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"Is it done?" Lia said quietly as she joined them

"It’s done," Thera replied

They turned toward the Coach

Jared hastily pulled on his shirt He wanted a minute with Lia while he had the chance

"Wait a minute," Blaed said sharply He pointed at Thera "You and Lia aren’t connected to the web"

"What?" Jared and Talon said in unison

"They’re not part of the web I waited until the end, but I got here when Thera added the first person" Blaed stared at the tomen, his eyes filled with hurt and fury

Lia studied the three men She took a deep breath "Thera and I can’t be part of the web" She held up a hand to stop their protests "We can’t be But I swear to you, we’re well protected"

"Come on," Thera said "We have to take care of the last of it"

"What last?" Jared de a step toward the else"

Lia’s eyes stopped hi another step

The three men watched Thera and Lia hurry to the Coach

Jared pressed his hand against his chest He wanted to rub the area over his heart to try to ease the deep, growing ache, but he was afraid he et into position" He started up the street, then turned back "Jared? Are you all right?"

Jared lowered his hand "I’m fine"

A minute later, he stood alone in the street Everyone else was hidden The Coach’s door remained closed A fewto hand Lia over to hiht as he walked to the tavern, where he would remain hidden until the very end He should have told Lia while he had the chance, should have let her knoable to talk to Reyna should have taught him not to wait to say as in his heart But shame for the way he’d lived for the past nine years had prevented hi three important words to Lia

And noas too late

Chapter Thirty-six

Krelis slid his knife in and out of its sheath He liked the rhythm

Almost time to teach that Shalador bastard what happens to anyone foolish enough to defy Hayll

The knife slipped in and out, faster and faster

Maybe he’d have the Black Widow bitch’s legs tied apart and let her compare the rhythm of both of his knives

She’d scream Oh, how she’d scream

Maybe he’d make the little bitch-Queen watch

What did it ht he was an honorablebetter than honor now

He had power

Chapter Thirty-seven

From his position at the tavern , Jared saw Thera slip out of the Coach and dash for the nearest building

What was she doing? he wondered as he watched her dart fro up the street If she had further instructions for Talon, why didn’t she send them on a psychic thread?

He shifted position to keep her in sight Why was she heading east? The only things in that direction were the dance ring and the Sanctuary She couldn’t reach either of those without trying to slip past the Hayllians Even Thera wouldn’t be that foolish

And why had she left Lia alone?

He looked in the other direction He could just see the closed door of the Coach Thera and Lia had been using

Jared hesitated a moment, then stepped outside He looked east

Thera had vanished

He looked at the Coach

He shouldn’t be out here But surely they had a minute left, didn’t they? A ht A minute to silently tell her what he wouldn’t say out loud now because he didn’t want to distract her<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>