Jaenelle gave her an odd look. “Karla, if something wakes the shield in that ring, not only will you have Morton pounding on your door, you’re going to have Sceron, Jonah, Kaelas, Mistral, and Khary showing up on your doorstep—along with our Sisters in that part of the Realm.”

“Mother Night!” Karla frowned at the ring. “But…I know the boyos have used this shield on occasion and it didn’t make the rest of them go berserk.”

“I wouldn’t count on their responding to a signal picked up from a ring worn by a Queen in the same way they respond to a signal from another Brother in the court,” Jaenelle said dryly. “Besides, at this point, the males are all attuned to each other. They can tell when to remain on alert but to wait for another signal and when to drop everything and head for the person in trouble with all possible speed.”

“And you don’t think they’ll wait?”

“Not a chance.”

Karla sighed. That was a little more male attention than she’d anticipated, and she was glad of the warning.

“I’ll link it to your Gray Jewel now,” Jaenelle said, holding out her right hand.

“Won’t the boyos pick that up?” Karla asked, placing her right hand in Jaenelle’s.

“Yes, and it will take them under two minutes to figure out that someone in the coven is wearing a ring they can connect with now.”

Well, there’s safety in numbers, Karla thought. With all of us wearing a ring like this—

“And it will take them about another minute to figure out the distinctive feel of this particular ring and recognize it as you.”

“Hell’s fire.”

Jaenelle’s smile was sympathetic but amused. “Wait until Lucivar shows up the first time. It’s an experience.”

“I’m sure it is,” Karla mumbled.

A moment later, she felt a flash of cold followed by heat. The ring throbbed against her finger. The sensations faded, but she could sense the deep reservoir of power waiting just out of reach.

“The other thing to be aware of is that, when the shield wakes, the only people who will be able to reach you if you physically need help are the rest of the First Circle,” Jaenelle said.

Karla nodded. “In that case, I’d better always wear it. It wouldn’t do to have someone else slip it on and have that kind of protection.”

“No one else can wear this ring. It was made for you. If anyone else tried to activate the shield, the results would be…unpleasant.”

“I see.” She didn’t ask Jaenelle to define “unpleasant.”

Jaenelle studied Karla for a moment. “Wear it well, Sister.”

“Thank you. I will.”