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"What?" Lia said "Did you put so in the fruit juice?"

"Of course not," Jared huffed "Roll the dice Let’s play"

She rolled a five for a Su her a sassy grin, he opened by an to worry about the change in her gaer pieces--especially the Black Widows and Warlord Princes--were doingthe weaker pieces who only captured one of his when there was no possibility of an exchange Again and again, she retreated, giving upmore timid each time he captured one of her pieces

And all the while, her Queen did nothing

Her brash courage ed him when the instincts bred into Bloodher act tier--and a deeper kind of fear

Losing Tomas had produced an emotional wound that would heal in time, but she’d carry the scar of it the rest of her life And there would be more scars Dena Nehele’s continued freedom would be paid for in blood

Her mind knew it, but her heart couldn’t accept it yet

And he couldn’t allow her the luxury of thinking retreat would keep her people safe

He moved one of his Warlords to threaten a Blood e, he’d let the pawn go If she didn’t

It felt like half the night had passed before she hesitantly moved her Queen Her hand treained throughout the day

Wanting to distract her and give hiical alternative to capturing the pawn, he said, "Does your grand?"

Lia had just taken a sip of juice when he asked the question She claed to s "Gran?" she finally gasped Then she started laughing

Jared moved a Priestess nearer to the protection of his Sanctuary

"Hey!" Lia huffed, sitting forward "No faira piece when I’ured out his e "Is she?"

Lia caught her lower lip between her teeth "Well, thoseare the clothes she wears when she has to travel outside our borders And shedoes look impressive when she wears her Queen clothes, but--"

"Queen clothes?" Jared interrupted He held up a hand "Move first, then explain Queen clothes"

Lia scooted a Warlord Prince across the board

Not sure if that wasbesides move a piece, Jared studied the board for a minute but didn’t owns and things she wears once or twice a month to keep her First Circle happy," Lia said "She says, if males really don’t notice female fashions the way they swear they don’t, then why do they start drooling like a dog with a large soup bone whenever woowns?"

Jared choked on his wine "We don’t drool"

"No? Oh Well, that’s good One ofwho drooled buckets and alanted to put his head in your lap She-- to put his head into just the boys’ laps so they’d have to explain why the fronts of their trousers et, but she only got to the lap part and not the boy part before the adult ot drooled on"

Wondering if he’d had a game plan when he started, Jared moved a Prince to support a Healer "If she only wears Queen clothes once or twice a month, what does she wear the rest of the time?"

"Um" Lia moved her other Warlord Prince "Well, clothes like this" She pinched a bit of sweater between her thue room full of people and there’s one woarden, she’s probably the Queen Prince Harland--"

"Who?"

"Gran’s lover He says--"

"Herwhat?"

"Lover He’s also her Consort Anyway, he says a Queen is a Queen no le" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>