Snippet #1868741

Raiden
I watched her realize what I meant with a slight smile on my face. I like pushing buttons.
She growled. She actually growled. Did she expect me to be frightened? She started a rant about how she would murder me even if it meant war again, and even if Quince died again-
What?!?! Quince was dead?!?! How was he dead? He wasn't the kind who would die easily on the battlefield. He had been a respected swordfighter even in the Kingdom Nitalian. It would have to have been someone really good.
Bella stared at me, her eyes horrified and filling with tears. I gave her the letter from my pocket, stunned out of my mind. I've only seen Bella cry about her puppy. I've never actually seen her cry for herself, which is what she's doing now.
I knew how special Quince was to her. He was her. That's the only way I could describe the closeness that they shared.
I looked at her carefully. "Bella... I'm sorry he's gone." Quince I had respected, he was one of a kind. I had never ever met anyone who acted or even thought quite the way Quince did. Bella I had found to be an annoying nuisance who tagged along. Right now, though, I pitied her. I pitied her to an extreme.