“Is that a challenge to me, then, Captain?” he said sorrowfully. “You’ll keep.” The Second adept thrust her chin toward Palamedes, who had been sitting with fingers steepled beneath his jaw, staring through the walls as though discord was so intensely distasteful that he could only distance himself from it. “Warden, the Sixth is the Emperor’s Reason. I asked you earlier, and I’m telling you now: hand over what keys you’ve won for my safekeeping.” The Sixth, the Emperor’s Reason, blinked. “With all respect,” he said, “piss off.” “Let the record state that I was forced into a challenge,” said
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