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If we’re all together, may as well work on some of the ideas and concerns wearing holes in my brain. They suggest checking the soil before making an action plan, and the rest of dinner passes in much the same way.

“Cinder has a reform camp about six hours away,” Grayson pipes up. “The place was more of a breeding ground to create the best spies, but that was Cinder’s project. I don’t see a need for that now, unless there’s something we don’t know.”

Kinsley’s brows draw in as she thinks. “Explain the ins and outs of this place, please, Grayson?”

Grayson, Ayden, and Isaac take point in explaining, while Andrya and Sidney pipe in as needed.

“She made this entire program underneath our noses,” Kinsley mutters. “Damn. I don’t see a need for this program, unless we use it to infiltrate some of the areas we can’t always be in.”

“I know there are still constables and heads of provinces who are shady people.” I sigh. “I do need to travel eventually to these places, but I want to ensure things are a bit more stable here before I do.”

“I agree with you. Why don’t we use the spies the way Cinder should have been?” Kinsley agrees.

Dinner finished, we move to the parlor, working on things until bedtime. Things feel as if we’re moving in a good direction, now to hope coronation day goes well.

Twenty-Nine

ANDRYA

Silla wanted to walk the grounds today, since she’s never been able to before. Sidney and I were curious as well, so while Isaac wired the castle for security with Ayden, Grayson and Kenzo worked on other things, we’re going on a hike to explore.

“I still get lost in the castle.” Silla sighs, shaking her head. “This still feels so surreal.”

“It feels right in so many ways, though, too,” Sidney tells her. “You have suffered so much at the hands of the crown, you know how bad things can get, which means you will do better.”

“You all have so much confidence in me, but my head is spinning. I can’t believe the things Cinder told me. Was her father actually sexually abusive? Gods, I feel sorry for her, but at the same time—”

“We don’t have to be a product of our trauma, Baby,” I remind her. “Cinder could have made different choices, but she didn’t. Grayson is working with Kinsley now to redirect FRC and how they’re trained. Longer training time, but we will still be using people who have legitimate crimes that don’t require prison time. I’m thinking five years of service and then they’ll be released.”

“I think that’s fair,” Sidney muses. “Cinder was burning through her spies by giving them impossible jobs. If the recruits know there’s an end to their rehabilitation time, they’ll be more willing to make it work.”

“Agreed,” Silla murmurs. “I wonder what’s in these woods?”

Sidney frowns as we cross the wide clearing. There is military equipment back here, and I wonder if Cinder had training back here.

“I need to ask Kenzo if there’s a way drills can be done somewhere else.” Silla sighs, as if reading my mind. “It just all makes me uncomfortable. I know most of the people in my guard will be from the Underground but…”

“I’ll make a point to ask,” Sidney confirms. I love how much he takes our concerns to heart. All the guys do, even my brother. I’m still figuring out Kenzo, but he seems more closed off since his brother died.

“Let’s go on an adventure,” I laugh, grabbing Silla’s hand and pulling her into the woods.

I didn’t even know this was here until I checked out the rooms that will be ours in our wing. The view is beautiful, but I don’t want to see the military equipment either. It sounds like first world problems, but I still have flashbacks from my time in the dungeon.

Silla is wearing a heavy wool jacket, gray pants, with a long-sleeved, deep purple sweater, and boots. She has several knives hidden on her person, and I think this will always be her life from now on. I've even started carrying weapons on my person, in the form of poisoned clips in my hair and a knife in my boot.

The ground is hard beneath our feet here, and I swear it’s colder here than it was in Peony. The twigs snap beneath our feet, and the wind whips through the trees. Shivering, Silla looks up.

“I swear I smell snow,” she says, wrinkling her nose.

“It’s supposed to snow today, so we shouldn’t go too far,” Sidney cautions.

“We won’t freeze,” I tease him. “Don’t you wonder what’s in these trees?”

“Unless it's you two running, screaming from me as I chase you down while I’m masked so I can fuck you, not really,” he says drolly, yet still stays close.

Giggling, Silla shakes her head at him. “That was oddly specific, but is that an option once it’s warmer?” she asks.

“It very much is. I’ve been fucking my cock with my hand in the shower to that particular fantasy.” Sidney smirks.