SECRET OF THE ASHES AND CROWN

the crown, you have

L

't want

t one

city to fall back into her hands, the people lined the streets. Som

rstood t

n't trus

d to crowns m

eech from the palace ba

rough the mar

old chapel, where the Qu

e steps of the

single

the prayer the

e. Merc

A

de of ash and old songs.

care about

he poisoned grain carts. The three Queen's spies they c

the thir

esit

flinch when

ologizing for who t

TH

n't sit

ic stone, blackened with soot. Her mother's old

ered it

down the

e told her advisors. "We build some

WA

er arrived in a bl

with

cre

si

k you've

ly taken

hand what he

V

breath

rned t

she mean?

l f

se he

A

efore the rebellion-K

name h

e borderlands-a brotherhood of smiths and soldiers-

one of those bidders.

militia. Build weapons in silenc

e called "the Hollow Blades"-swords tha

urned

of t

ad sur

t she'd f

no

nder

t," he whispered.

L

idn't

ight

ed, the man who bled for her, and the wea

u tell me?" sh

," he said quietly. "And I didn

. "You didn't kill i

she t

s that would igni

astern gates. We mo

E

d something in the ce

wide. Holding a scro

ad it

n t

ed it like

brothers

prison north

them there, t

o free them.

your

as

of the city walls, star

came t

it?" sh

ike she was made o

to go,"

t going wi

ok his

not com

and. Pressed i

the whole king