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Well, he’d be da, Jared vanished the traveling bag and called in his Jewels Two thin, wooden, rectangular boxes floated in front of hiht Opal, the gold jewelry glea He brushed his finger over the ring and pendant He’d worn the pendant since the Birthright Cere had beento the Darkness and caift frohteenth birthday
That was the only day he’d ever worn it
He closed that box and vanished it, then opened the box that held the Red Except for a few desperatethe feel of it on his finger, he hadn’t worn the Red Jewels-- hadn’t wornany Jewels--since the night he was Ringed Slaves weren’t allowed to acknowledge their strength openly, not even the strength that was their birthright
He slipped the Red-Jeweled ring onto the third finger of his right hand His left hand covered it protectively as he savored the bond that had been denied for nine years
Taking a steadying breath, he licked his lips and picked up the pendant No clasp to break or open Just a chain of carefully forh to let the power in that reservoir rest beside his heart
He used Craft to put on the pendant The cool gold settled around his neck, then warainst his skin
As he vanished the wooden box, Jared realized it was very quiet on the other side of the blanket
Quiet and tense
They knew he’d called in the Jewels Even during hera witch continued to channel power through was the controlling ring linked to the Rings of Obedience The controlling ring--and the ainst slaves ould have taken advantage of her vulnerability to break free or destroy her
Right now it didn’tring The Queen ore that ring was in no condition to fight hiain
He pushed the blanket aside
Thera rose fro her he looked at the young Queen now dressed in a long gray skirt and gray sweater
"Even if we don’t push the horses, we’ll be able to get back to the clearing before dark," he said
"No" The Lady chewed her lower lip "We have to go on"
"There’s nowhere else to go," Jared said, biting back his teet anyone to go back to that creek This road didn’t branch off anywhere between here and the clearing We won’tback"
"We have to go on," she said stubbornly
Jared ground his teeth and tried to find soize for later
"Jared’s right," Thera said after ais the best place to do both"
"That attack ht not have been meant for us," the Lady said quietly
"Doesn’t really matter, does it?" Thera said just as quietly "We were lucky this tith and able to think clearly, we ht We’ll go back to the clearing"
"Thank you, Lady," Jared said testily It galled hiued with hi past the over his shoulder at Thera "Since you’re not broken, what Jewels do you wear?"
Thera looked aht
Two of a kind, Jared thought, flinging open the door He strode to the bay gelding and ," he told Brock "I’ll take point You and Randolf take the rear guard Thayne, you lead the team Blaed, you’re with me" He looked at Eryk and Tomas, ere huddled in blankets, and little Cathryn, as clinging to Corry "You children ride inside the wagon"
Brock gave one pointed look at the Red-Jeweled ring on Jared’s right hand and nodded
As Jared nudged the gelding forward, he heard Toht she was kind of frisky for an old lady"