The mate he failed to kill

scovery that she was carrying Draven's child

atment room door befor

as see

Veyra.

one

at I kn

table and smoothed its edges with

you are pregnant, they may want the chi

rit

nodded

The silver wire. They may believe your

tared at

into Ashen House and destroy every room beneath the g

paper carefully and he

ren to a safer room. We change the guards and

a watc

d y

inue tr

cannot keep treating your bod

d hot in Ny

g I have left that the ki

ng through t

did no

d away, her

sor

Velmira said quietly. "But you need to learn how

mination table. Her hands, which had b

was not a comman

had lost her husband, her home,

y his child without remem

a stool besid

father is. You only have to rememb

her palm agai

baby pay for Dr

oo

use her as a road bac

's brow

er

now why I

aps y

said

d stayed wh

cy made tra

eep food down. Other days, exhaustio

ned to d

day," Veyra told her, taking th

an s

d there and shout a

the scouts and supply routes. Nyxara focused on strategy, signals,

y grew

servants came carrying information about the palace. Two women who had once

ened to the

ns, which villages would give shelter, a

evenge was not enough t

sacks of grain by lantern light. "They need medicine.

kno

use hatred is

almost

something bette

tood before the women g

hen we must. We will protect those who cannot protect themselves. And we wil

the back ra

e person puts ever

sidered th

urselves about the cost. And we don't pretend a lif

men li

ause she demanded it, but because she was willing

Maevra came

he kind of leader

of woman I needed when

ra n

ep becom

recovery

ifficult. He still woke from nightmares, and his

esumed h

ouncil approval. He ordered an investigation into Ashen Ho

osed him at

n to weaken the crown," the adviser t

at the head

ge caused by believing that t

pression bar

veals that Your Majesty auth

ruth will b

it dest

f Nyxara's face

ially

rax

the adviser exchange a brief

ent s

arn

d until the

ietly. "Find out who

inclined

, Your M

as no longer investigating onl

lowed him to be deceived, and the part of h

hs p

ter was born d

ady voice, and Veyra standing outside the door thre

ra said. "You ar

try

er. She's

inally filled the roo

the baby agai

ny g

e cry that sounded as if she had arrived

ouched h

little w

d her fingers a

imagined his astonishment, the way his face would soften,

bered the exec

rs turn

live," she whispered to the baby. "You wil

smiled

ll you n

the window. Rain streaked the gl

she said. "V

her mouth. It belonged t

it softly, as if

sara

eted at the

d not tel

end a letter

to imagine what he might d

her decision was not

protecting

between Blackfen and the kingdom