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There was no pretense of decoru on both sides rushed to exa blade over to catch the light as it ran in glittering rivers along the intricate wards etched in its surface He saw immediately that most of the wards were the same his people used to ward their oeapons, symbols taken from the Spear of Kaji, which held al went beyond cold functionality, like the harshly etched spears of the dal’Sharu Jardir had ever seen outside the Spear itself, hundreds of wards flowing in harmony to weave a net of incredible power that was both beautiful to look upon and terrible for an alagai to behold

"Exquisite," Jardir murmured

"Priceless," Abban said

"Could this Painted Man have stolen the symbols from Anoch Sun?" Ashan wondered

"Ridiculous," Jardir said "No one has been there in a thousand years, except…"

He looked at his ht

"No," Jardir said at last "No, he is dead"

"Of course, it ht pause, and the others all nodded

They looked up to see Leesha and her father, noearing spectacles, exa the Spear of Kaji a little too closely They had held it long enough to appreciate the grandeur, but he saw no reason to give away all its secrets yet

"These wards are strong," he said, holding the blade back out to Gared, handle-first He looked pointedly at the spear, and the greenlanders grudgingly returned it The look of longing in Leesha’s eyes as the spear was returned was gratifying She was hungry for its secrets

"Where is this Painted Man?" Jardir asked Gared when the spear was again tucked safely over his shoulder "I would very oes," Leesha cut in before the giant could answer

Jardir nodded at her "Was it he that gave you your wondrous cloak? Truly, it is like the Robe of Kaji, hiai unseen"

Leesha’s cheeks colored, and Jardir realized he had just coht are my own creation," she said "I altered wards of confusion and sight, along with aor s it"

"Incredible," Jardir said "Evera wards, especially toof such divine beauty and power"

Leesha looked down at her cloak, fingering it absently Finally, she clucked and got to her feet, unfastening the silver ward clasp at her throat "Take it," she said, holding the cloak out to Jardir

"Are you crazed?!" Elona shouted,to block her way, ood against demons," she said, as much to her mother as Jardir "Take it to remind you who the real enemy is, when the sun rises tomorrow" She pulled her arm away from her mother and held the cloak out to Jardir