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The girl and the aited for his answer

"I rule this Territory," he said quietly "And, as I said, the Hall and its land are personal property If the huhbors, then the hu to reach out with his ht the edge of those alien, feral thoughts Not thoughts, really, h a different lens but still readable Surprise, followed by swift understanding and approval S ht so

S

From Jaenelle’s annoyed expression, Saetan deduced the wolf had turned evasive Since it wasn’t a topic he wanted her to pursue, he decided to satisfy his own curiosity, aware of the effort Andulvar, Prothvar, and Mephis were e of questions The kindred had always been elusive and timid about contact with humans, even before they had closed their borders Now there was a wolf, kindred and wild, sitting in his drawing room

"Prince Smoke is kindred?" Saetan asked, his tone more confirmation than question

"Of course," Jaenelle said, surprised

"And you can communicate with him?"

"Of course"

He felt the wave of frustration co from the others

and clenched his teethRe to "How?"

Jaenelle looked puzzled "Distaff to spear The same way I communicate with you" She fluffed her hair "You can’t hear him?"

Saetan and the other men shook their heads

Jaenelle looked at Smoke "Can you hear them?"

Smoke looked at the hunant "What do you mean I didn’t train them well? I didn’t train them at all!"

S

Jaenelle ht processes, then said tartly, "Does the beef at least ave Saetan a brittle smile "Smoke says the beef is much better than the squahite birds" Her expression changed from annoyed to dismayed "Squahite birds? Chickens? You ate Mrs Beale’s chickens?"

Setically

Saetan leaned back in his chair Oh, it was so satisfying to see her thrown off stride "I’uest--even if she wasn’t aware of it," he added dryly, re too well his cook’s reaction when she learned about thehens

Jaenelle pressed her hands into her lap "Yes Well" She nibbled her lower lip "Co with kindred isn’t difficult"

"Really?" Saetan replied inal topic of conversation

"You just" Jaenelle paused and finally shrugged "Shuck the hus and take one step to the side"

It wasn’t theset of instructions he’d ever heard, but having seen beneath her ave his to wonder about Was it more comfortable, more natural for her to reach for kindred minds? Or did she see kindred and human as equal puzzles?

Alien and Other Blood andthey were all watching hiently

Her haunted sapphire eyes, dark with their ancient wisdom, told him she knew exactly what troubled him She didn’t disment that he had a reason to be concerned And no reason at all

Saetan smiled "Yes, I’d like to try it"

Jaenelle touched the minds of the four men just outside the first inner barrier and showed them how to reach a mind that wasn’t hu down a narrow, hedged-in lane, sidestepping through a gap in the hedge, and discovering that there was another orn path on the other side Hu more than a narro of communication He---and Andulvar, Prothvar, and Mephis, and e and would have to travel through a gap For Jaenelle, it was just one wide avenue

"Human" Smoke sounded pleased