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"Well, if her throat gets sore and she can’t talk, how’s she going to tell us the next part of the story? She’s the only one who knows"

Before Jared could say anything, Toroup of children who had been captured by a Queen who had becoed to escape and decided to travel to a protected Territory where the Blood still believed they were the caretakers of the land and Craft was a power used responsibly They had a nu help from unlikely, and souards and marauder bands

As Tomas retold the story, Jared wondered if any of the children had thought it strange that the children in the story had the saht as they outwitted the forces the wicked Queen sent after them He also couldn’t quite dismiss the tiny spark of resentment that Thera and Polli had been transformed into children for the tale but none of the adult males had been included

And the tale itselfA land and a people whose Queen still balanced poith honor standing against a land and a people corrupted by a twisted witch Did the Gray Lady see herself as the last defense against Dorothea’s influence and corruption of power?

What if she was?

The thought rocked hian to take root inside him

What if she was? What did anyone really know about the Gray Lady? If shewasn’t a deadly, ruthless Queen, why didn’t traders fro Territories correct anyone who spoke harshly about her? Or did no one disagree with the stories that were told because a fierce reputation kept her people and the bordering Territories better protected?

Tomas reached the point in the story where the children were standing on the edge of a cliff, with a fast- up to cut off any chance of escape

"Then what happened?" Jared dehts, he’d still been listening to the story

Toed and wiped his nose on his sleeve "Don’t know Maybe she’ll tell us tonight--if her throat doesn’t get sore"

"Ah" Was there a discreet way of telling the Lady that the adult males would enjoy the story, too?

"Jared!" Thera called fro her because he’d been excluded frothened his stride Maybe he could pretend he hadn’t heard her

Randolf, alking ahead of Jared, glanced over his shoulder and quickened his pace Blaed, however, looked back and hesitated

Jared glared at both of them

"Lord Jared!"

Jared winced, swore softly, and turned around

Thera sto fro with telanced at Brock, who rolled his eyes butto Jared’s left, close enough to look supportive but still far enough away not to be included in the discussion Even To roo hit by mistake if she tried to punch hiain as she stomped up to him "The Lady needs some entertainain, leaving him shaken Thera didn’t have much tact, but even she should know better than to state it so baldly

Thera hesitated for a hter "Notthat , you fool Although sitting on her et her to be sensible and stay off that leg" She swiped at the hair that had escaped from the loose braid "Hell’s fire, you’d think the woman had never had to spend a day in bed in her entire life! She’s so stubborn, soso "

Jared bared his teeth in a sle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>