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THE BLACK TEMPEST

She bit her lip, sti£ing laughter. Malcolm narrowed his eyes
at her, but couldn’t hide his joy.
Footsteps entered the room behind them—without looking,
Malcolm knew it was High Protectors of the Ember Guard.
Suddenly, it was much easier to be serious. He stood straighter.
Six of the Guard stood several paces behind them. Three
moved to £ank the left side of the dais, three on the right. The
thirteenth, Captain Armel, ascended the steps to stand by the
thrones.
Thirteen of the most elite warriors in all of history sur-
rounded them. Despite his growing power, Malcolm couldn’t
help feeling small. How many years had these soldiers trained
to wield Time? He gave a respectful nod to the captain, and
received one in return.
Behind the thrones, an intricate metal sculpture covered
the wall, and now its shining segments began to unfold. Layers
of copper and gold curled outward, and the wall irised open to
reveal a hidden door. King Jerrik and Queen Meliora stepped
through, looking far more regal than they had before.
Asha followed, wrapped in a dark purple robe and a gold
belt, dark hair hanging loose and wavy after drying from the rain.
Though she kept her expression neutral, her eyes sparkled as
they met Malcolm’s. She nodded, signaling that she’d acquired
what they needed.
The king and queen did not look happy. Clearly, they didn’t
appreciate being summoned in their own home, in the middle of
the kingdom they ruled. Malcolm just hoped they would listen.
“Thank you for coming,” Valentine began as they sat. “We
meant no disrespect, but what we’ve discovered sheds new light
on our enemy.”

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