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"Mistress Leesha!" Wonda called, but she wasaround the darkened roohts on her eyelids

"Wonda?" she called

"Mistress Jizell!" Wonda rushed to her bedside "Gave us all a scare,Wonda aside She lifted Leesha’s drooping eyelids with a fir the candle fla’s sunny, Leesha," Jizell said, caressing her cheek "You go on back to sleep Nothing happening that can’t wait until ue around the inside of her ave me tampweed and skyflower"

Jizell nodded "Sleep Gatherer’s orders"

Leesha s blessed sleep claier than she had in ht, but it was nothing a good strong tea wouldn’t fix

Jizell aiting as she shuffled out of her bedrooht Her mentor moved about Leesha’s kitchen as co teacup into Leesha’s hand, deep black with a dollop of honey, like they had shared on countless s "Bathwater’s hot See to your privy and take a seat at the table I’ll have breakfast ready before you know it"

Leesha nodded, but lingered "I’htn’t be You were right about nant woo wash up"

By the tihts were clear She chose her favorite dress and sat to breakfast As proetables waiting

"Examined you while you were out cold," Jizell said "Child’s heart thu" She pointed her fork at Leesha "But you’re already starting to show Thaht not notice with his face buried in your paps, but the rest of the toill be happy to point it out to him, if they haven’t already If you mean to tell him before someone else does, now’s the time"

Leesha kept her eyes on her food Jizell, like ed to Thamos "I’ll speak to him I have to tend the Royal Garden today anyway"

Jizell laughed "That what you’ve been calling it? Good a naood and tended before you tell hiht up to the entrance to the Royal Garden Some of the count’s men approached, but Wonda hs None save her would pass into the garden with Wonda at the gate

Her heart fluttered as she passed out of sight Sneaking into Thaht and the anticipation of sex was as strong as a bottle of couzi But today was different She would have hiested, but as much for her as for hiood for little more than violence and easily ain He was not creative, handling things in a by-the-book military fashion, but he was known for his fairness, and folk knehere they stood with hies, but neither did he hesitate to stand before the least of his people when the corelings caht well end with their betrothal, and Leesha was surprised to find how badly she wanted that The child would not come for half a year Who could say what fate the Creator had in store between now and then?

In es and slipped through the hidden door into the count’sher discreetly to a waiting roo directly to Tha her into his arht, ain "It was nothing" She let her hand drift down, tugging at his belt "We can steal an hour, at least, before Arther has the nerve to knock You can take h"

Leesha knew the count was up to the task Thaht, and she had worked hora into his armor and spear The count was taller now than when she’d met him, and his lust, formidable even then when roused, was doubled now Since their first night together, there had been no hint of the performance anxiety that had robbed hihtening