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Garth hovered near the wagon The children and Polli were bunched next to the rear wheel Thayne held the tea in the middle of the road, a peculiar, blank expression in his hazel eyes

A jolt of realization swept through Jared, strong enough to take his breath away Mother Night Courteous, easygoing Blaed was a Warlord Prince

As their eyes h Blaed

Knowing he’d have to talk to the younger man later--if there was a later--Jared nodded as he passed Blaed and continued to the wagon

The shutters that gave access to the driving seat ide-open Shoulder to shoulder, Thera and the Gray Lady watched the road

"Rogues or marauders?" Thera asked as Jared reached them

Jared looked back The thirteen men had stopped, barely visible in the rain

He alht by the quickly hidden look of relief in the Gray Lady’s eyes

"Rogues," she said quietly

Thera narrowed her eyes and studied the Gray Lady "They can be more vicious thannothing, the Gray Lady backed away froave Jared a puzzled look and followed

A few seconds later, the shutters were slah force to startle the horses and the sharp, ument had started

It ended just as abruptly

Jared’s body tightened as his anger warred with his fear: anger because the two of the in a temper tantruer; and fear because the continued silence ht mean one of them, namely Thera, was badly injured--or dead

The door opened a few ed, followed by Thera, as carrying one of the cloth bags they used to store spare clothes

Jared breathed a sigh of relief when Thera appeared, only then aware of how badly his legs were shaking

"Polli, come with me," the Gray Lady said quietly

No one moved No oneout her hand

Polli looked at the Gray Lady, then looked at the rogues whose features were obscured by the rain She backed away fro her head "No It’s s when it’saway as the Gray Lady slowly advanced When she bumped the front wheel, her hands closed fiercely around the spokes "It’sup until she was sitting on thethe spokes

Because he wanted to argue and didn’t dare, Jared stepped back until he bumped into Blaed Betrayal burned his throat and sto the past nine years, he’d begun to respect the Gray Lady Now she was trading Polli--Polli!--to a pack of rogues so the rest of theht

What ues tended to be more vicious because they had a price on their heads They were either escaped slaves, or they’d broken their service contract with a Queen, or they’d refused to serve when a Queen had chosen them for her court But they were still men, and any of the a feued Thera, as intelligent and useful? Little Cathryn?

Bracing one hand on the wheel, the Gray Lady leaned over and spoke to Polli, her voice too low for Jared to hear As she spoke, she brushed a hand over Polli’s head

Shespell, he concluded bitterly as the fear gradually left Polli’s face

The Gray Lady straightened up slowly Polli scraed Polli and handed her the cloth sack The Gray Lady linked her arues

Bitch, Jared thought as he watched the to ?

There was tightness in Brock’s expression and anger in Randolf s eyes as the women passed them Jared suspected that, if the trade didn’t work, both men would be able to suppress their instincts sufficiently to let the Gray bitch fight her own battles

"What’s going on?" Blaed whispered