Arrin’s hands fisted. “I thought I told you last night I don’t want to talk about your God anymore!”

He strode ahead of Peter, reaching the lake before him. Selecting a two-inch, round, flat rock from the ground at his feet, he flicked it out onto the lake. It skipped across the clouds reflected in the lake’s mirror-like surface seven times before it sank. With a sharp pang of loss, he thought of how delighted Illura would’ve been by that trick, but because of his stupid mistakes and the cruelty of his government she would never again clap for joy over anything. In an impotent rage, he selected a rock the size of his palm, threw it into the lake then watched sullenly as rings spread from the point of impact in increasing size until they broke upon the shore.

Pe...

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