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"Little sisters," Inevera said, and the Da at the base of the dais to take private audience with her

"You did not tell all, Damajah My dice foretell that Ahmann may never return" Belina kept her voice steady, but her aura was like a raw nerve Most of the Da appeared the same They had lost not only a leader, but a husband as well

"What has happened? Truly?" Qasha asked Less disciplined than Belina, the Sharach Da could not keep her voice steady The last word cracked with a whine like a flaw forlass

"Ah the spear," Inevera said, disapproval in her tone "The ed hian to chatter at this Doiven to the ritual duel first fought by Kaji hiainst his o It was said they battled for seven days and nights atop Nie’s Breast, the tallest of the southern mountains

"Surely there isQeva said "I have trouble believing any man could defeat the Shar’Dama Ka in fair combat"

The other woine could stand against Ahmann, especially with the Spear of Kaji in his hands

"The Par’chin has covered his skin in inked wards," Inevera said "I do not understand it fully, but the sy powers, not unlike a demon himself Ahmann held sway in battle and would have won, but as the sun set the Par’chin beganfrom the abyss, and the Shar’Dama Ka’s blows could not touch him The Par’chin cast them both froave out a wail at that Da Justya of the Shunjin un to sob All around the se

"Silence!" Inevera hissed, her enhanced voice cutting through the sobs like a lash "You are Da tear bottles over dead Sharum Krasia depends on us We must trust that Ahmann will return, and keep his empire intact until he can reclai Qeva asked, her words a cal had not lost a husband

"Then we hold our people together until a suitable heir can be found," Inevera said "It makes no difference in e must do here and now"

She looked out over the wo, the clerics will try to leech our power You saw the ic I displayed to the Daainst need You and yourmust find excuse for displays of your own The tith is over"

She looked around the seo there had been tears "Every nie’da new hora for spells, and all should be eht Abban will have spools of gold thread sent to every da palace for the task Any attenored If ai Heal warriors near death We must show the men of Krasia we are a force to be feared by man and demon alike, and not afraid to dirty our nails"

CHAPTER 3

ASHIA

333 AR AUTUMN

Ashia stiffened as her husband challenged her father for the Skull Throne It was unthinkable that she should interfere, but she could not deny the outcoreatly affect her, who her center once htly, she relaxed some muscles as she tensed others to maintain the pose that held her suspended over the alcove to the left of the Skull dais, braced against the arched ceiling with toes and fingers In this way she could hold the position indefinitely, even sleeping without losing her perch