page37 (1/2)

“That’s about right”

Rainier shifted in his chair “Anyway, there were twelve men around that table, and every one of the questions abouttheir Queen andtheir court”

“They resented me too,” Surreal said

“No,” Rainier said, “they were afraid ofyou Me they would have buried without hesitation if they thought they would survive the retaliation”

“Which they wouldn’t,” Surreal said

“So on, and no one wants to talk about what that so is,” Rainier said “However, Gray wasto use the Queen’s Gift of having a connection to the land to boost the potential harvest—and also teach the other Queens how to do the sa open when I said Cassidy and the other Queens had left it a bit late since all the Queens in Kaeleer had done this in the spring I told the festivalin the evening—a bit of fun before people settled in to the summer work And I mentioned that Queens habitually drain a little of their power into the land before their moontime because it makes them more comfortable physically They didn’t know about that either—and considering how many of those men blushed when I said the word ‘ notomen for more than a few days”

“Most of Cassie’s court are rogues as well as warriors,” Daeht that this is all round than any of us realized”

“They also didn’t know about the tradition of fussing,” Rainier said “So I took the liberty of explaining it—especially as it applies to a Queen and her court”

Dae to have some comments aboutthat in her next report Then his humor faded as he looked at Surreal

She shrugged “Stone in a pond Cassidy seems frustrated by how little she’s done in the weeks she’s been in Dena Nehele My sense is she’s done enough already to send ripples through the whole Territory—including taking a young Shalador Queen into the court for training I ht hand to guide her, Reyhana will be a strong, impressive ruler in a few years She didn’t say a hile Cassidy and Shira talked, but she listened fiercely—and I had the is that weren’t being said that I was And didn’t like them any better” She paused, then added, “Theran Grayhaven wasn’t in residence, by the way”

“Oh?” Daereen eyes held the ruthless chill of a first-rate assassin

“Does the na to you?” Surreal asked

“No Should it?”

Surreal shrugged “This is what I was told A Lady Kermilla arrived at Grayhaven to have an audience with the Queen Audience was granted, and Ker as she should have, Keruest,’ over Cassidy’s objections So Queen and court removed themselves from the Grayhaven mansion and have taken up residence in Eyota, where Cassidy is deter her year in Dena Nehele”

“I hope she’s not set on leaving at the end of that year,” Rainier said, “becausemy ier thinking of her presence in Dena Nehele as temporary or as just a year to train soe anyone who tries to take her away from them And that, Prince Sadi, includes you”

Good,Daeht “So Cassidy relocated her court because of Theran’s lover? I’uest’ equals lover”

“I don’t know that it does,” Surreal replied “But sheif Theran chose her over the Queen he swore to serve” She leaned forward “Kermilla is the key to this break between Cassidy and Theran because everyone was being very careful not to tell me where Kermilla came from or her caste You don’t know her Maybe Jaenelle does You should ask her”

Why don’t you?He knew the answer to that As strong as she was, as powerful as she was, and as fierce as she was, Surreal did not want to be the one who asked Jaenelle Angelline that question

He waited until the midday meal Surreal and Rainier hadfled, to be accurate, leaving him to ask what seemed a simple question

“Do you know Lady Kermilla?” he asked as he cut into his beef