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siege, and get the defenses ready. Or the
Silver Lake will run red again beneath the
claws of Erawan’s beasts.”
“I know the history of this city as well as
you do.”
Chaol debated ending it there, but he asked,
“Is that why you didn’t kneel to Erawan?”
“Or to the puppet king before him,” his
father said, picking at his food.
“You knew—that the old king was Valg-
possessed?”
His father’s fingers stilled on a crust of
hearty bread, the only sign of his shock. “No.
Only that he was building a host throughout
the land that did not seem ... natural. I am no
king’s lackey, no matter what you may think
of me.” He lowered his hand once more. “Of
course, in my plans to get you out of harm’s
way, it seems it only led you closer to it.”
“Why bother?”