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Let the Storm Break andlt;link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../styles/9781442450462.css"andgt; andlt;h2 andgt;CHAPTER 1andlt;/h2andgt; andlt;h3 andgt;VANEandlt;/h3andgt; andlt;BRandgt;It sucks to be king.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Maybe it wouldnand#8217;t be so bad if I got a castle and servants and my face on a bunch of money.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;But no, I get to be the king of a scattered race of mythical creatures that no oneand#8217;s ever heard of. And they expect me to swoop in and defeat the evil warlord whoand#8217;s been tormenting them for the last few decades. Oh, and hey, while Iand#8217;m at it, I can marry their former princess and restore the royal line!andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Yeah, thanks, Iand#8217;ll pass.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;I already told the Gale Forceand#8212;my and#8220;armyand#8221; or whateverand#8212;what they can do with their and#8220;betrothal.and#8221; And Iand#8217;ve been tempted to tell them exactly where they can shove the rest of their little plans for my life.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Butand#160;.and#160;.and#160;. itand#8217;s hard to stay angry when they keep giving me this andlt;a id="page_1"andgt;andlt;/aandgt;desperate youand#8217;re our only hope look. And theyand#8217;re all so full of stories about the things Raidenand#8217;s done to their friends and families, and the horrifying battles theyand#8217;ve fought. Risking their lives to protect me.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;The last Westerly.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;The only one capable of harnessing the power of all four winds, twisting them into the ultimate weapon.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Well, they think Iand#8217;m the only one.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Which is the other reason Iand#8217;m playing along with the whole Your Highness thing.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;I have someone to protect too. And I can do that much better as Vane Weston, king of the Windwalkers.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;So Iand#8217;ll follow their rules and train for their battles. But as soon as Audra comes backand#160;.and#160;.and#160;.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;She left twenty-three days, seven hours, and twenty-one minutes agoand#8212;and yes, Iand#8217;ve totally been counting. Iand#8217;ve felt every second, every mile sheand#8217;s put between us, like our bond has claws and teeth, tearing me apart inside.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;And itand#8217;s been loads of fun trying to explain to the Gales why my guardian left me unprotected. Every day that passes makes the excuses Iand#8217;ve given seem weaker.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;I thought sheand#8217;d be home by now.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;I thoughtand#160;.and#160;.and#160;.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;But it doesnand#8217;t matter.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Audra promised sheand#8217;d come homeand#8212;and I want to give her the time she needs.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;So Iand#8217;ll wait for her as long as it takes.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Itand#8217;s the only choice I have.andlt;a id="page_2"andgt;andlt;/aandgt;