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"Warlord! Shalador Warlord! I ah Priestess of Hayll! Your village is surrounded by Hayllian warriors, the finest warriors in the Realm You have two hours, Warlord If you hand over the Green-Jeweled Queen, I’ll let the rest of you go If you don’t, there will be nothing left of you or your people but dust"

Jared slipped a protective arm around Lia’s shoulders He felt relieved when Blaed stepped behind her to protect her back and Thera moved a little closer to her other side

"Well," Talon said, turning to face them, "it looks like the bastards have declared war"

Chapter Twenty-six

Krelis leaned against the stable of the daed Coach station outside Ranon’s Wood Fro place, the road leading to that privy hole of a village, and the station itself where a few of hisout the debris in a couple of rooms to turn it into a temporary headquarters

One of the Hayllian Warlord Princes approached him, and said, "All the men are in position"

"Fine," Krelis replied "Pass the word that they’re to do nothing but keep watch and make sure no one tries to slip between theive these--people--two hours"

"There’s every reason," Krelis snarled "I want that Shalador bastard to sweat If I’d demanded that the bitch Queen be handed over ie probably would have fought out of instinct So we give them a little time to think, to worry Givehireith and weigh the pain that will co a Queen he barely knows Give the rest of theh their children’s lives against the life of one stranger During the first hour, the villagers will split themselves into two camps Before the second hour ends, the Shalador Warlord will either bundle her up and deliver her himself, or he’ll yield to the rest of his people and not stand in their henthey deliver her to ust "And we let the others crawl back into their lair?"

Krelis’s lips curled in a sneer "Once I have the bitch-Queen, the men can do whatever they please with the rest of the as they survive The children will be sold as slaves Theexercises That should give everyone a chance to show his skills"

A queer gleam filled the Warlord Prince’s eyes "Yes, it should"

Krelis waved his hand in disive the Shalador bastard tiure out what to do about the two Warlord Princes in the village--especially the Sapphire-Jeweled one He hadn’t expected theht his pet would have to account forThey ht have to be eliminated before the bitch-Queen was handed over

Well, that was the Red-Jeweled bastard’s problem

Krelis called in a set past the traps spelled into the other ones in order to read the private es, the brass button that had an extra spell woven into the ered the spell that yanked the psychic leash wrapped around his pet

Then he made himself as comfortable as possible, and settled down to wait

Chapter Twenty-seven

Jared, Talon, Blaed, Yarek, Thera, and Lia sat in a circle inside one of the Coaches

Or two half circles, Jared thought uneasily Blaed and Yarek flanked Thera the same way he and Talon flanked Lia

He almost wished someone besides Yarek had been chosen to represent the survivors of Ranon’s Wood and Wolf’s Creek He didn’t want to be separated fro the last hours he had left

But that would depend on Yarek Jared’s choice was already reen eyes turned icy "Don’t be a fool Do you really think those bastards are going to let the rest of us live?"

"He said--"

"He’sHayllian , and that bitch’s Master of the Guard What did you expect hi to kill you anyway?’ Once they have you, there’s nothing to stop the this place apart"

"If I surrender, they ave her a withering look "Have you ever seen a young girl after a few et done with her? Especially Hayllian males? Or what they do to a boy? I’d rather slit Cathryn’s throat than let her be handed over to what’s waiting out there And Corry’s and Eryk’s, too At least that would be quick and kind"

Lia h"

"These people are going to die," Thera said harshly

"Because ofof obscenities "You really turn into an idiot when you don’t get enough sleep"

Gray eyesTalon’s attention sharpen, Jared watched the toths so well They didn’t move, hardly seemed to breathe

A minute passed

Two amble"

"Yes," Thera said just as quietly "It’s the only way now"

Yarek cleared his throat "What’s this Queen’s gale" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>