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“Yes, sir” Gray vanished the sketch, gave Cassidy a smile, and left the room

“I think that will be all, gentlemen,” Powell said “If you would come to my office, we’ll discuss tomorrow’s duties”

Powell had a knack for being a Steward, Cassidy thought as the men except Ranon and Talon left the room

“Cassidy, Reyhana, and I have druht, so I think Maydra prepared a stew for dinner,” Shira said, looking at Ranon “I’ll see if it’s ready so you can have a quick meal before you head back out”

“Before you go,” Ranon said He called in a box, set it on the table, and nudged it toward Cassidy “I picked up some chocolates for you Ladies”

Cassidy stared at the box, then let out a whoop of laughter “You reallywere nervous about this report, weren’t you?”

Looking completely baffled, Ranon said, “Huh?”

“The last time I saw a box of chocolates this size hento piss offto work his way back to the sweeter side of her temper” Cassidy looked at Ranon

You hit the target dead center that time, Shira said on a distaff thread She hurried out of the room

Ranon was strong, brave, as arrogant as any other Warlord Prince, and wouldn’t back down fro omen, and he wasn’t always sure of how he should behave

Then again, s

She picked up the box, thanked him, and left the room

Shira aiting for her

“Do you think this is in proportion?” Cassidy asked, lifting the box

Shira frowned at the box “In proportion to what?”

“To whatever Ranon thought would hurt so much that I would need this much consolation”

Talon used Craft to close the door Then he put an aural shield around the room and a Sapphire lock on the door The last wasn’t to keep Ranon in as much as to keep everyone else out

He studied the Shaladoran’s back Stiff Tense Waiting for the Master of the Guard to make the first move

“Tell me what you wouldn’t tell her,” Talon said

Ranon turned around

Hell’s fire How had the er?

“Theran has given hisLadyfree run of the town The Warlord brothers who hurt the landen girl?She brought them with her to the landen part of town—and then threatened the guards when they stood by our Queen’s co from some of the , Cassidy is going to be gone andshe is going to be the Queen of Dena Nehele” Ranon’s hands curled into fists “And sincethat expectation was the reason Cassie ran in the first place, I wasnot going to tell her about the rumors”

Talon frowned Landens, guards, andto leave the town? To him that added up to more than rumors “What else?”