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I would have preferred to go barefoot, but I pressed my feet into a pair of slightly worn black boots.
I glanced at my reflection. "I would fuck me if I wasn't me," I told myself.
"That's good to know," Kerina said from the doorway.
I hid my startle as best I could. I should have known she'd be nearby. It was her job to guard me.
Dumbass, I told myself.
I covered my embarrassment with a grin. "Isn't it? I'm pretty fuckable."
She looked me up and down, one eyebrow up at her hairline. "If you say so. I just see my boss."
"That's a shame," I said jokingly.
I tried my charms on her when she first came to the Residence for training, but she hadn't shown even a hint of interest. My healthy ego was dented for a few hours, but I had no shortage of willing partners, so I moved on.
Now those willing partners were all but forgotten, replaced in my mind and heart by Viva. For the first time in a long time, I had no interest in any of them.
"I presume there were no more attacks last night," I stated. I would have heard if there were.
"It was quiet," Kerina said. "Almost too quiet."
"There's no such thing as too quiet," I said firmly. "I'll take all the quiet I can get." I gestured for her to precede me away from the bathroom. "Any word from Bain or Knox?"
"Not yet," she replied. "Nothing from Viva either." She seemed to be teasing my back, but her expression was all innocence. "Nothing beyond the message about the dead riders. They've been cleaned up."
I nodded. "Bear shifters. I hope to Hades they haven't dragged the dragon shifters down from the mountains." Whoever 'they' were.
"That would suck," Kerina agreed. "Maybe you should send a delegation to meet with them. Or the wolves in the outside world, come to think of it."
I nodded thoughtfully. "Both good ideas." I rubbed my hand over my chin. "I'll think about who to send." The outside wolves might have to wait for Bain's return. I couldn't trust anyone else with that charge. I would send Kerina to the dragons, but I needed her here for now.
"I have plenty more where they came from." She smiled.
"You're as respectful as Bain," I said dryly. "I wonder where you learnt that from."
"Bain is a bad influence," she agreed. "But if I may, you could send Latika to the dragons. Bain trusts her, and so do I."
"Trusting assassins," I said slowly. "All right. Send word. I want to meet with her."
From what I knew of assassins, they all trained in the same place. Where that was, I had no idea. According to Bain, it was a secret all assassins took to their funeral fire. I considered forcing her to tell me, but she was one of the best guards we had. I trusted her almost as much as I trusted Bain. I wouldn't throw that away for information I was sure I would find out at some point. Things like that had a way of coming out eventually.
Kerina nodded. "Consider it done. I'll escort you to the Alpha."
I nodded and gestured for her to walk ahead of me. I could take care of myself; I had the same training as Bain, but another set of eyes, hands and feet would help if I came under attack.
"If you had to theorise what's going on," I asked, "what assumptions would you make?"
"I try not to make assumptions," Kerina replied.
"You sound like Bain." I kept my tone light as we passed two servants in yellow shirts, each carrying a box. They offered me a respectful nod and hurried on.
I wanted to kick myself for looking at them sideways. Both had worked here since my aunt was young. If they were going to turn on me, they would have struck long ago.
"Once in a while, Bain is wise," Kerina said. "Since I know you're going to want a real answer, I don't know. We have rumblings of trouble from the north and south. I know one thing for certain."
"What's that?" I asked.
