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A minute later, Talon walked in
“Happy Winsol,” Talon said, giving Theran a hard hug and a smile
“Happy Winsol” Theran grinned, delighted by this visit “Come sit by the fire I don’t think we’ll have , but the old men who have weather aches say no one will move far from their own doorstep tomorrow”
“They’re probably right,” Talon replied, taking a seat by the fire “Plenty of snow up in the mountains this year”
“You were in the Tamanara Mountains?” Theran couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice Did Cassidy know her Master of the Guard was visiting the rogue camps?
“I always visit the caave him a sharp look “You know that”
Of course he did The past few years, he’d made those visits with the older man
“I didn’t think you’d have time for that this year,” Theran said He didn’t add that, until tonight, he hadn’t thought about the men who had remained in the mountain camps
“I had time”
Made time is what Talon ed the subject “How’s Gray?”
Talon sy as a Sceltie, and he’s al”
Is she working him hard?Not a question he could ask out loud since Cassidy was a sore subject between them
Still s in the Queen’s gardens, he was overseeing the restoration of the se Since Cassie, Shira, and Vae all insisted that he balance that with quiet work, Powell put hi libraries I’ve never seen him happier”
“Won’t heyou with him for Winsol?” Theran asked
“Nah Cassie’s parents and her brother are staying for Winsol Along with the First Circle, he’s got plenty of people around hi look, then asked quietly, “What about you? Why are you alone tonight?”
“I’ve attended s, card parties, riding parties, you-name-it parties in the past six days than I’ve ever seen I had a choice of attending four Winsol parties or having a quiet evening at home I chose to stay home”
“And Kermilla?”
He ignored the ache caused by the sound of her name “She had Winsol commitments to fill in Dharo”
Cassidy’s court didn’t know that Ker that would lead Talon to think that Besides, he didn’t know for certain she was gone for good Correne’s death and the reason the little bitch had died had shaken Kermilla It would have shaken any woman with a sensitive heart Once she had soht realize that her influence as Dena Nehele’s Queen would curb the younger Queens and could prevent another tragedy like the one that had left a boy so horribly maimed
As pleased as he was to see Talon, it was unfortunate that Cassidy’s Master of the Guard had learned that Kermilla wasn’t currently in Dena Nehele Without Kermilla’s presence, Cassidy would solidify her claie He still didn’t think she was the best Queen for Dena Nehele, so he saw no reason to surrender the field to her until he had no other choice