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And their Queen didn’t see any reason to push the that had made them happier

Opening her eyes, Cassidy picked up the letter opener and started on the stack of correspondence from the Queens

It was lovely to receive these notes, to read the caution and hope beneath the stiff phrases of the Queens in the northern Provinces and to read the growing confidence and warmth of the Queens in the Shalador reserves and the southern Provinces

Many of the members of their courts to learn from the two Protocol instructors she had hired to ith courts and teachers so that the people of Dena Nehele would learn Protocol and the Old Ways froes in the Queen’s square were being repaired and cleaned for the Warlord and witch They still hadn’t decided where the “school” would be located She’d suggested another ee in the square Her First Circle had vehe within the boundaries of land that was supposed to be secure ground

She’d resigned herself to the tiotiate with her ree to let the instructors live in the square, and they only gave in aboutthat after Gray, Ranon, and Talon met the two people at the Keep—and received confirh Lord approved of these instructors and thought they would fit in easily with Eyota’s residents What sealed the deal was learning that the Warlord ca around Scelties and the Lady fro an enthusiastic reader of the Tracker and Shadow stories, illing to learn to live with Scelties

Cassidy glanced at Vae, as snoozing in front of the hearth

Let the Lady from Nharkhava learn on her own like the rest of us did,Cassidy thought as she opened the last letter in that stack—a letter that bore the Grayhaven seal

Then she forgot about Scelties and Protocol instructors, forgot about the spiced tea and fruit tarts, forgot about all the hope and promise in the letters she had already read

She’d been so happy and so busy building a life and working to fulfill her prootten it was temporary—until this note from Kermilla reminded her

“I’ to make the transition difficultvaluable asset to the Territorytreat the reserves like a Province and appoint you their Queen ”

“To do what, Kere these people to break their backs and their hearts so that you can buy another fancy dress?”

Vae raised her head Cassie?

“I can’t do that to them Iwon’t do that to them”

Cassie!

She wasn’t aware of Vae leaving the room, but the Sceltie returned with Powell

“Vae says so?”

“I forgot”

“I’m sorry, Lady I don’t understand”

She handed him the note

His expression turned grim “I didn’t think Theran was really that hed “The First Circle is out and about on the court’s business, so there’s nothing to do about this bit of infor when everyone has returned and Talon can join us We can discuss it then”

What was there to discuss? In another two months, she wouldn’t have a court Just like the last time

Her stomach rolled Her skin turned clammy

Was that why the men had relaxed? Had they been promised a place in Kermilla’s court and had the assurance that their own status wouldn’t change? Come to think of it, her former court also had been more relaxed and considerate in the weeks before they’d all walked away from her

“Lady?” Powell reached for her “What’s wrong?”

How could he not knoas wrong?