"When have I not not been?" she asked, and she heard the uncharacteristic note of sharpness in her voice. "Honestly, Araris? I've lived my whole life afraid, and I'm sick to death of it." been?" she asked, and she heard the uncharacteristic note of sharpness in her voice. "Honestly, Araris? I've lived my whole life afraid, and I'm sick to death of it."

Araris frowned at her, folding his arms.

"Somewhere out there are men and women who would gladly conspire to murder my son," she continued in the same tone. "They may well be many of the same souls responsible for murdering my husband." The sudden rage inside her almost seemed to force her chin up, and her words came out crisply bitten. "I won't have it."

Araris's eyebrows climbed.

"I've made many friends, Araris. I've learned a great deal about Alera's leading Citizens. I'm going to find those responsible for killing Septimus. I'm going to find those who might wish to do harm to Octavian. And great furies help them when I do." She felt her voice shaking with the ferocity and weight of her feelings. "Don't waste your time being afraid for me. I don't care who they are. I'm going to find them. And destroy them."

He walked across the room to her and ran the fingertips of one hand over the curve of her cheek. "That," he said quietly, "is what I'm afraid of."

Isana's sudden, hot fury faltered, and she lowered her eyes.

He lowered his head until he caught her eyes. Then he leaned in and kissed her lightly on the mouth, returning to gaze intently at her. "Don't become what you aren't, Isana."

She leaned her cheek against his hand. "I wish that we..."

He stepped up and put his arms around her, and she leaned against him gratefully. "Shhh," he said. "The time isn't right yet. If we wed now, it would cause issues, now that Octavian's name is loose. He will need all the support he can secure, at first. If wild rumors about our relationship and how it's tied to Septimus's death start circulating, it will make the work much harder."

"They'd do that, wouldn't they?" She sighed. "I'm sorry." "They'd do that, wouldn't they?" She sighed. "I'm sorry." "It's all right," he murmured. "I can wait. For you, I can wait." "It's all right," he murmured. "I can wait. For you, I can wait." She found herself smiling a little. "What do I do?" She found herself smiling a little. "What do I do?" He hugged her tight. "Keep your eyes and ears open. Don't let them drive you to behaving as they do." He hugged her tight. "Keep your eyes and ears open. Don't let them drive you to behaving as they do." She held him in return, and they were silent and together for several moments. She held him in return, and they were silent and together for several moments. "I'd best go," he said quietly. "I don't want to get too far from him." "I'd best go," he said quietly. "I don't want to get too far from him." Isana nodded. They kissed again, and Araris hurried toward Tavi. Isana nodded. They kissed again, and Araris hurried toward Tavi. Isana watched him go, and bit her lip as the door to the command building opened and she caught a glimpse of Tavi. Isana watched him go, and bit her lip as the door to the command building opened and she caught a glimpse of Tavi. Of Octavian. Of Octavian. She thought of what it would be like to bury him, and shuddered. She thought of what it would be like to bury him, and shuddered. That would not happen. She would do whatever she must in order to make sure of it. That would not happen. She would do whatever she must in order to make sure of it.

The invasion might have been turned back, the rebel High Lord put down, but it seemed obvious to Isana now that those had only been the first eddies of the winds of change-and that the storm was just beginning.

Biography

A martial arts enthusiast whose resume includes a long list of skills rendered obsolete at least two hundred years ago, Jim Butcher turned to writing as a career because anything else probably would have driven him insane. He lives in Missouri with his family and ferocious guard dog.

Also by Jim Butcher * * *

The Codex Alera * * *

FURIES OF CALDERON

ACADEM'S FURY

CURSOR'S FURY

CAPTAIN'S FURY

PRINCEPS' FURY

FIRST LORD'S FURY

The Dresden Files

STORM FRONT

FOOL MOON

GRAVE PERIL

SUMMER KNIGHT

DEATH MASKS

BLOOD RITES

DEAD BEAT

PROVEN GUILTY

WHITE NIGHT

SMALL FAVOR

TURN COAT