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333 AR SUMMER

IT WAS WELL AFTER dark by the ti ended As Leesha expected, they had voted unani back to Rizon with Jardir, and had all been appropriately shocked when she re

Leesha ithout the benefit of her warded cloak for the walk back to her cottage, but Rojer layered a protective field of roup as potent as any wardnet His powers seemed to have increased tenfold with his new fiddle, but Wonda and Gared kept their weapons ready as they escorted Darsy and Vika

"Still say you’re out of your skull," Darsy growled She was as inti as Wonda--wider if not as tall and every bit as hoh without the scars to account for it

Leesha shrugged "You’re welcome to your opinion, but it isn’t open for debate"

"What’re we s’posed to do if they take you?" Darsy asked "Ent like we can ether, especially with the Deliverer gone off to Creator knohere"

"Prince Thamos and the Wooden Soldiers will be here soon," Leesha said

"They ent gonna come for you, either," Darsy said

"I don’t expect them to," Leesha said "You’ll just have to trust me to take care of myself"

"I’m more worried about the rest of us," Vika said "If you marry this man, we lose you forever, and if you don’t…We’ll likely lose you that way, as well What are we to do?"

"That’s why I brought you here tonight," Leesha said Her cottage canaled Wonda to lift the trapdoor to her basement workshop

"Everyone but Vika and Darsy stays up here," Leesha ordered "This is Gatherers’ business" The others nodded, and Leesha escorted the wo her cool chemic lamps on the way

"Creator," Darsy breathed She had not seen the cellar in many years, since Bruna had disreatly since then, and it now covered the whole underside of the cottage and most of the yard as well, an enor the walls of the main chamber and the many offshoot tunnels

Where once Bruna had stored a handful of thundersticks for res of liquid demonfire, Leesha had what seeh flamework here to turn the Hollow into the face of the sun," Vika said

"Why do you think I’ve keptdeht for a year"

"Why didn’t you tell anyone?" Vika asked

"Because no one else need know," Leesha said "I won’t have the Cutters or the town council deter how this should be used It’s Gatherers’ business, and you’ll dole it out sparingly while I’one, and only when it will preserve lives And I’ll have your words that you’ll keep the sa here at all"

The to to determine whether she was serious, but Leesha was, and knew they could see it in her eyes

"I swear," Vika said Darsy hesitated a er, but finally nodded

"Swear by the sun," she said "But even this won’t last, you don’t coh with books "These are the secrets of fire"