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Blaed shrugged "Thera told ht with sorunted Then he slanted another look at the young Warlord Prince "You like her"

"She’s got a Harpy’s terinned "You like her" The grin faded Slaves couldn’t afford those kinds of feelings

They walked for several minutes before Jared whistled sharply and raised his hand, calling a halt The horses were cool enough to stand for a few ot the Gray Lady settled into the wagon She hadn’t said anything since he’d tossed her onto the gelding’s back She had to be in pain Her enduring it in silence reminded hion stopped, Thera threw the door open and scra why she seeer was over--itwas over, wasn’t it?--Jared reached up to help the Gray Lady disray-eyed, dark-haired,young witch dressed in the Gray Lady’s clothes

She frowned at hi?" at the same moment Thera said, "I’m sorry"

Fury blinded him Hell’s fire, he hadhated witches who hadn’t , he clamped his hands around her waist and hauled her out of the saddle As she fell forward, the Green Jewel hanging froold chain around her neck slipped out of the torn coat and tunic Her gasp of pain and surprise--and the bruises already darkening on her shoulders and chest where she o of her until she had ti’s saddle to keep her balance Then he stepped back, not trusting hihly

"I’ray eyes flicked to thebehind hion, to Thera, and, finally, to hiled hair, but didn’t co as left of her braid over her shoulder, she studied the dark hair, and then muttered, "Hell’s fire"

"Who are you?" Jared roared He didn’t knohich made hi this was the Gray Lady or that his body hadn’t been fooled

She wobbled a little when the gelding shifted nervously, but she squared her shoulders and raised her chin

The adth and pride he saw in her eyes only fueled his te at him to protect, protect, protect He tried to push it away by reed slave, but instincts that had been bred into Blood enerations weren’t easily banished by a Ring or a word

In a co voice, she said, "I a you to Dena Nehele"

Behind hiround his teeth Arrogant, stubborn, courageous, feather-brained little fool! Did she really thinkand continue to obey her unless she used the Ring of Obedience and brutally revived their fear of the kind of pain it inflicted? Especially once they realized she was handicapped right now by more than physical injuries?

He took a step toward her

"Stay back,"‘ she said, her body tensing

Jared bared his teeth in a savage s "

Her eyes widened

Jared held his breath, waiting Shehad to use the Invisible Ring now She had to She’d been able to avoid using it when he’d challenged her a short while ago, but she couldn’t now that he’d challenged her in front of the others His Jewels outranked hers He was a danger to her If she didn’t use the Ring to pull hih her inner barriers and tear her mind apart Damn her, shehad to use it to protect herself, to reassert her control over all of them Shehad to hurt hiestthem--and would inflict the same kind of pain on the others if the o of the saddle and tried to brace herself for a fight

Swearing, Jared closed the distance between them and scooped her up in his arms "You don’t need a pleasure slave" he snarled as he stoon, "you need a keeper"

"I do not--"

"Shut up"

"Jared," Thera warned as he brushed past her and the children "She needs attention and--"

"In a minute" He shouldered the door open and kicked it closed in Thera’s face After setting his bundle of wet, bedraggled witch on the bench, he stepped back and leaned against the door, preventing anyone fro seat had fallen open during the wild ride Using Craft, he closed it and created a ball of witchlight, floating it near the bench so he could take a good look at her

She wasn’t pretty--he’d always associated pretty with delicate--but there was a kind of strength in her face that would ripen into beauty in a few more years--a beauty that was a reflection of the deep inner strength strong Bloodthan a lush body

Sadi had once said strength attracted strength, that a strong witch’s psychic scent acted like a catnip on strong Blood males Even if the attraction wasn’t sexual, they’d still want to touch her, smell her, cuddle up next to her It was part of a witch’s power over thethele" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>