remarked, looking over Garde's shoulder.
"Yes, Graegar was quite positive about that," Reemagar nodded. "We want this to go as smoothly as possible for Lissa, as well as the surrogates. The choice you made, Lord Morphis, along with her friend, yields the best possible outcome."
"Now all we have to do is approach Lissa with this and hope she likes the idea. I certainly don't want to upset her. These will be her babies, in every respect. She just won't carry them."
Erland had already sent mindspeech to Wylend. Wylend had agreed to put up the fees for both surrogates, as a gift to his granddaughter, Lissa. He and Erland would be ready with the detachment spell, too, if it were needed. Erland didn't think it would be—both women knew the child would not be theirs and they had readily volunteered when they learned Lissa was unable to bear children of her own. Poradina had two grown children; Evaline had one.
"We will come with you and explain that the donated eggs will become hers," Connegar said. "I hope she will like this from the start—I do not wish to be forced to convince her it is a good idea. The Wise Ones think this is very important."
"I think it's important too, but everything depends on Lissa liking it," Garde observed. "When do we go to her?"
"We will come in two days—she will feel better then and the marriage between Shadow Grey and Melida of Belancour will be complete." Reemagar didn't look as if he appreciated that fact. Not even a little.
"You know something." Erland stared up at the eight-foot Larentii. Reemagar was tall, but Connegar towered over Reemagar by a foot and a half.
"The Wise Ones say we may not interfere. Therefore, we will not. Things will progress as they will, no matter our feelings in this."
* * *
Cheedas brought in both candidates he'd selected to take Giff's place. Winkler came with me—he was good at interviewing, so we met in my study. Norian was lurking outside when Winkler walked down the hall with me, a solicitous hand at my back.
"Norian Keef, do I get a moment to interview assistants, first?" I still felt grumpy at his high-handedness. I think I made a face at him, too. He deliberately ignored it.
"Of course. May I sit in?"
"Oh, sure. Do you intend to ask questions on how they intend to keep my closet updated, just to make sure it meets ASD guidelines?" My hands were on my hips as I bristled at Norian's intended interference.
"I'm not any good at that sort of thing," Norian grinned. "The ASD only has uniform guidelines. A Queen's garb has never been standard ASD issue." Was he teasing? Where was that coming from? Gavin told me the man was a total bear until I'd hauled him off to Twylec. Now he was all smiles and sunlight. Go figure. "But I would still like to sit in," he continued, his expression turning serious.
"Fine. Sit in," I huffed. Cheedas had a tray of tea, coffee and pastry sitting on my desk as we walked inside my study, and Heathe and Grant were already eating. Cheedas and the two candidates were sitting in guest chairs, waiting for my arrival.
"These two are vampires?" Norian nodded toward Grant and Heathe, who were grinning and eating cherry turnovers.
"Yes," I sighed. "I sure as hell hope you know how to keep secrets, Norian Keef."
"Oh, I know how to keep secrets," he agreed. "Very well." He helped himself to the turnovers and coffee. Winkler and I just had coffee, although mine was mixed with cream and sugar.
"This is Taff, and this is Mora," Cheedas introduced the two comesuli. They were both shy—I don't think they'd been this close to me before. I didn't recognize their scents, I knew that much.
"So, you both want to wait on me, buy my clothes and keep up with my closet and my suite?" I asked.
"Oh, yes, Raona," Taff sounded breathless with anticipation. I did some Looking —they would both be female vampires one day. They were still very young, too—less than sixty. That was young for comesuli.
"Raona, I want this very much," Mora chimed in.
"Yes, Graegar was quite positive about that," Reemagar nodded. "We want this to go as smoothly as possible for Lissa, as well as the surrogates. The choice you made, Lord Morphis, along with her friend, yields the best possible outcome."
"Now all we have to do is approach Lissa with this and hope she likes the idea. I certainly don't want to upset her. These will be her babies, in every respect. She just won't carry them."
Erland had already sent mindspeech to Wylend. Wylend had agreed to put up the fees for both surrogates, as a gift to his granddaughter, Lissa. He and Erland would be ready with the detachment spell, too, if it were needed. Erland didn't think it would be—both women knew the child would not be theirs and they had readily volunteered when they learned Lissa was unable to bear children of her own. Poradina had two grown children; Evaline had one.
"We will come with you and explain that the donated eggs will become hers," Connegar said. "I hope she will like this from the start—I do not wish to be forced to convince her it is a good idea. The Wise Ones think this is very important."
"I think it's important too, but everything depends on Lissa liking it," Garde observed. "When do we go to her?"
"We will come in two days—she will feel better then and the marriage between Shadow Grey and Melida of Belancour will be complete." Reemagar didn't look as if he appreciated that fact. Not even a little.
"You know something." Erland stared up at the eight-foot Larentii. Reemagar was tall, but Connegar towered over Reemagar by a foot and a half.
"The Wise Ones say we may not interfere. Therefore, we will not. Things will progress as they will, no matter our feelings in this."
* * *
Cheedas brought in both candidates he'd selected to take Giff's place. Winkler came with me—he was good at interviewing, so we met in my study. Norian was lurking outside when Winkler walked down the hall with me, a solicitous hand at my back.
"Norian Keef, do I get a moment to interview assistants, first?" I still felt grumpy at his high-handedness. I think I made a face at him, too. He deliberately ignored it.
"Of course. May I sit in?"
"Oh, sure. Do you intend to ask questions on how they intend to keep my closet updated, just to make sure it meets ASD guidelines?" My hands were on my hips as I bristled at Norian's intended interference.
"I'm not any good at that sort of thing," Norian grinned. "The ASD only has uniform guidelines. A Queen's garb has never been standard ASD issue." Was he teasing? Where was that coming from? Gavin told me the man was a total bear until I'd hauled him off to Twylec. Now he was all smiles and sunlight. Go figure. "But I would still like to sit in," he continued, his expression turning serious.
"Fine. Sit in," I huffed. Cheedas had a tray of tea, coffee and pastry sitting on my desk as we walked inside my study, and Heathe and Grant were already eating. Cheedas and the two candidates were sitting in guest chairs, waiting for my arrival.
"These two are vampires?" Norian nodded toward Grant and Heathe, who were grinning and eating cherry turnovers.
"Yes," I sighed. "I sure as hell hope you know how to keep secrets, Norian Keef."
"Oh, I know how to keep secrets," he agreed. "Very well." He helped himself to the turnovers and coffee. Winkler and I just had coffee, although mine was mixed with cream and sugar.
"This is Taff, and this is Mora," Cheedas introduced the two comesuli. They were both shy—I don't think they'd been this close to me before. I didn't recognize their scents, I knew that much.
"So, you both want to wait on me, buy my clothes and keep up with my closet and my suite?" I asked.
"Oh, yes, Raona," Taff sounded breathless with anticipation. I did some Looking —they would both be female vampires one day. They were still very young, too—less than sixty. That was young for comesuli.
"Raona, I want this very much," Mora chimed in.
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