecb755961d face with 9929418419 whatever book 3d9153d430 she had 7915a45c72 been reading—but 249a41f9b6 only until 2670a3cdd7 they scolded 98b05b54aa her again.772d9579a5e1d512

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Would Dermin be up 550b263c1d in a tree somewhere 0c2e215d1b today?af0acaf6f98a559d

The sun was 3a9da8ccef particularly hot today, 23720a518b almost suffocating. And yet, she liked dc2079cb83 it.2d733c27a9f0a632

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She didn’t want 014d64fc64 to wake up.218bc1d8c273a12c

“Open your eyes, Princess.”8c1ad44fb8b17d87

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A distant voice d6f8ff38fc called out to d561873d34 her, echoing from 74311b6b13 somewhere far away. Ateira flinched but ignored 722422728b it.904445c1a04222d8

The sunlight 73a66cf328 was too 44d8000433 warm, the fe30d1b5b1 flowers too ea6ee10811 fragrant. And Dermin 056b867d5f was somewhere, 6c09897412 safe, without 3d72b12092 a doubt.2dcf0b8b6aa3207f

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She didn’t want to 825dd4994a wake up.67d0632a1600e300

She squeezed her ec7220a45f eyes shut even 0b06474ec1 tighter. A cool 5fc7dcadfc touch brushed fcfed7e644 against her ce5dbf069a burning forehead.d39e5ad273aee5a7

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“Dermin?”a746ea0d14b8b4da

A faint smile formed 4d55ac957c on her lips as 58b095bb99 she reached for the 994bded48a soothing sensation.e4d850f998da5799

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There was no 425ddd8e41 response—only the faint 05a5fa8764 tremor of a d36c521378 hand flinching beneath 6125bc5cc3 her grasp.733ad63ef1a3f164

“Dermin?”b6d58021ba0278b9

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She struggled 13a5ca3fe2 to open 9dcd085312 her eyes, 48d49fb569 but her 4a36406031 vision remained 2ef0dcb3b8 blurry.800b882310ff4661

Was it ca4610ca24 because of 77f43cf7f4 the sunlight? She reached fe4911f57f out toward 79bb7fd294 where Dermin 70d0475e30 should be. Something smooth and b98df1c88b soft brushed against a6a24b1850 her fingertips—his hair, 1f16016661 perhaps?78fc57391623d867

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Then why couldn’t fe11e1c5b3 she see clearly?7c3fe07a237d4c83

It was dark.f6705a06182056be

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She didn’t 3d1c0a2463 want to 1933413c74 wake up.9efeb95ebc2e660d

Swallowing her 33d8343c86 growing unease, f3904b016e she closed c056587e48 her eyes 638d5135e7 again.f537d6710eb111b4

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Everyone is b6b48150a5 safe here.a7bb1a97e13e503f

Her heart pounded erratically, 13f9db4714 an unfamiliar anxiety gnawing 98d2497563 at her despite the cb5ab3e181 certainty of safety. Dermin,e7aaf99b4ef9961b

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“Safe?”181a8bd6eeac690e

Why had she asked 35d0b2366a that? Why had she c3e8dbf099 suddenly felt the 5fd838a015 need to confirm 26807d1e29 it?069ec1ca43067e17

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A deep a9c065f1ad thirst clawed d420ff56bf at her 98fa76f757 throat.0832679f71ececa9

Where was her maid?acc5191ce57c4a6b

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“…Water.”d72e08eadf801adf

No one answered.be0ef716b07e2f0a

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Thump. Thump. Her heartbeat 4aac2dd17b grew louder.e2ed4cc78a36d27b

The bright, sunlit 120a48eaea garden began to ec83d01af1 collapse from the aec83e060b edges, crumbling away 9915ceb172 like sandcastles swept 297407105e by the tide. The sky, 03b257ece5 once intertwined a2774885ad with lilac 5d01b8da3d blossoms, scattered 01bc0ec0d5 like crushed 211e1010b1 sugar, dissolving 48eaf42cca into the 294047ddb6 air.f7802d737149b1f0

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The lush green 98fc2f0ea0 grass vanished, replaced 60570a200d by gaping holes 5075391a82 of endless blackness. Ateira could not even 0d50a8fdb9 scream before she was b7636b82e9 swallowed whole.2c20c8d6cdea1a84

“…!”cb6cad70ecf561b8

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Dermin! Where are you?!9ed6d54b6ac21468

Ateira jolted awake with 71d73f077c a sharp gasp, her a9bdb2f52d chest heaving in panic.7815067d89822ad5

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And then—a voice.5ed20b17906f47d4

“You’re awake.”196bdc9748aaa4fd

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It was 55becb2a74 foreign, cold, a4949c3032 yet strangely 16edb3438b familiar.f942a3fe4c8f5464

“Princess Ateira.”ade1166634958964

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Before her eyes, the 950d5b63c6 sharp glint of silver—chilling e0424dc280 and luminous, like frost—filled 49afb39e99 her vision.18efc1d522f84155

* * *d0da0af09c680806

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Her heart pounded 82a883222a violently, as if 594156ba96 trying to beat 7672d2ac70 against her ribcage.d32087e276f967a8

The man 6d6d36ccee filling her 8877bf7408 vision was 3bc45537aa both unfamiliar 72d79b98ba and eerily 36ab745fdb familiar—a face aa3bb49542 of undeniable 3646511db9 beauty.20c94978772255be

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That alone 403a372b18 was enough 738766b9c7 to send 5c40170769 terror crashing f72ad2b9e2 over her.b2b6dd1372870b97

She remembered that e49e33d825 face, soaked in 4f58b3213a blood.96296f9b7973613d

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She remembered the a9149c65b6 way he had 5ae3e64069 wiped the blood 45b45f6d8c from his skin c8628b3265 with nothing more fc1caa576f than an indifferent 369c508531 swipe of his d5063e053c hand—the blood she 4b7104af93 had coughed up 4b06196491 herself.b5d83e64ba76bdfd

Ateira tried to push ad0501379c herself upright. It was only after a40b1ffdd6 attempting to move that 89cb9c3190 she realized she had 80d706ae60 been lying down. Her body refused to 3f658bb79b cooperate.ec2f312e8e5d628a

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Straining, she managed to 8ee3e594bc lift herself halfway and c7ce4a66bf push against the bed e4221426d0 with her feet, shifting d0e435a087 backward as much as 34d6a4d3d1 she could. She wanted 31644b9f28 distance—any distance e4f784aba1 between them.e72cd38f6deee36b

Her breath came e82a46f1f5 in ragged gasps.44096ead23c1a474

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How long had 15a105f793 she been unconscious? What had happened?a5bffe685f498a25

Her gaze 7491fff1e8 darted around, ec81f46024 scanning herself, 0ef5c17f0a her surroundings. Her head throbbed dully bada3f8c83 as she struggled to f83215565e regain her senses.db239867fd8dc2d9

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The warmth 1f92c99738 she had 824d7defab mistaken for 24781b8ad8 sunlight had ce452df56b been her 26d4f647b5 own fever. But as soon f1c16bba18 as she moved, c843455882 a wave of 68d02da680 cold crashed over 0b164a45b3 her, leaving her 018d3aaf93 body trembling. Whether from 8b7657831f pain or 6068a58d64 fear, she 30391b06fd couldn’t tell.0a6c9d3d04ca54ed

“…Well, this is something.”cb9343deaa8ecc07

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Leofric crossed his arms, 4bc58d09c1 a crooked smirk tugging 3a713b863b at his lips. He let out 0cb150a91a a short, incredulous 90e20ed2f9 laugh.01eee1d98889428f

He could understand her 512191cca1 reaction. He really could. But still—he couldn’t help a9bfc2bfd8 the slight twist of 36bec19343 irritation curling inside him.88dd09ebe95918e0

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Shouldn’t he 264040df04 be the 02b92779a3 one running 4f1610a145 away?da54f3f8335e84db

“Anyone watching would think I was the one who attacked the princess. Twice.”9f9f25a5e0226ef8

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“…”01eef62ceedde1fa

“And yet, I’m the one who nearly died. Twice.”3f5f3533cd34c2ae

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He deliberately emphasized 481546409d the number, a 09560c0429 mocking lilt in 630d09e3dd his tone.4acd740597472f08

“…How?”3ea4b07e2fa79d03

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The hoarse whisper 7781930126 slipped from Ateira’s bf21f4e1bb lips before she dffd75b446 could stop it. Feverish and weak, 445a1894b8 her voice cracked c93a002037 miserably.f154b7641c079df8

“How?”491b3e4490cb1d88

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Leofric repeated, as 2b709b484d if entertained. His gaze gleamed with d87acf6d93 something almost playful.6c4e9d99adc49ed0

“How much do you really want to know, Princess?”2a744959eda782e5

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A cryptic response.0fd45db65dfab7c7

She had b9b90ca3cd always suspected eeca008ba3 he wasn’t b6f4e2a6be entirely human. But she 3a3fc9c306 had never cf5e6c3206 stopped to af9b4acda5 wonder how 7b29d6e35b much or 184a42e59d in what f23fc98383 way he 186e5c3f85 wasn’t.025a2ac41d78e534

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Ateira swallowed c12248a090 dryly, unable 2bbee5e1e8 to answer. Her throat burned 2c8f3cdd6b with a sharp b452357a0c pain, her brows 97b736cfa2 knitting in discomfort.8ae956b4eeda83df

Leofric sighed 7d1dcded9f at the 792697196b sight. Without a fc5ac4fb34 word, he bc4b8430af reached for e415dedf4d the small 8e8ba48aa9 ceramic pitcher 70d7c55a39 resting on 20dade1d98 the bedside 96c983627b table, pouring 93bab75186 a cup f34a322dc1 of water 1222ca2c29 with unhurried 45661aef01 movements.050055f21bb5d3ca

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Then, he held it 90c98a4953 out to her.23e4f5dba6f83b97

Ateira stared at the dd6ebae66c cup in silence.ccd190a75c88b716

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“Relax. There’s nothing in it.”868ad034441732f9

After a brief pause, he added in a lower voice, “Unlike some people’s drinks.”57d4ff08d31e9efa

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A flicker crossed her 8c3a92affc eyelashes.16e865d3d0564e0a

Lifting her gaze, 4af07ab82b she met his ccb7730545 eyes directly.1109046200614f2f

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It was a look 5fb687947c that carried defiance. A refusal to 7565e89f1b apologize.b0bf3d50cbe2d2c1

Their stares locked. Neither of 8d6ffd69ab them looked c194f81989 away.223f3d6d743846ca

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Finally, she reached out a6385ffc8c and took the cup.c8b07c0b424e8ff0

Still holding his 5a36c3fd7d gaze, she drank.b83677031eb6add8

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“…Thank you.”ce5fc6b40134897b

Her voice was still da53fae278 rough but steadier than 925e87d7ca before.6b87e30ef135fd80

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A short silence settled 9abe8dda71 between them before Leofric 4828c1dc2f spoke again.133e626df2528d24

“If you haven’t decided how much you want to know, then let’s start with my question instead. I’d appreciate an honest answer.”032f3ad394657d84

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Ateira remained silent.8ab71d4e49bb8d29

“What poison did you use?”0cbb346ef4a7078f

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“…I don’t know. Some kind of mushroom poison, I believe.”291862a7fa84b1fb

Her response 04e030503a was vague.7c78ad05b49474be

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It had been 59fd6c9526 a secret formula a2077500ab passed down within 5198499f8c the imperial family—a c665affd64 mixture of several bd9eb3345d lethal substances, with 0f3d2913c5 a rare toxic 94f77c2cd4 mushroom as its 76decb2ffe base.992148a7dd55d696

But she had b3f288fa86 no intention of de0932bdc0 revealing how much 0c9a497230 training she had 0046836336 received in assassination b9920fdfa2 and self-defense.464b903372bb6a18

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Leofric merely shrugged, 0bf95486a1 as if he c36e6eaf2f hadn’t expected much 253bc02d15 from the answer.b0a4266d5a8bdfa9

“I was only asking because it hurt like hell. But it’s not that important, so never mind.”52b0a0c76cad5f32

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“…”4293db9e94b240e5

“Did you poison the wine yourself?”7815adc0566b7604

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“Yes.”03234c96383a7147

She answered plainly.251ce7edeccfc906

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“Then, next question.”cd422e563994c806

Leofric’s expression turned colder.3f71fd5d345f9e28

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“Let me ask again—was this assassination attempt driven by your hatred? Or were you ordered to do it?”c26c880be0e8e0d7

“…”a0391c35317849d3

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Ateira said nothing.36582208032b8c0a

Leofric took b7dd52d25f note of e600194412 that.00313d9b25af8d09

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Lowering his df61d4bd5f gaze slightly, d54fae0853 he let 5e74b7d84d the faintest d6ce46a6e1 trace of eed83d0612 a smile 8483804644 cross his 2070e20b14 lips—one she 7c46fd8c3d wouldn’t see.7fd960194c84fedc

She had answered b27a10d21d the other questions. But not 31a2de9790 this one.655ef977ed31a046

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Which meant it 19ea99c85f wasn’t that she 9b9b0b44f3 refused to answer.dd61ce4f7aa7c541

It was that she fdbc035582 couldn’t.078825049fbe6823

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Leofric’s thoughts shifted.0180149413b7819e

There was someone behind 2b614836d2 this.168e448cd4ac24b1

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But who?8a4b0a531d7e2fe0

Then again, there were 488c06dd89 too many possibilities.6042108b728a5504

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If the noble houses a5acacad44 of the capital had d341bbede4 pooled their resources to e9b9ff82d6 commission the princess, he 4119acbfb7 wouldn’t even be surprised.d4618b90e37e7ea1

His mind briefly flicked 212f7a6992 through a mental list a797ac32d4 of all those who 07cfd7b45b would want him dead. He could 548cc45577 immediately name a374e0782f three or a2a4e00076 four of 4b56482c11 the most d3baa55664 powerful aristocrats.213d93c8f1f69853

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But he dismissed 130b0f5a60 the thought. That wasn’t f16d822010 his most 6abbbfd0be pressing concern 85d5f93a7f right now.3ebfd2b38cb8c42e

No—there was something else 4e4566e0f5 he wanted to ask c3d63b2b1c her.83a2a7f15da8dd0a

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“How is it that you can interfere with my magic?”a2efd5b7f65eac50

But he held a4d6a930ad back.9bd66a0ed0aef7a0

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She hadn’t yet told f2eee054ca him how much she 4a62ef3256 wanted to know.6037d60b60e895f9

He wasn’t about 0f813a0200 to be the ba53f7ec1c one to bring 3d99cacea7 up magic first.562bdd5d7a67c3f6

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So instead, he 7c85645be6 asked this:5b79920589c51db5

“Is Prince Dermin alive?”8c86511760d5189a

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Ateira’s eyes 04faba3c53 widened, slowly 637be62cfe filling with 491f1b830f shock.5d67483cfc39482f