“Your concern is appreciated, my lady,” Kelson said easily, waving dismissal.

The lady bobbed a quick curtsy as she took the captain’s arm. Then the two of them fled across the grass, the lady casting one last furtive glance over her shoulder as they went through an arched doorway. It was not difficult to imagine what their next topic of discussion would be.

As the two disappeared from sight, Morgan chuckled. “Your ladies and your guards seem to be keeping quite an eye out for you, my prince.”

Kelson snorted. “The Lady Elvira has an overactive imagination. She’s been warned about that before. And as for my guards—they’re so edgy, they’d try to arrest anything that moved. It’s a good thing they didn’t recognize you at first, though. The rumors about you haven’t helped their morale any.”

“I’m getting rather used to that reaction,” Morgan replied with a grimace. “It’s the Stenrect that worries me.”

Kelson nodded. “Is that really what it is? I always thought they were just myths, fairy tales to scare children with.”

“No, they’re quite real, as you saw. I’m wondering how one got into your garden, though. Stenrects are creatures of the night. It takes a great deal of power to call one out in broad daylight. Charissa is capable, of course, but if she means to challenge you tomorrow, I hardly see the point.”

“Then, you don’t think I was meant to be killed?”

“It was intended to frighten, not kill, I think,” Morgan said. He glanced around, then took Kelson’s arm and propelled him along the path toward the far gate. “I hardly think this is the place to belabor the point, however. After that little adventure, I think I prefer the relative safety of four walls and a roof. Now that there’s been an attempt on your life, serious or no—”

“You don’t have to convince me,” Kelson replied, opening the gate and leading Morgan through. “Where are we going now?”

“To Duncan,” Morgan said, heading them down a long foyer toward the outer courtyard. “The good father has some things in safekeeping for you.”

“Then, you do have the key to Father’s power!” Kelson exclaimed. “Why didn’t you say so before? When you didn’t mention it, I was afraid to ask.”

“I had to see how much you’d deduced for yourself.” Morgan grinned. “As it is—”

“Ooooh, Your Highness!” squealed a young, female voice. “There you are!”

Morgan stopped in his tracks and grimaced, and Kelson turned to breathe an unbelieving, “Not again . . . !”

“Kelson,” Morgan muttered through clenched teeth, “if you tell me that’s the over-imaginative Lady Elvira again, I’ll . . .”

“Sorry to disappoint you,” Kelson murmured, trying hard to keep a straight face, “but it’s the flighty and over-excitable Lady Esther this time.” He folded his arms patiently. “What is it, Lady Esther?”