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“Vae says Kermilla smells bad Not her body, her psychic scent”

“Shit”

Gray looked toward the id “What in the naht she was supposed to leave”

But there was Ker arm in arm with Theran, who had the balls to point to the place where the dead honey pear tree had stood for so long—until Cassie had started unlocking the spells that revealed the treasure hidden within Grayhaven

A treasure that included thirteen honey pears that had survived centuries and were now the seedlings that would be the start of new orchards

“Gray, don’t,” Ranon said softly “Cassidy isn’t feeling well Too much upset”

“Only a fool would expect her to sit down at the sa that Theran was going to expect exactly that—and be pissy about Cassie not co to the table

“She’ll have dinner in her suite tonight with Shira,” Ranon said

Gray nodded

“Let it go, Gray Both of us need to let it go Whatever business Kero back to where she caet on with our lives”

Gray nodded again

“Are you going to sleep inside tonight?” Ranon asked

He hesitated Drought Plague Weeds creeping in and choking the good plants That’s what he felt when he looked at Keret anywhere near her, didn’t want to be locked behind walls where she could reach hi new pushed at him harder

“Do you think Cassie would mind if I slept on the sofa in her suite?” he asked

“I think she would understand if you felt unco”

With no one but Theran nearby, and the “guest” too close for comfort

“I aht, but that’s only part of it,” Gray said

“What’s the other part?”

He looked at Ranon “If I’et to Cassie is by going through me”

Talon leaned against a tree, another dark shape in the night, and waited Which one of the First Circle would come out to find him?

Hell’s fire He’d gone to sleep in a Coach full ofhopeful and pleased, and woke to find the Grayhaventhe command to keep the peace Ranon and Theran looked ready to tear out each other’s throats, and GrayHe wasn’t sure as going on inside Gray’s head, and that was a worry—especially since Cassidy had retired to her suite before dinner, clai to feel ill

And all of this was because of the visitors from Dharo

When he saw thetoward him, he was a little surprised that it was Powell instead of one of the Warlord Princes, but when he gave it a ht, he realized it wouldn’t have been anyone else The Steould be the one to approach the Master of the Guard to discuss how to direct the rest of the First Circle to best serve the Queen

“Talon,” Powell said

A ed man whose left hand had been badly broken by the last Queen he’d served, Powell’s steadier teood balance for the more volatile members of the court

“Out to get some air?” Talon asked

“Stor”

“Might blow over” They weren’t talking about the weather Talon huffed out a breath “What in the name of Hell happened? All I’ve heard from both sides is a lot of crap”