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“Ranon? What did I just do?”

“You gave a strong reat deal ured she wasn’t ready to hear all of it

When she pushed up, he rubbed her back to soothe and comfort She had a little color in her face, but she looked like she’d had the wind knocked out of her

He felt the sa?”

“Yes, yes, and yes”

Suddenly realizing that Vae had been unnaturally quiet, he looked at the Sceltie, as staring at the club Cassie had dropped He closed his hand over the club and vanished it A Sceltie who knew her Craft probably wouldn’t have any trouble burying a club even when the ground was frozen

As he helped Cassie to her feet, he said, “Come on, Vae You deserve a treat too”

Yes

Vae definitely sounded gru conked on the head

He escorted his two Ladies to the Ladies’ parlor Within moments, Birdie, Frannie, Elle, and Maydra were all there, fussing over Cassie and Vae The second tiot stepped on, he took the hint and retreated downstairs to the parlor used by the court

By the tih to consider what had happened—and what it meant

They had Ferall on their side Mother Night, they had Ferall, one of the hters in Dena Nehele And they had Hikaeda, Elendill, and Rikoht Warlord Princes who lived in that Province And they had that land That would change a lot of things, because that Province ran froest Province, it also meant that, landwise, Dena Nehele and Shalador Nehele were now equal in size And the addition of those twelve Warlord Princes serving under Cassie’s handTheran could send against them

Yes, this would change a lot of things, and he wondered how Theran and Ker to respond when they found out

CHAPTER 43

TERREILLE

Theran stared at the docuo

Hikaeda said he wouldn’t have to wait long for an answer from the Warlord Princes who lived in the Province that bordered the Heartsblood River He just hadn’t been prepared forthis answer

Cassidy now held the leash for twelve ht, she had Ferall on top of Talon and Ranon Only a fool would stand on a killing field against those three

And she had Jared Blaed, who had become a formidable, dominant male, even if he didn’t wear the Jewels or have the power he ht have had

Now Cassidy controlled the land and incoave it to her Didn’t they have any loyalty to their own land, their own heritage?

“Theran?”

He’d left the study door open It see on the door like a servant asking for admittance Especially today Besides, he’d already tucked the correspondence away in a locked drawer in his desk