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THE DOOR OPENED, and a guard with a message came in.
“Prince Jak, Ebere, and a guest, Your Grace.” He looked at Rasha, then looked past her and bowed again toward Bashir and Chiza.
Rasha put Cutter and Blade away as Jak entered the room. She tried to keep her face neutral. He looked at her for a long moment, as if he were committing her to memory. His eyes looked tired, but he held his shoulders back.
“Hey, Rash,” he said.
She stared back at him, so many feelings and thoughts rushing at her at the same time that she couldn’t decide which one she wanted to express first.
“Prince Jak,” Bashir said, stepping around a tongue-tied Rasha, and regarded the giant winged man with surprise.
Rasha shook off her emotions and spoke.
“How did you find us?”
“Your aunt. I’d planned to go in se
