“You look like hell,' he said to me in a low voice.'Gee, Dax, don’t coat it with honey. Tell me what you really think,' I said.”

“Before Kiki and I headed toward the Keep, I thanked my friends.“For what? We didn’t do anything,” Janco grumbled.“For caring enough to follow my guards. And the next time, I might need the help.”“There better not be a next time,” Ari said, giving me a stern look.“How touching,” Janco said, pretending to wipe his eyes.“Get going, Yelena. I don’t want you to see me cry.” He faked a sniffle.“I’m sure your ego can handle it,” I said. “Or will you need to beat up some trainees to feel like a man again?”“Very funny,” he said.”

“Do you really want to know why you lost?” I asked.“Do you really have an answer?” he countered.“You need to get off your horse and run with your men. You don’t have the stamina for a long fight. And find a lighter sword.”“But it was my uncle’s.”“You’re not your uncle.”“But I’m the King, and this is the King’s sword,” Cahil said. His brows creased together. He seemed confused.“So wear it to your coronation,” I said. “If you use it in battle, you’ll be wearing it to your funeral,” I said.”

“Yelena.” I halted in the doorway, looking back over my shoulder.“You once said I wasn’t ready to believe your reason for killing Reyad. I’ll believe you now.”“But I’m not ready to tell you,” I said and left the room.”

“Riley - “Don’t worry, there are many safeguards in place. Unless you want me to have Logan explain—” Trella - “No! I trust you.”He clutched his hands to his chest. “She… Gasp… Trusts me! Call for medical aid stat!”I swung at him, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me to my feet.Snaking his arms around my waist, he said, “We need to celebrate this momentous occasion.”"What are we celebrating?" Jacob Ashon, Riley's father, asked from the doorway.”

“Valek leaned back in his chair and said to me, “I don’t think I would have made it past the audition,Yelena. I probably would have set my hair on fire by this point.”“What’s a singed head for the sake of art?” I teased. He laughed.”

“Suppressing his relief, Valek asked, “Can you please tell this Lieutenant who he has arrested?”“Can do,” Janco said with a smile. “Lieutenant Darren, let me be the first to congratulate you on capturing the elusive and legendary Kelav. He’s been wanted in Ixia for years on multiple counts of espionage.”