Shalador's Lady

street just because he has four legs and fur.”
    “That’s been taken care of,” Jaenelle said.
    “By who?” Lucivar demanded.
    “By someone who can explain things even better than you.” Jaenelle smiled at Lucivar.
    Lucivar took a step back and resumed his prowling.
    After a few moments of uneasy silence, Khary said, “There might not be much we can do about Kermilla right now, but I can go to Eyota tomorrow and bring Khollie home.”
    “I don’t think you can take Khollie anywhere without a fight,” Jaenelle said.
    Khary gave Jaenelle, then Morghann, a hard stare. “He’s delicate. You both know that. And Ranon didn’t want him in the first place.”
    “What was true then isn’t true now. Ranon needed some time to gain clarity in his feelings.”
    Khary made a rude noise. “He’s—”
    “One of us,” Jaenelle said quietly.
    Silence as the men took a long moment to assess the implications of that statement.
    One of us, Saetan thought. Those three words told him a great deal about Ranon—and explained even more why Jaenelle had avoided telling him any details about her meeting with the Shalador Warlord Prince. Damned hard to insist that you were a “former” ruler when a newly met Warlord Prince recognized a bond with you that could hold him.
    When Gray had recognized her as the Queen, Jaenelle had slid around facing the truth that she wasn’t a former anything by arguing that Gray was confused by his developing sense of being a Warlord Prince. But there was nothing wrong with Ranon that she could use as an excuse.
    Which made this particular meeting even more interesting.
    “What Circle?” Khary finally asked.
    “Second,” Jaenelle replied.
    Meaning, if the Dark Court still officially existed, Ranon would have been accepted into the Second Circle. Not as intimate a companion as someone in the First Circle, but those who served in the Second were still close enough—and trusted enough—for confidential assignments and direct service to the Queen.
    “And Gray?” Daemon asked.
    “Second Circle,” she said.
    Anger still smeared the room, but it no longer had heat or teeth.
    “So that’s it then,” Aaron said.
    “Not quite. I received this letter from Cassidy a couple of days ago, before the attempted abduction,” Jaenelle said. She called in another letter and handed it to Khary.
    By the time Khary got halfway through the first page, his mouth was hanging open. “Payment for work? They’re getting paid to herd sheep? ”
    “Three coppers a day,” Jaenelle said cheerfully. “Wynne and Duffy are also maintaining the spells on the cold boxes and hot water tanks for the landen community and get three coppers a week for each household.”
    Since Khary seemed frozen, Aaron snagged the second page. “Oh, Mother Night. Two of them are working in a children’s play area.”
    Sabrina snorted, then had to call in a handkerchief to blow her nose.
    Morghann twisted in her chair so she could read the other side of the page. “They call Lloyd and Kief the silver twins. And the boys are working in the stables. That’s good. They like horses.”
    “I guess I understand the Scelties wanting to learn about being paid for work, but what are they going to do with the money?” Daemon said. “Save up their coppers to buy their own little steading and a small flock of sheep?”
    Morghann and Jaenelle looked at Daemon. Just looked at him. And then they smiled.
    Lucivar caught Khary before he landed on the floor, and Saetan watched Daemon—his brilliant, lethal son—turn pale. Probably at the thought of someday having to negotiate a business deal with a Sceltie.
    *Coward,* Saetan said on a Black spear thread.
    Daemon gave him a sideways look.
    “It’s not that bizarre,” Jaenelle said. “Ladvarian and I own the little cottage and acreage where he trains other Scelties.”
    “What?” Khary yelped.
    “What?” Daemon whispered.
    Jaenelle looked at Khary. “I thought you knew that. Morghann, didn’t you know that?”
    “I did, yes,” Morghann replied. “But it seemed best not to mention that bit of paperwork.”
    Jaenelle patted Daemon’s thigh. “Ladvarian and I have owned that property since before you and I got married, so I never thought to mention it. Besides, having that place is so much better than having a dozen Scelties living with us whenever we’re in Maghre.”
    “Yes, that’s so much better.” Daemon looked a little woozy.
    “The relationship between Scelties and