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Jade leapt onto the seat of her chair and whistled loudly before proclai, “I promise you, this is no trick”

When the rooh for her to address everyone at a more normal decibel, she said, “I’ve seen the fire wraith I’ve been injured by him Badly More so than any of you knoith the exception of the king and his staff”

Her gaze slid to Michael, who aze While her heart hurt because of the strain on their friendship, she didn’t waver from her duty “I understand how difficult this is to reconcile in youras well As didthis coades But the fact re’s alliance that do not heed his co Davian offers his assistance to us, I cannot, in good faith toward all of you, refuse it”

Jade allowed the villagers to squawk and fret The ed and she didn’t blaave her a cynical look, as though to indicate she’d stuck her foot in her htened their troubles

She disagreed

“If you’re done,” she said in an authoritative tone that garnered attention She hopped down froers returned to their seats “I truly believe—and have eneral will keep their word and drive back the invading force Without har any of us”

“How, Jade?” This statement, laced with skepticisular

She pulled in a breath, then surged forward “First, I’ve been appointed by the king himself as an ambassador of peace between the demons and humans”

Having expected the eruption of dialogue, she waited for it to peak before interrupting “In addition to being a slayer,” she said, “I’ relations between us and those under the king’s allegiance What we don’t have control over, but which I assure you the king eventually will, are the defiant demons that make their random assaults”

Donovan was bold enough to ask, “How can you trust them, Jade?”

“Because I know King Davian and his second-in-coths in which they’ll go for someone who resides outside their castle walls They saved my life twice—a human I know their protection can stretch much farther Plus, we’ve already been the recipient of their goodithin our bakery and shops And,” she contended with conviction, “I will give you uarantee that we are not in jeopardy fro or his men in any capacity”

The challenging looks were ih to demand supple’s presence, that was

She answered for thement” Jade took another deep breath, then juh… You can be confident in that he’d never intentionally let anything endanger this village when it means so much to his—” She sed hard and said, “Wife”

The uproar lance toward Davian, she found hi astonished by her audacity Michael appeared duly stricken

She’d deal with both men later