“I hope you told them we don’t let her do anything,” Ranon grumbled.
Wasn’t much of a grumble. Cassie might chafe at the boundaries the First Circle set for her protection, but the men were smart enough to keep expanding those boundaries as they settled down to a life here in Eyota. Besides, according to the Protocol Powell was studying every night, even the First Circle’s right to protect the Queen had some limits.
“Papa! Papa!”
Ranon felt Shaddo’s fierce joy as his two boys came running toward them, but he also saw the stern face and the hand quickly raised to stop them.
“What did I tell you about running toward horses?” Shaddo said.
“Don’t do it.” Eliot, the younger one, scuffed one shoe on the street.
“Can we walk the horses to the stables?” Eryk asked. “We’ll be careful.”
Saying nothing, Ranon handed his reins to Shaddo.
“You can walk them,” Shaddo said. “And then we’ll all take care of them.”
“Yes, sir.”
Hearing an odd whistle on the “s,” Ranon studied Eliot. “Someone lost a tooth.”
Eliot grinned, showing off the gap. “Mother is making a special tooth treat.”
Eryk muttered something and looked sulky.
Eliot scowled. “She made special treats for you when you lost a tooth.”
“I didn’t knock one out to get a treat,” Eryk said, just loud enough to assure the men heard him.
“I did not knock it out,” Eliot said.
“Did to.”
“Did not!”
“Did—”
“Boys,” Shaddo said.
They obeyed the tone instantly.
*I’m impressed,* Ranon said, trying not to grin.
*Yeah, well, having me around all the time is still new to them,* Shaddo replied. *I figure the pissing contests will start soon enough.*
He watched Shaddo and the boys until they went into the stables. Then he smiled.
Tomorrow was a rest day, thank the Darkness. No work, no traveling, nothing but his woman and a sweet summer day. Maybe Cassidy and Gray would be interested in riding over to Mariel’s Pond to swim and have a picnic. Or maybe he and Shira would go alone so they could have long talks and sweet kisses before coming back to their room for a different kind of talking and kisses that were hot instead of sweet.
With those thoughts in mind, he turned to go into the Residence to get a glass of ale and see if there was anything in the larder.
*Ranon, I’m at the northern landing web. We’ve got company, and they’re heading for the Queen’s Residence.*
Ranon tensed in response to the sharp edge in Archerr’s voice. *How many?*
An odd hesitation. *Depends on who you’re counting.*
What? *Shaddo, someone’s coming. Keep your boys out of sight.* As soon as Shaddo acknowledged the order, Ranon sent a command to Gray. *Keep Cassidy away from the Residence until you hear from me.*
He stepped out into the middle of the street, made a quick descent to the level of his Opal Jewel, and waited a heartbeat away from the killing edge for their “guests” to come into sight.
Then Vae raced out of the Residence, her joy sending out an almost staggering punch.
*They’re here!* Vae shouted along a common psychic thread that could be heard by anyone within range—which was probably half the village. She raced down the street toward the northern landing web. *They’re here!*
Who’s here? Ranon wondered.
The answer to that question turned a corner and came down the street a few minutes later. One man, wearing a vest and jacket over a shirt—too many clothes for the season and the weather. A Sceltie trotted beside him on his right. A few paces ahead of him, Vae bounced and danced with so much excitement it made Ranon tired just to watch her. And behind the man . . .
Twelve of them, spread out in a V that covered the whole street—and gave every one of them a clear line of sight. Scelties. If men had been coming toward him in a fighting V, he’d know what to do. Faced with dogs, he wasn’t sure how to respond—but a sudden memory of Vae pulling down a full-grown man in a fight had him creating a skintight shield around himself. Just in case.
Three of the Scelties spotted him and broke their position, dashing toward him. A barked order—literally—from the Sceltie trotting beside the man had them wheeling round, tails down in response to the reprimand, and returning to their position.
“Good afternoon to you,” the man called.
Curly brown hair, handsome face, lean body. Not much of a fighter, since he was approaching a stranger with his hands in his trouser pockets as if he were taking a simple stroll in his home village. But the stew of power Ranon was sensing from that group couldn’t be dismissed, and there was something in the man’s blue eyes that said this Warlord knew how to stop trouble—and how to make trouble.
“Good afternoon,” Ranon replied.
*They’re here!* Vae bounced and danced, but the men ignored her.
“Would you be Gray?” the man asked.
“I’m Ranon, First Circle in Lady Cassidy’s court and the Master’s second-in-command.”
“Ah. Well, since you were the second man I was asked to see, I think you’ll do as well for both.”
Both what?
“I’m Khardeen, Warlord of Maghre. And this is Lord Ladvarian.” Khardeen held out a hand.
Ranon clasped the hand—and felt a quiver of fear when he saw the Sapphire ring on Khardeen’s right hand. This man could rip through his Opal shields and tear him apart with a single thought.
Then he glanced down and got another shock. The dog staring up at him wore a gold chain around its neck. A Red Jewel shone against the white ruff.
The human wasn’t the most dangerous Warlord to walk into their village.
Ladvarian looked at Vae.
*Ranon? Ladvarian wants to see the yard.*
“Uh . . . sure.” Since she’d been bouncing a minute before, he was uneasy about Vae sounding so subdued—and cautious.
Khardeen took a step to the side as Vae came around to position herself on Ladvarian’s left—the subordinate position. That done, fourteen Scelties trotted off and disappeared behind the Queen’s Residence.
“They aren’t going to dig, are they?” Ranon asked. “Gray will have a fit if they start digging in the gardens he’s been restoring back there. So will Cassidy.”
“No, they’ll be all right,” Khardeen replied. “Ladvarian was First Circle in the Dark Court. He knows about not digging in a Queen’s garden. Of course, some of the youngsters will need to have it explained to them more than once, but they’ll understand it sooner or later.”
Khardeen’s blue eyes twinkled. Ranon’s stomach sank in response.
“I gather Vae didn’t tell you about this?” Khardeen asked.
“About what?”
“Ah. Well, having been here long enough to assess the situation, Vae didn’t think she could take care of all the humans who needed a Sceltie’s help.”
“Really?” Mother Night.
“She talked to Ladvarian about helping her find other Scelties to take care of the other humans while she took care of the court. Then those two talked to Morghann and Jaenelle, and there you are—twelve youngsters who wanted the challenge of taking care of humans who have no kindred of their own.”
No. Oooh, no. “Who’s Morghann?” He’d heard the name before, somewhere, but it was the only question Ranon could think to ask. The only safe question, anyway.
“Morghann is the Queen of Scelt.”
Hell’s fire, Mother Night, and may the Darkness be merciful. Now he remembered. Cassie had mentioned Morghann when she was explaining court living arrangements in Kaeleer. And she’d mentioned Morghann’s husband, Khardeen.