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“I’ have fulfilled their tithes until next springAll the tithes Not just ould have coone into the town’s treasury to pay the guards and maintain the basic necessities of the town itself”

“Can’t you pay it?” she asked in a small voice

“With what?” Thank the Darkness she didn’t know about the treasure Cassidy had found in the attics here “I have enoughsome repairs here”

“But you livein a mansion ”

“This spring was the first tienerations Couldn’t live here because the Territory Queen had claimed it for herself”

She looked around the roo she could understand

For ato ask his in order to pay for another damn dress But she looked at him with a tiny frown “Can’t you raise the tithes?”

“And give h his hair “Have you paid any attention ent driving around the town? Have you noticed all the empty houses and empty shops?”

“Yes” Her frowned deepened “Grayhaven is thei here?”

“Because they’re dead”

Her eyes filled with tears Her lower lip quivered

He closed his eyes for a ain control

She’s young, inexperienced She’s lived in a safe little village her whole life Sweet Darkness, please let her understand this time

“Half the Blood in Dena Nehele were destroyed by that witch storo Then the landens rose up against us, and half of the survivors died Do you understand, Kero,only one of us is left ”

She stared at him, her face wiped clean of all expression

Returning to the footstool, he sat and faced her again “I can’t give you what I don’t have I think you can be a good Queen, but you’ve let a few questionable co bad decisions You’ve lost the respect of some powerful men because of it”

“Theran, I’m truly sorry I didn’t kno bad it’s been for all of you”

Why not?he wonderedI’ve been telling you since the first time we took a drive around the town

“I guess I didn’t understand that things would be so different here That ruling would be so different here”

Theran’s heart pounded She sounded regretful, aletic