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“You bluff well enough e play cards I’m surprised you couldn’t see this for what it is” Talon leaned across the table toward her “Direct question, Cassie You give us a direct answer Are you walking away from us? Yes or no”
“No, I’ away from you, but—”
“ ‘But’ wasn’t one of the choices,” Talon growled
“—my contract ends in two months”
“Only if you choose to end it,” Powell said “The provisional contract was a way for us to save face if you chose not to stay with us”
That hadn’t beenher ioing to be the Queen”
“Not without a fight,” Ranon said
Fight ords With Protocol By taking this challenge before a tribunal of Queens, assu she and Kermilla both had an official court That’s what Ranon meant Didn’t he?
She looked at the ain Warlords and Warlord Princes Warriors who had already survived years of battles, a lifeti in one way or another
They weren’t going to fight ords or with Protocol or by arguing before a tribunal to decide ould rule their Territory They wouldfield as they had done before
“If this turns into a fight, some of you could die,” she said, chilled by the possibility
“So to sub about our people or our land We’ve seen what that kind of Queen can do to a Territory And over these past few ht for you than just fight against Kerht—and some of us will die”
“No,” she whispered For a rateful when Gray slipped an arm around her waist Then she looked at him Really looked at Prince Jared Blaed
No longer a boy in aboys This ti field with the rest of the men
“Besides,” Ranon said, “just before we helped James Weaver and the other landens relocate here, he told me flat out that if Ker So there’s going to be a war one way or the other”
No“If it has to be physical confrontation, it would be Kerainst mine to settle who ruled It wouldn’t be a war”
Talonto stay between the courts There’s too much at stake More at stake than we’ve had for a lot of years”
“You’re going to give in just because sorowled at her
“No, I’ aboutwar ”
The thought of e “When Theran leaves it will break the court We’ll have an unofficial court going up against an official one”
“You don’t know that,” Talon said “He needs to convince eleven otherto be an easy task” He nodded at Gray “And we’ve already got his replacement”
“Re at the Keep?” Gray asked her “I was training to be a First Escort To be your First Escort I’ree I can serve you and the court in this way And the High Lord gave me this” He called in a sheet of paper and handed it to her
She read it and landed in the chair Hard “Mother Night, he’s not hiding his teeth, is he?”