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"No one asked you," Elona snapped Leesha looked at her in surprise

"You already kneas married, didn’t you?" Leesha accused "You knew and you still tried to trade me off like a piece of livestock!"

"I knew, yes," Elona said "I also know that he could burn the Hollow to ashes, or hter a queen Was my choice so bad?"

"Who I marry isn’t your choice to make," Leesha said

"Well, soht weren’t going to"

Leesha glared at her "Just what have you promised them, Mother? And what did they offer in return?"

"Proroom wants is a bed toy and baby maker I promised you were fertile and would provide sons That was all"

"You’re disgusting," Leesha said "Just how could you know that, anyway?"

"I ht have ically killed fighting demons" She tsked wistfully

"Mother!" Leesha shouted

"Do you think six was too many?" Elona asked "I orried I overplayed, but Abban accepted it right away, and even seeher"

"Even one is tooabout dead children; have you no respect?"

"Respect for what?" Elona asked "The poor souls of children who don’t exist?"

Leesha felt the e behind her left eye, and knew a terrible headache was co here"

"It’s a little late to see that," Rojer said "Even if they let us go, it would be the sa in their faces if we left now"

The pain behind Leesha’s eye flared sharply, bringing on a wave of nausea "Wonda, fetch my herb pouch" Her mother would be easier to deal with after she had taken a tincture for blood flow to ease the headache

Jardir arrived soon after the lower rooms were ready and her friends escorted down to them Leesha wondered if he had purposely waited until she was alone before visiting

He stood in the doorway and bowed, but did not enter "I do not wish to give dishonor Would you prefer to have your mother present to chaperone?"

Leesha snorted "I’d as soon be chaperoned by a coreling I think I can handle you if you put a hand where it doesn’t belong"