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“Ah, excellent. You look much younger than that. The blessing and curse of the shadowborn.” Sarah smiled. “Forever checked for proof of age.”
Haley nodded and took some cheese and a thin slice of apple. “You, too?”
“Of course. My family has served the Renith dynasty into distant history. It has always been a joyful duty, watching generation after generation.” She sighed. “Modern times have caused his lordship into desperate measures. No time to have little nobles of his own.”
Haley suddenly got wary. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. It isn’t like that.”
“Isn’t it? You are wearing the Renith jewels, and I am guessing you can’t take them off.”
“No. that isn’t what this is about.”
“Oh, I know it all dear. The rift is about to open, and defenses are needed. That requires a lady of the house.”
Haley shook her head. “I am not. I would never dare to presume. I am a temp!”
Sarah laughed and patted her shoulder. “Have your snack, and enjoy being off your feet. Dinner will be ready in two hours with a cupcake. I will come to get you.”
“Oh. Okay.” She was dazed and looking for exits.
Sara looked at her with a calm but serious expression. “You won’t get out of this. If Renith’s ancestors have chosen you, you two are a good match. The military will shoot you if you try to run, and as you are wearing pieces of the family artifacts, that will not end well for you.”
With that last comment, Sarah left her with the snack and the sunset. A good match? I just wanted money for a sturdier cat tree. Shit.
Chapter Three
Haley heard the yowl in the distance. She had saved some of her cheese for her beasty. She said softly, “Who’s Mommy’s precious princess?”
The thunder of enormous feet got closer. Huge feet wrenched the door open, and her cat’s larger-than-average head pushed the wood panel aside. She let out a happy yowl and then bolted over to Haley. The thud onto her lap and heavy purring caused Haley’s stress levels to drop.
“Come here, baby. Am I late getting home? Did scary men come and get you from your house?”
The bone-rattling purr made her smile. “Aww. We are going to stay here in this big playhouse for a few days.”
Lord Renith came in. “What is she?”
Haley chuckled. “She was a foundling. I got her when she was small enough to fit in one hand. She grew.”
“How can you afford to feed her? She’s massive.”
Haley smiled. “I work and live in a worse area of town with a bigger apartment so that she has more room. She still gets out. But she comes back.”
“What’s her name?”
“Monster.” Haley smiled and dug her fingers into her cat’s ruff.
“You named a tiny kitten Monster?”
“She was trying to eat my hand at the time. It was all she would answer to.”
He crouched near her and looked at the enormous feline on her lap. She took a piece of cheese and held it up for him. “She makes friends with food. She can have two slices of cheese before her litter box gets appalling.”
He nodded and took the cheese, breaking it into smaller pieces. He held the pieces in his palm and lifted one piece to where Monster could see it.
When her face and neck leaned toward him, he held it between his fingertips, extended it, and locked his arm in place. Monster carefully extended her head, bit the cheese, and then reeled herself in, sitting up on her hind legs and nibbling like a giant squirrel.
“That is the most fascinating thing I have seen in a while.” Lord Renith smiled.
Monster’s tail was lazily moving as she licked the cheese into nothing. She reached out and flexed her claws toward the hand with the tiny pile of cheese.
