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“That’s why I want to train to be a Consort,” he finished “So I can take Theran’s place and keep the court intact”
Silence Then Daemon said, “First Escort, not Consort”
“Cassie and I are lovers I should be her Consort”
“When did this happen?” Lucivar asked “I don’t recall discussing it—or giving my permission”
The mildly curious tone made Gray nervous Then he remembered the fire dance and the primal power that he’d finally welcoer just Gray, the man Noas also Jared Blaed, the Warlord Prince “With all respect, Prince Yaslana, the rules you set in the spring protected me as well as Cassie because I wasn’t emotionally ready to be a lover Now I am, and we don’t need those rules anyether is none of your business”
Lucivar smiled “You can look ht It’s none of my business anymore”
Thank the Darkness for that
“First Escort, Gray, not Consort,” Daemon said
“You were Jaenelle’s Consort,” Gray said
“And le is about the court, and while the Consort provides a very intimate kind of service, his position and his status are still about the court In terms of the court, a First Escort performs the same function except for the sex Your relationship with Cassie is personal You want to keep it that way She was hurt by the last man who served as her Consort You don’t ever want her to wonder if you’re in her bed because you want to wear the Consort’s ring and have the status and reputation that goes with it”
Gray sat down “I hadn’t thought of it like that”
“You’re into the last of the harvest now, aren’t you?” Saetan asked
“Yes, sir Except for the autumn squashes that we’ll harvest next ht in”
“All right,” Saetan said “You’ll come here once a week, late afternoon Plan to stay over until the followingProtocol with an eye to how it applies to a First Escort”
“What should I tell Cassie?” Gray asked “I don’t want her to know about this Not until she has to It will break her heart”
“Tell her I’ve decided you requireto personally provide that training If she has any proble time at the Keep, she may discuss it with me”
“Do you think she will discuss it with you?”
“No”
Didn’t think so
“You’ll also ith Daemon and Lucivar”
“We’ll let him practice with Jaenelle,” Lucivar said “When he can keep up with her—and keep track of her—for half a day, he’ll be able to make the run with any other Queen”
“That’s settled then,” Saetan said
“What happens when Theran breaks Cassidy’s court?” Gray asked
“If Theran has the sa about courts that you do, he’s in for a rude awakening,” Saetan said “Except when a court is first formed, not everyone joins at the same time People come in, people move on”
“And sohtful knife rammed up someone’s ass,” Daemon purred “The moment Theran announces his intentions to ular escort in her First Circle and you can sign a contract to serve as First Escort That gives her thirteen males in the First Circle If Cassie chooses not to dismiss him, Theran has to fulfill his contract to the last , she already has a court that stands, and he’s left trying to build one around a Queen of questionable morals”
Gray looked at Daemon “Did you knoould do this when you let Cassie come to Dena Nehele?”
Dae tirave that could never be found But that’s done now, and we have to let this play out as it will”