a P

only if Audrey "accompanied" me, supposedly to help me get acquainted. It was

g table felt immense with just the two of us, the

shed dragon crystal. To my awakened senses, the crystals pulse

alth, items strictly forbidden

string of expensive jewels at her throat,

history" with Gideon, emphasizing how she

heads bowed, but I could feel their eyes dart

ed by her chirping, which she mistakenly fueled as c

lightly seared by dragon flame, a delicacy un

it's my favorite. He has it shipped a

tus. But my awakened olfactory senses instantly analyzed the fru

h my napkin, set down my silver fork, and tur

oing in my mind. "Steward, I have a few questions

, surprised but respectf

sured, undeniable weight of a true sovereign, "who, besides the lord a

e opposite end of the table from the lord's empty

table is reserved exclusively for the lord and his lady.

y of a lord's fallen subordinate... would that be equivalent to

e flushed a deep, ugly red. "You-!" she sputtered, ha

ermore, by the laws of our blood, how should the fa

arlisle,' as a sign of absolute respect," the st

full attention to the fuming Audrey. "

ning, a gross breach of protocol from

support. The servants all stared at the floor, terr

ased a microscopic fraction of my Dragon God aura-a p

You are the guest. I am the mistress. Gideon's kindness to you is a matter of senti

e just enough so she could breathe. "This castle's

humiliation, raw jealousy, and a new, in

nd she broke. Through clenched teeth,

urve of my lips. "Good. Now

nly fester. That evening, she approached me with a sickly sweet smile, inviti

tion to a trap w