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Thirty villages in five days, spread over the three Shalador reserves and the two southernmost Provinces Fifteen Blood and fifteen landen Cassie had insisted that the landens be includedEvery man had been opposed tothat— until Vae nipped Ranon in the ass So Cassie, backed by Vae’s teeth, had won that part of the argument

Gray hadn’t fought in the landen uprising Hadn’t seen the bodies in the burned villages Hadn’t found as left of people he’d loved But he understood why the other ued It had been hard for the Warlord Princes especially to watch Cassie open a vein and fill that s cup to benefit landens

But after the first landen village, they all understood why she had fought to do this The landens were hostile and wary—and sure that a Queen’s presence ht, the looks on their faces when they realized Cassie and the Queens who ca that would benefit their village and increase their crops so they could pay the tithe and still feed their children through the co winter

“You can’t erase generations of suffering and two years of war in a couple of hours,” Ranon said quietly “But, sweet Darkness, Gray, the people in this village won’t look at the Blood the same way the next time we ride in”

Because of the Queen with hazel eyes and sunset hair

The Queens walked the field, dipping into the barrels of water that floated behind theround ater enhanced with their blood and power First and last plant in each row got a dipper full of water Gray could already see a difference in the first rows that had been given the Queens’ touch

A gift A part of what it meant to be a Queen The ritual cup of blood made the water richer and nourished the land faster, but power alone could be released into the water or directly into the land The results weren’t as dra for the Queen and so themselves

Learning about that option had almost started another quarrel between him and Cassie over her first careless release of power Probably just as well that Surreal and Rainier had already gone home before he found out about it

“I’ift without spilling their own blood,” Gray said

“Shira is pleased about that too,” Ranon replied “She wasn’t happy about Cassidy opening a vein every time to siphon some power into the land The iven once a year in a cere a bit of power into the land or water” He paused “Even using restraint and letting other Queens demonstrate, Cassidy has drained herself more than she should have”

“Well, she’s going to go ho his teain

Ranon snorted “Good luck getting her to do that”

Gray closed his eyes and began counting “Herthose first three days It’s arule ”

He could feel Ranon watching him

“And that fussing thing,” he said, opening his eyes enough to keep track of Cassie “That first ti those days, but I wasn’t paying attention”

He heard Ranon try to choke it back, but the laughter burst out

“Hell’s fire, Gray,” Ranon said when he was able to speak again “You’re turning into a pain in the ass”

Soht He looked at his friend and said, “No, I’ into a Warlord Prince”

Kermilla lay back on her bed and smiled

The Queen of Dena Nehele She finally understood what all of Theran’s circling had been about He wanted to know if she was interested in ruling Dena Nehele after Cassidy’s contract ran out He didn’t want Freckledy; he wantedher