The Shadow Queen

those other Queens done to these people?
    Hell’s fire, Cassidy. Those Queens were killed by the storm Witch had unleashed. That should tell you something.
    “Put the tray over there,” Cassidy said. Following Birdie to the little table, she lifted the cover off the dish. Scrambled eggs and buttered toast. A little serving dish of fruit jam. A small pot of coffee, with cream and sugar on the side.
    “Thank you,” Cassidy said. “That looks lovely. And please thank Maydra as well. This is exactly the kind of breakfast I need this morning.”
    “She’ll be relieved to hear it,” Birdie said. “Elle says we’ll be turning out your rooms for a proper cleaning while you’re selecting the men for your court.”
    If Jaenelle was right about how a court usually formed around a Queen, the selecting might not take as much time as everyone thought. Well, there would be plenty of other things to do that would keep her out of the servants’ way for a few hours.
    Suspecting this would be the last bit of solitude she would have for most of the day, Cassidy sat down to eat a quiet breakfast.
    Then a thought made her snort. She clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from spraying toast crumbs all over the table.
    Theran Grayhaven would never be hers, but she wasn’t the one who would spend the next year on the receiving end of Vae’s attention.

    *Theran? Theran! Those males are not herding properly. They are supposed to stay in this room to see the Queen. I will fetch them.*
    “You don’t need—”
    Why bother? Theran thought as Vae jumped off the platform that had been constructed for Lady Cassidy’s audiences. The little bitch didn’t listen to anything he said anyway, although she had plenty to say to him.
    Of course, since the other men weren’t being held responsible for the dog’s welfare, they had no reason to pay attention to her.
    But they were paying attention. Hard not to when a dog was standing on air so that she could bark in a man’s face. And she wasn’t floating at a height where she could nip at their heels, but was in a position to nip someone’s ass.
    Vae charged around the room, nipping and barking and issuing orders.
    *Come back here! It is time to meet the Queen! You there! Stop! Stubborn sheep.*
    The men in the room moved closer to the platform. The ones who had been wandering returned, curious about what was causing so much commotion. Some of the men looked amused; some looked a little pissed off and were, no doubt, wondering what kind of trick he might be playing.
    No question Ranon was more pissed off than amused. The Shalador Warlord Prince worked his way closer to the platform, gave the dog, who was now floating in front of him, a pointed look, then said, “Grayhaven, what is this?”
    I am Vae. I am a Sceltie. I am kindred. I am a witch. I know my Craft. You are male and foolish. And human.*
    Ranon blinked. “A witch? She’s a witch ? That’s really a Purple Dusk Jewel ?”
    *Yes,* Vae replied before Theran could respond. *It is my Birthright Jewel. When I am older, I will make the Offering to the Darkness and get my other Jewel. I am going to help the Queen train her males. Especially Theran. It is time.*
    Vae spun around and whapped Ranon in the face with her tail. *Theran? Theran! Go fetch the Queen.*
    “Yeah, Theran,” Ranon said, stepping back to avoid being whapped in the face again. “Go fetch.”
    Could be worse, Theran thought as he strode toward the previously unused wing of the mansion. At least Cassidy wasn’t a yapper as far as he could tell. And by the time he escorted Cassidy to the audience room, and the other Warlord Princes had spent that time with Vae, maybe they’d all find the new Queen a lot more palatable.

    Maybe eating breakfast hadn’t been such a good idea, Cassidy thought as she and Theran walked down to the audience room.
    He was ignoring Protocol by walking on her right to indicate his Jewels were dominant instead of walking on her left to indicate his power was in her service. He wasn’t offering his hand in the traditional escort position so that she could rest her hand on top of his. Maybe he thought it wasn’t necessary to follow those formalities until they were closer to the audience room, but the servants they had passed had noticed.
    Prince Theran was sending a message that would trickle through the court and through the Blood who worked in the mansion: the new Queen wasn’t worthy of courtesy or respect.
    He was setting her up to fail before she had a chance to try.
    He