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.Likely she had removed her cloak upon arrival, for now she wore onlya high waisted gown of deep crimson, embroidered with dark gold flowers atthe hem and waist.A matching necklace of delicate flowers made from gold andrubies was around her throat.Her eyes were a clear blue, like the lake at hisfamily home.They were also cool, as his mother's had often looked when she was aboutsome manner of unpleasant business.Something was clutched in her right hand, the way she held it fisted closed, buthe could not see what."Oh, Your Grace," the landlady said, lips pursed in annoyance."A young lady tosee you and your new guest.I expect ""Thank you," he said, cutting off the coming lecture of who might visit him here.He held his arm out to the woman, and she took it with a polite smile and amurmur of greeting.Inside, he closed the door and, safely away from the landlady, withdrew his arm."Who are you?" he demanded."Who I am matters not," the woman said coolly."I was away visiting my familyhome until this morning, and so only just recently learned of what has becomeof Lord Neirin.I have come to say my goodbyes, and close matters between us."Matters between them? Devlin had a suspicion he knew the nature of the matter, but did not voice hisopinion."If you are of that ilk, why do you not have a dragon with you? Dowomen not have them?""Of course I have a dragon," the woman said."How dare you suggest I am unfit.We never take our dragons out amongst people, the risk is far too great.It isone of our most important rules, and if you did not know that, it only goes toprove he "She broke off, pursing her lips and looking much like the landlady had only a fewminutes before."I wish to see him," she said at last."I came here because I wanted to be civilabout it, not because I wanted to stir up more trouble.He has certainly causedenough of that.""Madame," Devlin said coldly, giving her a mocking bow."He is through there,by all means go and speak of matters."She gave him a sharp look, obviously realizing he knew what she was about.Devlin let her go and wondered what the devil else was going to transpire thatday.If dragons were always this damnably difficult, may he be spared ever having toencounter another.He looked up at the sound of the door opening to see Barra with his perpetuallyoverburdened tray.Barra froze as he stepped into the room."Perfume," he said, nose wrinkling."Traces of a strange dragon, and definitely a woman.Who is here?" "As you say," Devlin said."A woman who has a dragon, though apparently it isnot the done thing to bring one's dragon when one ventures off clan territory.She has come to part ways with Neirin in civil fashion.""Family?" Barra asked, worry putting lines on his brow."Perhaps," Devlin replied, knowing the woman was nothing of the kind.A low growl brought both their heads around to face the closed bedroom door,but even as Devlin moved, the door opened again and the woman steppedcalmly out.She nodded to Devlin as she reached him, completely ignoring Barra."Good dayto you, Your Grace."With that, she swept out, the door closing quietly behind her."Starchy lot, dragon folk," Barra said idly."She was no relation; didn't smellright."Before he could say more, the bedroom door opened again and Troyes cameslowly out.Barra moved immediately toward him, tray forgotten."Troyes.Who was that?"Troyes blinked at him, then shrugged in disinterest."Lady Christina.Going to bemate.Not now.Gave back ring." He smiled briefly."Neirin woke.Wake againsoon?" His eyes moved to the forgotten tray."Food?"Barra, however, had latched on only to his first statement."Mate?" he asked,voice unsteady."What do you mean, going to be mate?""Mate," Troyes repeated, shrugging again."Not now.Good.Food?" Looking miserable, Barra moved to the table and picked up the tray of raw meatsitting there, thrusting it toward Troyes, not looking at him."Thank you, wolf-elf," Troyes said, and reached out to ruffle Barra's hair.Barra smiled, but it was a weak effort.Troyes frowned."Why sad, wolf-elf?""I did not know Neirin had a mate," he said, sadness mingled with bitternessnow."Not mate anymore," Troyes said, frowning now."Not matter.Neirin has Troyes.And wolf-elf?"Barra said nothing.Devlin felt the stirrings of anger."Has your damned knight been toying withBarra all along?" he demanded.Troyes growled, but it was a sound more of confusion and hurt than anger."Notoy," he said, meat forgotten."What wrong? Just mate.No matter.Troyesmated too." He stepped toward Barra, reaching out to touch him again.Barra jerked away, moving to sit in a chair alongside the table.Whining, Troyes shifted and curled up on the floor, twining around himselfbeneath the table, still continuing to whine and growl.Devlin was torn between forcing the dragon to explain what in the hell wasgoing on or going to wake up Neirin and demanding the answers from him.What sort of bastard took a mate, then seemed unaffected by the fact that sheleft him? Why was Troyes so uninterested in the matter? Before he could decide upon a course, they were interrupted yet again by theopening of a door but this time it was the hallway door, and he knew who itwas before it finished opening.Midnight poked his head inside, then smiled in relief and stepped fully inside.He was only partially dressed, in black breeches and white stockings, and awhite shirt.His hair fell loose, and without his gloves his dark blue nails shone inthe light.Devlin looked out the window, realizing only then that it was just dark enoughfor Midnight to rise.He started to speak, but his breath caught in his throat.Midnight looked at him briefly, almost shyly, but said nothing."Whatever isgoing on here?" he asked."If Troyes is about, then Neirin must be, yet Barralooks utterly depressed."Tersely Devlin explained all that had transpired, ending with the latestrevelation that Neirin apparently had had a mate until only a few minutes ago."Perhaps there is a misunderstanding," Midnight said."How awful that so muchhas happened to Neirin.'Tis a wonder he does not hold it against us, all that hasbefallen him." He smirked briefly."Then again, he apparently likes Barra'skisses."Barra frowned.Devlin felt anger stir again.A 'mongrel' like Barra was hated by other wolvesthat meant he stood no chance of ever finding a mate amongst them, and hewas wolf enough to want a mate.He was not elf enough, unfortunately, fortheir fierce independence and wanderlust to overcome the wolf's desire forpack and mate. Midnight rested a hand on Barra's shoulder and smiled again at Devlin.He attempted to say something again, but his voice seemed not to functionwhen Midnight looked at him.Beneath the table, Troyes whined again, then gave a series of low, sharp barksand stood up, padding across the room to the door, sitting back on his haunchesas it opened
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