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Lia scratched her neck, longing for a bath Siara had given her some special salts to bathe hich would also help with the healing Thoughts juh her mind If she had time the next day, she would seek out Duerden and ask what he knew about the Queen Dowager She had avoided the learner lately because he was so enraptured with his studies about the Mediu He did not realize that she already knew it – that so to co to keep secrets fro about it That the Mediuine

As she approached the kitchen, she noticed the light in the upper ere full, so she realized Sowe and Bryn were still awake Exhaustedly, she pulled at the handle and it opened easily, filling her with the breath of baked bread, sorant cloves and spices A nized instantly and it caused her stomach to drop down to her toes

It was Edmon’s voice They had met at the battlefield of Winterrowd in Colvin’s tent "…No, it is true! Do not laugh – it was the perfect depiction of stubbornness you could i’s council and there was De to the opening door

Lia stood for a moment in utter shock Ed stories in the kitchen – her kitchen – as if that were co up a bowl of tarterelles Sowe and Bryn were hanging on his every word, their eyes lit by the lantern light

Then she heard another voice as he eed from the shadows beneath the loft "Lia?"

There was Colvin

It was tooin the doorway Could they see her ravaged face in the shadows? She was coant enough for a prince of the realm His maston-sas belted to his waist She looked at his face as he approached, saw the little scar near his eyebrow and her blood began pounding inside her ears Not tonight Not like this! She was ashamed at her appearance, her muddy clothes, the rash and salve She could not s She could not breathe She could not even think properly

"Lia?" Ed "Lia! You returned early!"

She sla briskly then started to run, but she was so tired she only ain The kitchen door opened and she heard his boots on the grass behind her She washer about Duerden over and over Worse than Get leers at Sowe She kept walking as fast as she could, but he caught up with her before she made it around the corner of the kitchen into the shadohere the urement

"Lia, wait!"

His voice She had starved to hear his voice again For nearly a year, she had waited for hiize For weeks after Whitsunday, she had prepared little speeches in her le word from any of them came to her

Fool, fool, fool! she cursed herself She was a hunter! She should have noticed the signs that so was different Careless So careless in her exhaustion Stopping suddenly, she turned in tirab her cloak