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Gared recoiled, and again Jardir was a seeize, Ahhtly at her "What did I say?"

"My name," Jardir said simply

"I’m sorry," Leesha said "Was that improper of me?"

"On the contrary," Jardir said "It sounds beautiful, co from your lips"

With no veil to cover her cheeks, Jardir sa her pale skin reddened at his words He had never courted a wouided his words

"More than three thousand years ago," Jardir said, "my ancestor Kaji ruled this land from the Southern Sea to the frozen waste"

"So the histories say," Leesha agreed, "though three thousand years is a long time, and accounts can become…blurred"

"Perhaps here in the North," Jardir said, "but the te and more, and our records are sharp Kaji did rule this land, so alliance with its tribes and sealing it with blood"

He looked around the table "Kaji’s blood is still strong here Even your name, Deliverer’s Hollow, honors him You are not chin to be conquered, but lost brethren to be welcomed into our fold I nahts therein"

"What rights?" Leesha asked

Jardir reached into his robe, producing his personal Evejah Its cover was of supple leather eold A red ribbon hung ready to es were soft and thin fro her the volume

Leesha took the book as one who knew its value, and he recalled she was a bookbinder’s daughter as she turned it to examine the spine She pushed her bowl aside and spread the cloth fro the book upon it and paging through

"It’s beautiful," she said after a tie, I’m afraid I can’t understand a word" She closed the book and held it out to him

Jardir held up a hand to forestall her "Keep it What better book to help you learn? You may find its truths ine"

"Oh, I couldn’t!" Leesha said "This is too precious!"

Jardir laughed "You give me a cloak that rivals Kaji’s own, and you balk at a book of his truths? I can pen another"

Leesha looked back down at the book, and then up at him "You penned this yourself?"

"Inthe years I studied in Sharik Hora"

Leesha’s eyes widened