Lo, Kef.

The eunuch got hurriedly to his feet. My lord.

No sign of Archeth, then?

No. Ordinarily, I would have expected her back by now, but

But once she gets up there to that house full of phantoms, who the fuck can tell. Egar s voice came out gruffer than he d intended. Right?

Kefanin s lips pursed diplomatically.

Would you care for some refreshment, my lord?

No, I m good. Egar glanced down at Ishgrim, wondering, not for the first time, where Archeth found her restraint. If the girl had been his slave a gift of the Emperor, no less, it doesn t get much more legitimate than that he would have plundered those curves fucking months ago. Would have lit her up like a steppe-storm sky, put a fucking smile on her face for once, instead of that perpetually downcast look she dragged around the house all the time like a bucket of used bathwater.

Ishgrim flushed and shifted on the stone bench.

Are you going to tell him? she asked in a small voice.

Silence. Egar switched a glance between the two of them. Tell me what?

It s nothing, really. Kefanin waved a dismissive hand. Not worth

Tell me what, Kef?

The majordomo sighed. Well, then. It seems we are being subjected to a little more clerical brinkmanship. The Citadel wish once more to remind us of their existence.

They re out there again? Egar hadn t noticed coming in, and an odd sense of shame crept through him at the realization. Some fucking hound, Eg. Guys on the gate didn t say a thing about it when I came in.

Kefanin shrugged. They are on loan from the palace. They don t want unnecessary trouble.

That ticklish fucking balance again. Egar remembered the wary looks the guardsmen had given him. Felt a fierce grin stitch itself onto his face.

They think I d cause unnecessary trouble?

My lord, I do not know if

Leave it with me, Kef.