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The deain, and Inevera’s horapouch flew to its hands She shrieked as it upended the bag, dropping her precious dice into its clawed hand

Leesha and Inevera charged the demon with their warded knives, but it drew another ward in the air that flared to throw theai hora glowed as the dee mix of fear and relief as the dice that had controlled his life for more than twenty years cruht caused her physical pain

The ained its senses as soon as itsacross the broken bed on his good leg He caught the Spear of Kaji in his hands as he rolled off the far side, letting his weight pull it fro as he came to his feet, but he embraced it effortlessly, his movements sharp and decisive as he drew back and threw

And before either deh the , blasted hole and continuing on to stick quivering in the far wall The round shrieking and thrashing about as if on fire Finally it lay still, a melted pile of scale and claw

Leesha ca her eyes to see Jardir, his eyes closed and his face serene as Inevera pulled hard on his foot to give herself play to reinsert the bone jutting fro off her own pains, Leesha fu it back into the incision Inevera had cut As with Arlen, the wound began to close almost instantly, but Leesha still reached for needle and thread to stitch it evenly

"There is no need," Inevera said, rising to her feet and going to the mind demon’s body She drew her warded knife and cut off one of its vestigial horns She returned with the foul, ichorous thing, then removed a thin brush and bottle froes of Jardir’s wound, and as she passed the horn over the the incision seamlessly

She did the same for her oound, and then wordlessly tended to Leesha, notthe wards Inevera used and the fashion in which she knit theether

She looked at the horn when she was finished It was still intact, and Inevera grunted "I’ll make better dice from this one’s bones, anyway" Leesha went to theoff the other horn and one of its arms These she rolled in a heavy tapestry for later study Inevera’s eyes narrowed at her, but she said nothing

"Why has no one coate the sounds of battle?" Jardir asked

"I expect it was siai Ka to draards of silence around your chambers," Inevera said "They will likely reht strikes the walls"

Jardir looked at the you said and did?"

Inevera nodded "It…ah, even ht each other, for its aerly

Leesha felt her face color, and she coughed "Yes," she agreed, "it ames?" Jardir asked "Why not just have one of you cut my throat as we lay in the pillows?"

"Because it didn’t want to kill you," Inevera said "It’s ht, and none inspires more than a martyr"

"Better to discredit you and splinter the unity of your forces," Leesha put in

"But you are the Shar’Dama Ka," Inevera said "There can be no further question, with Alagai Ka dead at your hand"

Jardir shook his head "That was not Alagai Ka It was too easy More likely, this was the least of his princelings There will beat Jardir "Which is why I’ you to your promise, Ahmann I have seen Everam’s Bounty, and noish to return hoo," Inevera said, and Leesha could tell how hard the words came to her "I will have you as one of hed "No, I don’t think so"