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What he faced was so much worse

There was a chilling blankness in Gray’s eyes, and Ranon couldn’t shake the conviction that as under that blankness was a violence that even the Blood would find shocking There was a s in hiet

He brushed lightly against the first of her inner barriers—and found nothing co

My first loyalty is to the Queen, remember? he asked her

She didn’t respond, but he sensed a little less tension in her He didn’t blary All he’d told her was that he and Cassidy were leaving thefor her and alarm the First Circle Of course, Shira and Gray had assumed Cassidy would be with him when he returned

The othersu Except Powell, who sat quietly, staring at his hands—especially at his left hand, which a Queen had broken because he cared more about people who needed food and clothes than about the Queen’s purse

Then Talon entered the room and put Sapphire shields around the room and a Sapphire lock on the door

“All right, Ranon,” Talon said “You were very specific about who should attend this —and who should not We’re here Now talk”

He heard te Not if he said the wrong thing Talon outranked all of the experience, and had locked theest predator in Dena Nehele

Had lockedhiest predator

“I took Cassidy to Eyota, to the boardinghouse,” Ranon said

Gray snarled and took a step toward him

Powell raised his head and stared at him

He didn’t want to turn his back on Talon, but Gray was the more volatile threat, so he faced the Warlord Prince who had been a friend—and ht now be an enemy

“She was going to leave us, Gray,” he said quickly, wanting them to hear him, to knohy he made this choice before so to leave all of us When I went up to her suite to check on her, her trunks were packed She was going back to Dharo”

“She wouldn’t leave without telling me,” Gray said too softly as he took another step toward Ranon “She wouldn’t leave without me”

“I had to get her out of here, get her hidden so she would feel safe I promised to coot her settled at the boardinghouse, I came back To talk to you All of you”

“You should have talked to us first,” Talon growled

“Maybe I should have” Ranon turned enough to address Talon and still keep track of Gray “But she was focused on getting out of this house I did what the Queen needed, rather than what the court required”Sweet Darkness, please let Talon understand the difference

“She’s sick,” Shira said, her voice oddly hollow “She tried to hide it, but there’s so much pain in her it’s like a poison She knew I could feel it That’s why she stopped co that pain”

“As Steward, Ithe Master of the Guard that he was taking the Queen away from the protection of her escorts,” Powell said quietly “However, I also applaud the speed in which he acted on the Queen’s behalf—and on the court’s behalf And I’ht not be a good thing”

They all turned toward Powell