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"Lia, you fool," she whimpered "You stupid, stupid fool" How she hated herself!

What would Marciana say? In her elegant gowns, freshly combed and braided hair, with her callous-free hands? Lia looked at herself in disgust A hunter’s life bemired her The lavenders were always clean and smelled of purple mint Not Lia She clenched her teeth to stop theed herself Marciana had solicited her friendship, her inti hints of love She would be furious to learn Lia deceived her Edardless of how true he believed it to be

Then there was the Alders from hiain? The thought of never seeing hiain tortured her It would be for the best if he left Muirwood She knew she would survive it soo on with the wrenching ache constantly re her of what she had ruined?

She loved hi else in her life Even though it hurt, even though his rejection shattered her, she could not change her feelings for him now that she admitted to herself what they were He had his faults, but there was so le to control himself His desire to placate the Medium so that it would serve him His care for his sister and his iron determination to succeed despite his worst fears He was not driven by the ambition to be rich, had never once ht of added reward Duty drove him She admired that

Lia lifted her chin to the sky and felt the water cleanse the mud from her face She would endure it Soht

The very concept torht it to her Yet she knew she could If she focused on so else, if she pushed her will and all her efforts, it would bloo to hold on to, to give her strength

The sound of hooves clo in the mud

Lia’s eyes opened as the black forms of three horses appeared from a screen of trees nearby Each wasa black tunic threaded in silver She had seen the design before – the Queen Dowager’s men She rose for they approached at an even canter

"She ht her ankle twisted," said one rider to another

"Hush! She can hear us!"

"But she cannot speak Dahomeyjan She is from the Abbey"