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“Me?” When Dryden nodded, Ranon set the unsorted letters at one end of the bigreally confidential in the stacks he’d sorted so far, but he used Craft to ht over the papers, effectively preventing anyone fro them “Send him in”

Ferall entered the roo his heavy winter coat and a shapeless hat

He didn’t sense any shields around the ht Opal shield around hi, just in case A warrior like Ferall usually held on to his outer gear when he figured he’d have to leave in a hurry—and that usuallythe walls with blood

He smiled and took a step forward as if he didn’t see the fury in the other man’s eyes

Then Ferall grabbed two fistfuls of Ranon’s shirt and slaainst the wall

“You self-serving son of a whoring bitch,” Ferall snarled “Got what you wanted so you just let the rest of us flounder, is that it?”

Clarab for his throat, Ranon snarled back, “What in the na about?”

“You This” Ferall shook hih? Couldn’t you give us a chance before you cut us loose? I almost had a life Damn you to the bowels of Hell, Ranon, I al children, a boy and a girl Lost her husband to one of those twisted bitches a few years back Had the courage to let me into her life and into her bed Let me be around her children You knohat that means, RanonYou know ”

Yes, he knew And he understood now about those special gifts Ferall had purchased for Winsol

Ferall leaned in, and despite the shield, Ranon could feel his chestunder the pressure of the other man’s fists

“I never hadyou could call ahome since I was fifteen Do you knohat it feels like to settle into a place and not have everyone look at you with fear in their eyes because they’ve gotten used to you, gotten used to the idea that you’re there to protect them as well as be an instrument of the Queen’s will? Do you knohat it feels like to be with a wo to see you at the end of the day to play a gale up next to you wanting you to read her a story? Do you?”

“I know,” Ranon said quietly And he did know about that particular dreas with Shira someday

“Then why?” Ferall pressed him harder into the wall “You bastard! Tell me why!”

“Let hio”

For a moe Then he looked toward the door and thought,Oh, shit

Cassie stood there, her red hair flowing down her back and her feet planted in a fighting stance One hand held that club she’d used to defend James Weaver and his family back in Grayhaven Vae stood beside her

Both witches snarled at Ferall

Pushing away fro him a last knock into the wall in the process—Ferall took a step toward Cassidy, measured the wild look in her eyes, and took a step back

“Why didn’t you give us a chance to prove ourselves before cutting us loose like that?” Ferall asked, his voice ringing with frustration and lost hope