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"Even da cannot resist ayou it is possible The rest you will have to learn for yourselves I ainjaz"

"Ginjaz?" Leesha asked

"Turncoat" Araine’s face had darkened "You’re a long way from home, Princess Weyou can offer will change my mind, nor torture pull from my lips what I do not wish you to know Solve your own probleiers to Duke Euchor," Leesha said "He’d declare hi, and ed "You seek that as well, or you are a coward It does not matter My father is the Deliverer When he returns to claim your people, they will bow to hi in the meantime"

"And if your father does not return?" Araine asked in Krasian "If the Warded Man killed him in Domin Sharum?"

"The dice would have told me if my father was dead," Amanvah said "But if it were so, then the Par’chin is the Deliverer, and your people will be claimed all the same"

"You don’t know Arlen at all, if you think that," Leesha said "He has no interest in thrones"

"So long as your spears are pledged to hiht," Amanvah said "As with my father But deny this, as the Andrah and Duke of Rizon did, and the Deliverer will take theivethan that before I hand overar room"

Amanvah bowed "It is not my place to convince you, Duchess It is inevera"

"Is that Everaave a gentle shrug of her silk-clad shoulders "They are one and the same"

Araine nodded "Thank you for your candor, Princess, and for your help, such as it was Will you excuse us, noish to speak to Mistress Leesha in private"

"Of course," A it seelided from the room

Wonda peeked her head in as the woman left "Need anythin’?"

"All is well, Wonda, thank you," Araine said before Leesha could speak "Please see we are not disturbed"

"Ay, Mum" Wonda seemed to nod with her whole body as she backed out and closed the door

"Insufferable woman," Araine muttered

"Wonda?" Leesha asked

Araine waved in irritation "Of course not The sand witch"

Leesha dipped a biscuit in her tea "You don’t know the half"

"Can we trust her?" Araine asked

"Who can say?" Leesha lifted the biscuit, but she had soaked it too long and the end broke off in the cup "This is the same woman who slipped blackleaf into my tea on her mother’s orders"

Araine raised an eyebrow at that "No wonder you’ve a distaste for weeds So she’sthan she claih she’s proven trustworthy enough sincenow, but neither do I think we have the whole truth She may have hinted us toward a cure because the dice tell her it eaken the North to keep the duchies divided Or hidden the cause of Rhinebeck’s proble civil war to Thesa even as the Krasians press north"