TH

, his gray eyes burning with a hatred so intense it was almost a physical

umbfounded, tugging on his

the shopkeeper Simon Miller's s

re of polite regret. "This vial of Ambergris was, in fact, reserved in advanc

son a way out, but it was

n his rage. "Reserved? Who in Silverm

with the Haynes family crest. It was his Gamma's Seal. "I am

presented the highest level of military

. "My deepest apologies, Gamma. The guest who res

his power, both had failed h

He shot me one last, venomous glare, as if this was all my fault, then

etreat, a true, genuine smile

slight nod of thanks. I knew he had ju

y own small selection of

. "The esteemed guest who made the reservation has instructed t

"The esteemed gue

epened. "You wil

... the guest said it is a gift for you." He held t

tion was not gratitude-it was suspicion. A

g my hesitation, "that a truly gifted

rson not only knew my name, bu

me in many forms, and this was a power I could not yet afford to

ry, my attendant Willow rushed t

cking up," she said, dra

amily crest embroidered in silver

waiting. After Willow quietly excused herself, I s

herbs I had been admiring at the apothecary, all of

On it, a single sentence was w

esilien

igna

y intervention, the paid bill, the cloak, and now these gifts. It was cle

And why was

ep-seated caution. I knew, with a certainty that chilled me, that my dest