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And, Hell’s fire, it wascold in there! Were they both masochists or was this a subtle punish slept in a war spell all night, but the Gray Lady certainly could have with a th

Jared opened hiscommentand tasted the difference in the air Thera was in her s that reenders Once a Blood male passed puberty, he becanize it no matter how carefully a woman tried to e in a woht difference in her physical scent or a combination of both that alerted the males, but they could taste it in the air, smell it when they passed her on the street

It was the time when every sexually mature witch beca more than basic Craft was physically painful for her, and the stronger the witch, the th had to be drained into the Jewels during those days because her body couldn’t tolerate it

During that time, unless she had the protection of other witches, she was at the mercy of the males around her

Within a family, that sharpened the males’ territorial and protective instincts Within a court, it sharpened the tee, men learned to ride the ebb and floo their attention on the women in their families, their lovers, and particular friends who had to tolerate affectionate bullying and overprotectiveness

"Would you like so at the Gray Lady Hell’s fire, she really didn’t look well either Maybe she had caught a chill The Darkness only knehy the rest of the in cold rain for the past few days and sleeping outside on wet ground Maybe that’s why she hadn’t answered him yesterday until he’d contacted her with a Green communication thread Maybe she’d already started to becoh to wear the Gray The Green could be her Birthright Jewel It would ht Jewel if she wasn’t feeling well Da serious if it wasn’t taken care of But it could just be a griping belly That couldserious If he asked, would she tell hi? Doubtful, unless she became very sick And if she didWhat in the name of Hell was he supposed to do if she did?

And why did it matter so much if she was sick or not?

He didn’t want to think about that So he focused his attention on the fact that neither of theain "How about some hot water for a brew?"

"Thank you," the Gray Lady said dully "That would be welcome"

Jared closed the door and blew out a breath After breakfast, he would clear everyone out of the building and give the tomen some privacy if they wanted a hot bath And he’d have to reive Thera discreet opportunities to take care of her private needs

There wasn’t anything he could do for the Gray Lady without knoas wrong with her, but if she allowed hi herbs, he knew several brews that would help ease Thera’s discoht him every one of them

At the time, it had amazed him that a man as aa woman’s physical discoive one of those brews to the Queen who controlled them or the aristo witches in her First Circle Those brews found their way to the feet no other pa

Brock

"Proble a little bitchy," Jared replied, wondering if men from other Territories used that phrase in the saive her breathing roo her What about the Gray Lady?"

Jared shrugged and lied to hiht have a sto"

Blaed and Thayne both had more skill at a stove than he’d suspected, and a fewfull plates and cups of hot water to the wagon Keeping his distance so that he wouldn’t upset Thera, he set a plate and cup next to each of the the availability of the hipbath

After breakfast, while the Gray Lady and Thera took the opportunity to bathe, Jared opened the wagon’s door and shutters to freshen the air inside Tomas swept the narrow bit of floor with a broo Jared shook out the blankets Together, theyspell on the blankets, which would keep the wo the inside of the wagon

"There," To out a wrinkle in a blanket "They’ll be feeling better in next to no ti Tomas was a clever boy, and since he obviously knehat a woman’s moon-time ouldn’t after a few days in Polli’s coh

By the tion as comfortably as possible, the sun had been up a couple of hours--not that anyone coiving the order for them to move on, Jared waited until everyone else had reached the lane before stepping between the stone posts He and Brock had already double-checked the buildings to be sure everything was just as they’d found it The rest of the fresh food that had been left for theon There was nothing