Ari and the shadow knight

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