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Every Province Queen, after declining to becourehead for the council, had also refused to acknowledge the Queen of a se that the council finally had chosen to rule the Territory Their refusal had fractured Glacia, but it had also prevented thetoo powerful or too effective in carrying out their "adjustments" to Glacian society

Even so, after six years there was an uneasy feel in the air, a sense of wrongness

Karla didn’t have ued, sharp-teht Jeas the Sapphire She was also a natural Black Widow and a Healer But, since Lord Hobart was now the head of the fahters of otherwas obscene: respectable witches defer to wiser, eable males; Blood males shouldn’t have to serve or yield to Queens because they’re the stronger gender; the only reason Queens and Black Widoant the power to control males is because they’re sexually and e real woer, she had wondered why the Province Queens and the Black Widows had settled for a stale

Glacia is locked in a cold, dark winter,the Black Widows had told herWereturns

But would they be able to hold out for five e? Wouldshe! Her mother’s and her aunt’s deaths had not been an accident Soest Black Widow, leaving the Territory vulnerable towhat?

Jaenelle could have told her, but Jaenelle

Karla cla too close to the surface lately Forcing her attention away from memories, she studied Hobart’s ain

"Stop that," he snapped

Karla ignored hi a fur coat indoors?"

"It was Uncle Hobart’s consuered her short, spiky, white-blond hair "I’ve never seen fur like that It’s not white bear"

"I think it’s Arcerian cat"

"Arcerian cat?" That couldn’t be right Most Glacians wouldn’t hunt in Arceria because the cats were big, fierce predators, and the odds of a hunter not beco the prey were less than fifty-fifty Besides, there was so with that fur She could feel it even at this distance "I’ the warning in Morton’s voice

"Kiss kiss" She gave hi her way to the group of wo them Soirl’s--Karla couldn’t bring herself to call her a Sister--hushed gossip

"--hunters froot a collar made from Arcerian fur, but it’s not as luxurious as this," one of the women said enviously

"These hunters have found a neay of harvesting the fur Hobie told led

"How?"

"It’s a secret"

Coaxing murmurs

Mesirl giggled again, and said, "They skin the catalive"

She jerked her hand away, shocked numbAlive

And some of the power of the one who had lived in that fur was still there That’s what made it so luxurious

A witch One of the Blood Jaenelle had called kindred

Karla swayed They had butchered a witch

She shoved her way out of the group of women and stumbled toward the door A moment later, Morton was beside her, one aroing to be sick"

As soon as they were outside, she gulped the sharp winter air and started to cry

"Karla," Mortonher close

"She was a witch," Karla sobbed "She was a witch and they skinned her alive so that little bitch could--"

She felt a shudder go through Morton Then his arhtened, as if he could protect her And hewould try to protect her, which is why she couldn’t tell hier she sensed every tiun his forle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>