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“You think it’s simple,” he said with strained patience “It’s not”

“Keeps you in control, doesn’t it?”

He stared at her Where was that bitterness co from?

“You control theto you first,” she said

“Would you like me to show you the accounts and how much is still owed the‘controlled’?” he asked

“You control access to the other Warlord Princes and the aristo families, so I can’t make friends on o through you”

“That’s not true”

“You treat me like a child, but I’m not a child”

“Kermilla—”

“I’m a Queen, da the purse and the rabbed the rock “Not you!”

She threw the rock

He didn’t knoould never know—if her aim had been bad or if she hit exactly what she had intended to hit

The rock missed him completely and struck the old wish pot that held the honey pear tree

For a long moment they stared at each other

She looked , to yield to her temper and her will

Then he looked down at the pot that was now in pieces and the honey pear tree lying in the spilled dirt, its roots exposed to the too-cold air

“Julien!” he shouted “Julien!”

When the butler appeared in the doorway, Theran said, “The pot broke See what you can find to replace it and do what you can for the honey pear tree”

Julien disappeared

Theran picked up part of the broken pot, a piece about the size of his fully stretched hand

“Oh, Theran” Ker pretty and contrite “I’ry”

He could feel soet away from her, from everyone

She studied him “I know you were fond of it but, Theran, it was just an old pot”

So

“It wasn’t an old pot, Kered to, it was priceless”

Her mouth fell open in shock

And a truth ripped through hi

He walked away from her and passed by Julien as the butler rushed back to the tree He didn’t allow himself to think or to feel until he was safely behind the locked door of his study

Then he set the remnant of the wish pot on his desk, sat downand cried

CHAPTER 47