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Despite his fatigue, sleep was a long ti each other, refusing to be stilled He thought about the pride and pleasure in Corry’s eyes, thought about Thera’s remark about courtesy No e that he, not Thera, should have been sleeping in the wagon tonight He was the experienced pleasure slave This would have been a perfect opportunity for the Gray Lady to use hi attention to it And he could have used those private hours to learn more about her, which was essential if he wanted to find a way around the Invisible Ring, to ease his way ho of flowers sitting on the wooden table and couldn’t shake the feeling that, somehow, he’d made a mistake
Chapter Ten
Krelis settled into a corner of the se, soothed by the driver’s murmurs and the horse’s clip-clop rhythm He could have hired one of the horseless coaches that were starting to fill up Draega’s wide streets and replace this quainter way of traveling, but they never felt quite right Besides, there was so Craft to perforuments in favor of the new coaches--no dependence on an ani, cleaner streets, work for the coach drivers who had gotten tired of draining so th so that their inferiors could ride the Winds--but seeing another connection lost between the Blood and the land so in front of a closed , trying to feel the wind
Krelis shut his eyes He was just tired and ih Priestess’s coy re hi to eliminate an enemy whose existence continuously under the arrangements she had made
He understood that, too She was probably still feeling raw about the last Master’s betrayal It would take some time to earn her trust
Besides, the first rule of the court was, Dorothea was never wrong
Even with that interference, it shouldn’t take the ta to find the Gray-Jeweled bitch The spelled brass buttons he’d given his pet would lead theht to her And they, in turn, would send hies his pet er
Then, et so bath and a change of clothes, and fortified with strong, heavily sugared coffee, Jared stepped outside and wondered which would beThera if she intended toskills and risk her sharp-tongued wrath if the food was only one, Thera would need ive her, and no one expected a Queen to do chores, even though the Gray Lady had surprised the her share before she injured her knee So Thera’s new helper would have to be male, and she’d just have to choke on it
Jared s Short straw got to help Thera for the day That would certainly start the s off with a kick And since everyone would have an equal chance, no one could resent hi, he started walking toward the pedlar’s wagon The air had a crisp, clean bite to it, and the sky, for the first time in days, held no threat of rain
Out of the corner of his eye, Jared noticed To toward him froreeting, but his smile faded when he saw the boy’s worried expression
Spiders and other insects were to be expected in a little wooden structure that enclosed a hole in the ground, although the herb bags that were hung in the corners not only freshened the air but seeh he hadn’t seen them, there were probably mice around--maybe even rats
Jared stiffened Ordinary rats could be enough of a nuisance, but disturbing a nest of viper rats could be deadly And young boys weren’t always sensible
He could still feel the sharp fear that had jabbed at him the summer his brother Davin had been bitten by a viper rat; could still remember how the venorotesquely Even with Reyna’s healing skill, Davin had been ill for several days
"Ton of illness or injury "What’s wrong?"
Tomas didn’t look back at the privy hole His worried brown eyes fastened on the wagon "They’re both feeling pissy this hed, both annoyed and relieved "So what else is new?"
"I--I think Thera’s sick She acted real funny when I asked them if they wanted so either, and youknow she likes coffee"
Yes, he did Jared had never thought of coffee as a sensual experience until he’d watched the Gray Lady drink hercup
Jared drained his cup and handed it to Tomas "Tell Blaed and Thayne to do what they can with breakfast I’ll see what I can do for the Ladies"
Glad to hand the worry over to so
Jared squared his shoulders and forced his legs toto one side, he knocked on the door
No answer
He knocked harder
Still no answer
Were they too weak or too sick to call out?
His heart climbed into his throat as he pushed the door open
"Get out!" Thera’s voice was full of teed with fear
Jared stood on the top step and swore silently Thera and the Gray Lady sat on the benches, two luht; neither of thele" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>