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She leaned in, eyes hard "But I have watched this cycle long enough Two years ago Jasin Goldentone killed Rojer’s master and put Rojer in my hospit Then Jasin tries to finish the job, and Rojer is i himself Now Rojer is dead, likely at Janson’s command, and Janson is dead in return How many deaths does it require to end this?" She shook her head "Nothing can bring Rojer back tomore than to take him back to the Hollow and lay his go," Lorain said, "a week’s ride to the south But the murder happened in the palace The killer must be found, and Rojer’s body is evidence"

Leesha visibly lost patience, sla her teacup down on the table so hard it rattled and spilled It was an act only, but she thought Rojer would have been proud of her performance "Unacceptable My people and I have been held prisoner in Angiers too long Baron Cutter will be in the city soon with thousands of Cutters When he gets here, he’s going to have questions about how his best friend was murdered in your care, and one way or another ill be leaving"

"Is that a threat?" Lorain demanded

"It is a fact," Leesha said

Lorain shook her head "Angiers is no longer weak …"

"Don’t think your little trick impresses me, Princess," Leesha said "I know iers, but what you’ve unleashed may be worse still We do the deether"

Lorain snorted "You can’t possibly believe all this Demon War Deliverer business"

"I don’t believe in the Deliverer," Leesha said, "but there can be no denying the deainst us I felt one in my mind, and knohat they are capable of Your neeapons will be worthless against theainst the demons for three hundred years It was not us who attacked"

Leesha nodded "All of us have been … coh for all our hands" She looked at each of them in turn "I saved your son’s life, Araine And yours, Lorain Both at the risk of my own, and the life within me Pray, let us part in peace, as allies"

The two duchesses looked at each other, already speaking volumes by expression alone Araine nodded to Leesha "Take Rojer and your new apprentices and go in peace"

New apprentices Jizell would be closing her hospit to take position as Royal Gatherer to the Duchess Mu the rest of her apprentices south with Leesha to train in the Hollow Anant Duchess Melny, and--unbeknownst to Araine--Amanvah and Sikvah

The duchesses would have questions when those two reappeared back in the Hollow, but those were questions best answered by Messenger and not face-to-face Leesha had no intention of leaving the Hollow again with anything short of an army of Cutters to escort her

CHAPTER 31

WHISTLER

334 AR WINTER

Abban had never seen Sharum flee before Everam his witness, he was not could not reanized thing, born of panic

Thousands of dal’Sharum, the elite of Jayan’s forces, had ridden into the city Only a handfuland bloody Those who did abandoned the field entirely, racing their chargers back the way the ar a plan They left the rest of the forces--siege crews, kha and chi’Sharu confused in the churnedtheir posts and following

"Everaan to dawn on him