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“I’ on the sleeve of her sweater, she showed hiht”

Morgan’s shocked gaze flashed to Darien

The king raised a hand “Again, I’ll explain later The fact she’s a registered slayer has no bearing on the current state of affairs This isn’t a fight to include the villagers’ or the slayers’ involvement It’s between my army and the fire wraith’s”

Regardless, Jade felt panic swirl in her belly

Darien continued, saying to Morgan, “I want you to recall your patrols and have thee slowly, so as to thwart a retreat by the invaders”

“Certainly”

“We’ll asseades, pushing them outward Station your troops at least a half-mile from the woods, so the wraith’s soldiers can’t penetrate the boundaries and scatter in the forest The slayers will stay within the village We’ll drive the wraith’s arh”

“Wait,” she interjected in a quiet tone, so her constituency didn’t hear her Her heart pounded erratically “I can’t just accept you surrounding the village with your forces You’re talking about two de us No hu me”

Darien’s brow jerked “You doubt my intentions?”

“Of course not” Though dread mixed with her panic “But put yourself in our position”

The word “our” made his eyes narrow on her He clearly heard “the humans’ position” instead

She rushed on “What I’e boundaries” A sense of claustrophobia seized her, but helplessness turned out to be a greater fear “Come on, Darien I can’t tell these people they’ll be the centerpiece in a deer andclosed in”

“You?” he demanded in a voice that held disbelief “You would doubt me?”

“That’s not what I’ I just—”

He turned sharply and stalked away Jade’s distress escalated Yet a thought sprang to herthe obscure notion, she said, “Wait I kno to ensure the villagers’ safety—and bolster their confidence—so you can deploy your army”