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“Now”

Shock

Julien? Theran called on a spear thread

It’s done I’m ready, Julien replied

“All your things are packed and in the Coach,” Theran said “I’ to take you to the Keep now”

“You can’t do this!” Ker away from him

He threw a Green shield around the desk, mostly to protect the wish pot and book

Sensing the shield, she whirled toward hie

“I gave up everything for you!” she screa, Theran!”

He wished he could still believe her

“I’m sorry” What else was there to say? He stood up “It’s tio”

The hurt and rage disappeared She was back to sexy pout “Ican’t go to the Keep dressed likethis ”

“They won’t mind” He walked over to her and reached out to take her arm

Another change ofher eyes, he knew thehis face with her nails—and knew thea Green shield to prevent her fro just that

Taking a firrip on her arm, he escorted her out of his fa web

Kerer compartment of the Coach with no one for co kind of attention while Theran, who turned out to have no spine or balls at all, hid with the driver in the locked front compartment

She had lost Instead of ruling a Territory for a few years and being adNo court, no y, so if she went back to her parents’ house, her father wouldn’t give her anything Besides, running back ho to be like Cassidy in any way Never

But she had to do so would they let her stay at the Keep? Were there any interestinga young, pretty Queen who had been misled by a nasty Warlord Prince whose honor was, at best, questionable?

That much decided, she settled inher a plate of food and so how to turn this loss to her advantage

EBON ASKAVI

Theran breathed a quiet sigh of relief when he walked out of the Coach and stepped on the landing web in one of the Keep’s courtyards He’d kept away from Kermilla for the whole journey, afraid that if he stayed in that sive in to her demands or his own desires

But here at the Keep, the tug and pull of her presence faded, unable to compete with the mountain and its inhabitants

Better that way for both of them

He held out his left hand to her as she left the Coach She ignored it andthe bell before he could join her, then stood there with her ar

The man who opened the door had black eyes, black hair with a prominent ’s peak,white skin, and sensuous bloodred lips Geoffrey, the Keep’s historian/librarian