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"We et supplies there," Jared said slowly, turning to look at Lia

She stared at so in the distance and didn’t answer

Jared waited, knowing her ansouldn’t really have anything to do with supplies--because the Winds ran over that landen village, and anyone she sent was going to be tempted to catch one of those psychic roadways for a fast ride home

Hell’s fire,he was certainly tempted, and heknew freedom waited at the end of this journey Would men like Brock and Randolf, who still believed they were slaves, be able to resist a chance to escape?

"You’ll need marks to pay for the supplies," Lia said abruptly

Jared narrowed his eyes and studied her stiff back as she sloalked to the wagon and went inside He felt the absence of so--as if she’d closed so him on the outside He couldn’t define it, couldn’t even say as suddenlyaway that she’d shared with him until now

And he resented the loss because he’d done nothing to deserve it

Fine, he thought as he brushed past the others and strode toward the wagon If she wanted to give him the cold shoulder all of a sudden, that was just fine with hiood boy and run her errands for her Just see if he didn’t

Why in the name of Hell had she shut hi her dohen she ca out a thick bundle of folded marks

Jared stared at her There was no color in her voice, nothing he could read in her gray eyes

She was hiding so from him

Resentment simmered, deepened into hurt

He took the old and silver She could have bought passage on a Coach for herself, Thera, and the children hat he held in his hand

Which iven hi to make his voice as colorless as hers, he said, "Ae with this?"

"You should have enough with you to buy what’s needed," Lia replied carefully

"If I needed more, I could contact you?" Jared watched her, not sure what he was looking for "You could use Craft to send it tothis to hi herself as if he’d just beaten her?

"Take it with you, Jared" She took a deep breath

Jared held his breath and waited There was so she wanted to tell hi about the danger that traveled with the thein particular you want me to look for? Any--" No he wouldn’t ask her about personal needs She didn’t want hiive her that It was his error that he hadn’t realized it was a Queen acting responsibly toward a strong, distressedas a woman when she’d let him hold her, kiss her, caress her

His mistake One that wouldn’t be repeated

Thera approached them, followed by Blaed

"Take Blaed with you," Thera said

Jared knew the words wereat Lia, who hissed in anger

"Lord Jared’s perfectly capable of obtaining supplies," Lia said

"Of course," Thera agreed calet it done faster There’s not enough food left to put together a elding snorted and backed away fro as a silent, vicious arguh clenched teeth "Blaed will acco wide around the tomen, Blaed mounted the roanno response, Jared shortened the gelding’s reins and turned the eager horse toward the village He couldn’t blaer as possible

Blaed didn’t break the silence until they reached the bottoht?"

"If we did, I wasn’t invited to participate," Jared snarled, urging the gelding into an easy canter

"Lia trusts you," Blaed said, raising his voice above the rhyth hooves "You know that, don’t you?"

Jared reined the gelding in and slowed to a walk He glared at the youngercal with ht I needed a keeper?"