Shalador's Lady

good-bye, and the two Warlords headed back up the street to the landing web.
    Then Khardeen stopped and turned to face Ranon.
    *There was that second thing to tell you,* he said. *Lady Cassidy’s report will go to the Keep three days from now?*
    *Yes.*
    *You’re to be the messenger.*
    *Why?*
    *Because the Queen wants to see you.*
    No doubt about which Queen was commanding his presence. No doubt at all. And no question that he would obey that command.
    *I’ll be there.* And may the Darkness have mercy on me.
    He watched them until they were out of sight. Then he felt a flash of frustration and temper. He looked to his right and saw one of the Scelties—a witch by what he could sense—staring at empty air, gently wagging her tail.
    A moment later, Archerr dropped the sight shield that should have kept him hidden and strode over to Ranon, quickly followed by Shaddo, who was trailed by his two boys.
    “Hell’s fire,” Archerr said as the witch trotted away and a Warlord headed toward them. “What good is a sight shield if a dog is going to smell you and let everyone know you’re there?”
    “Not much,” Ranon said. But damn useful if an enemy was trying to sight shield to get close enough to attack. With two Scelties living at the Residence, they were less likely to have any unwelcome company showing up to bother Cassidy.
    *Boy puppies!* The black-and-white Warlord with a splash of white on his muzzle and tan markings on his face raced toward Shaddo’s boys.
    Shaddo swore mildly but didn’t interfere with the meeting. Then he swore with more heat when his wife Soli stepped out of their cottage.
    “Shaddo? What’s going on? Is it all right for the boys to be out?”
    The Sceltie turned toward the sound of her voice and froze. Dog and woman stared at each other.
    Soli smiled. “Aren’t you the sweetest boy?”
    The human boys were abandoned in a heartbeat. The Sceltie launched himself into the air and ended up sitting in front of Soli, with one paw raised to shake—floating on air waist high.
    “Hello, there,” Soli said, holding the paw while she petted and cooed. “What’s your name? Where did you come from?” She frowned a little. “You’re Darcy from the Isle of Scelt?” She looked up at Shaddo, her eyes full of wonder. “He talks?”
    *I talk,* Darcy said proudly. *But only to my special humans.*
    “Hell’s fire, Shaddo,” Archerr said, choking back a laugh. “That sure looks like love at first sight to me. I think you just adopted a furry boy-child.”
    “Who is not going to be sleeping in our bed,” Shaddo growled. But there was resigned humor in his eyes as he watched Soli introduce the dog to the boys. “He’ll keep her company, so yeah, looks like I’ve got another boy.”
    “Who is already trained to fight,” Ranon said quietly.
    The humor drained out of the other two men.
    He nodded in response to the unspoken question. “It’s one step removed, but some of that training is courtesy of Lucivar Yaslana—and one of the Scelties is an Opal-Jeweled Warlord Prince.”
    “Mother Night,” Archerr said softly.
    “Once Talon rises, we all need to talk about this. For now, you two pass along the all clear, especially to Gray so he knows it’s safe for Cassidy to come back to the Residence. I’ll try to explain this to the village elders.”
    Shaddo said, “Who would send us a pack of warriors?”
    Ranon felt a knot of tension ease as he answered the question. “The same person who understood why we needed Cassidy.”

CHAPTER 16
    TERREILLE
    G ray led the newest member of the household out to the corner of the yard that sheltered the pots containing the twelve honey pear seedlings. Going down on one knee, he waited for the Sceltie to join him.
    Compared to Vae, who had more self-assurance than a dozen people combined, Khollie seemed so . . . breakable. Or maybe the dog was still feeling bruised by Ranon’s initial rejection and was afraid of being sent away.
    “Come here, Khollie,” Gray said gently.
    Woeful eyes. Hopeful tail-tip wag.
    “See these?” Gray pointed to the pots. “These are honey pears. They are very special trees. You do not pee on them.”
    *I did not pee on the little trees. Only the big trees.*
    “I know you didn’t pee on them”— yet— “but I want you to understand that we never pee on these trees.”
    *Humans too?*
    “Yes, humans too. These trees are very, very special, and we all have to protect them.”
    The head came up, the ears came