“Why don’t you go sit on a spear,” Surreal growled.

Lucivar shook his head and tsked. Daemon seemed to be straining a lot of muscles to keep from laughing.

“So why did he toss the two of you out?” Surreal asked.

“For privacy. You’ll notice there are very strong shields around that room now, including an aural one.” Lucivar looked at the closed study door. “Having witnessed this behavior a number of times, the males in the First Circle have come to the conclusion that he’s either sitting there laughing himself silly or he’s indulging in a fit of hysterics, and either way, he doesn’t want us to know.”

“He said he would help me,” Surreal snarled.

Lucivar’s eyes were bright with laughter. “I’m sure he’d intended to explain a few things to Graysfang—right up until you mentioned Kaelas.”

“That name keeps coming up,” Daemon said. “Just who is Kaelas?”

Lucivar eyed Daemon thoughtfully, then directed the answer to Surreal. “Kaelas is an Arcerian Warlord Prince who wears a Red Jewel. But because of some quirk in his talent or his training, he can get through any kind of shield—including a Black.”

“Mother Night,” Daemon muttered.

“He’s also eight hundred pounds of feline muscle and temper.” Lucivar smiled grimly. “We all try not to upset Kaelas.”

“Shit,” Surreal said weakly.

“Come on,” Lucivar said. “We’ll escort you to your room.”

Walking between two strong males suddenly sounded like a good idea.

After a couple of minutes, Surreal said, “At least, being that big, he’ll be easy enough to spot.”

Lucivar hesitated. “The Arcerian Blood always use sight shields when they hunt. It makes them very effective predators.”

“Oh.” Being friends with a wolf was sounding better and better by the minute.

When they reached her room, she said good night and went inside.

Graysfang was standing exactly where she’d left him. Well, she had told him to “Stay right there,” and he had taken her at her word.

Looking at the sadness in those brown eyes, she sighed.

Puppy love. It was a term whores used to describe clumsy, eager young males during their first few weeks of sexual experience. For a short time, they would try to please so they wouldn’t be refused the bed. But after the novelty wore off, they would address those same women with a hardness in their eyes and a sneer in their voices.

“Tomorrow we’re going to have to come to an agreement about a few things,” Surreal told Graysfang.

His tail went tock-tock, just once.

Giving in, she climbed into bed and patted the covers beside her. He jumped up on the bed and lay down, watching her cautiously. She ruffled his fur, turned off the light, and found herself smiling. She had ended up in a place where, when someone spoke of puppy love, they were talking about a real puppy.

12 / Kaeleer