“These are cows, aren’t they,” said the boy Enopp.

“They are,” said Danny.

“They’re huge,” said Enopp.

“Cows may be bigger here than in the place you came from,” said Danny. “But these are particularly well-fed and healthy cows. Leslie takes good care of them. Though at this moment I believe they still want milking. Would you like to help me?”

The boy nodded. “I’m only little,” he said. “And I’m not very strong. I’ve been in prison, you know.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Danny. “Did you do something very bad?”

“No, but I’m dangerous, because there are people who think my brother or I should be king after my father, and not the child of Queen Bexoi. She’s from Gray, and her brother is our enemy.”

“I’m glad you’re out of prison, since you didn’t do anything wrong.”

Enopp shrugged. “I’m glad to be out, too, but it’s dangerous for me even to exist. I don’t have to actually do anything.”

“I know the feeling,” said Danny. “I was older than you, though, when people made the same judgment about me.”

“Did they put you in jail?”

“I’m a gatemage,” said Danny. “They couldn’t if they tried. All they can do is kill me or leave me alone.”

“Or kill someone you love,” said Enopp.

“Ah,” said Danny. “I see you understand how power works.”

“I’m son of a king,” said Enopp. “I think I’m going to be a gatemage, too.”

Meanwhile, Danny had attached the milker to a cow. “Do you see how I did that?”

“Does it hurt the cow?”

“It’s designed to fit her teat exactly right,” said Danny. “She likes it.”

“What does it do?”

Danny spent the next fifteen minutes explaining the milking machines and letting Enopp help in whatever way he was large enough and strong enough.

“What do you think of Loki?” asked Danny.

“Who?” asked Enopp.

“The gatemage who brought you.”

“Wad,” said Enopp.

The word made no sense to Danny in this context. “You want bread?”

“His name,” said Enopp. “That’s what Mother calls him.”

“Wad,” said Danny. “Not a noble name.”

“He used to be the castle spy. He would climb everywhere, watch everything. Hull named him. The chief baker. She’s dead, somebody murdered her because she refused to murder the Queen. It would have been better if she had done it. The Queen is an evil bitch.”

Danny was amused at the way Enopp echoed what he must have heard. “What about Wad? Is he evil or good?”

“He kept us in prison,” said Enopp. “But when Queen Bexoi said to kill us, he didn’t. After a while he gave us better food. And he got us out just when soldiers were trying to kill us in our caves.”

“That sounds frightening.”

“It was,” said Enopp. “They were my father’s soldiers.”