Page 14 of Hallow Hill at Halloween: Part One

“Hmm. Guess I need to put an internal monitor on that and confine big britches to palace grounds.”

I grinned. “So glad to see that you’re still my level-headed girl.

“That’s me.”

Her smile, responding to my praise, was cut short by the sounds of the front door opening/closing and the rustling of Liv’s skirts and apron.

Olivia excused herself to duties elsewhere in the house.

Lochlan, looking slightly more pink than usual, acknowledged me first by simply saying, “Magistrate.” He then looked at Evie and dipped his head. “Your Majesty.”

“Lochlan,” she began, “I threw that person out of the house. Please tell this ‘organization’”, she put ‘organization’ in air quotes, “to either send someone who can be professional and polite to interview the magistrate or drop the whole thing and don’t send anyone at all.”

I gave Evie a warning look.Didn’t we just have the talk?!?

I turned to Lochlan. “Of course, Evie doesn’t speak for me, but she’s not entirely wrong in principle. Please tell them they have another chance to be represented by someone serious.”

Still standing and looking between the two of us, Lochlan said, “Should I ask?”

“No,” we said in unison.

Lochlan coughed slightly. “Very well. I shall attend to the matter.”

“Good. Thank you.” I tried to restore a normal tone.

“When would you like to receive an alternate?”

That was a good question. “Day after tomorrow. Tomorrow is Legendary Lunch.” I looked at him pointedly. “As you know, we’re expecting you this time.”

“And I shall be delighted to attend. As always.”

“Same time. Ten.”

“Very well. Good day, Your Majesty. Magistrate.”

When he’d left, I said, “I hate to see Lochlan put under a strain, even a slight one, over something so silly.”

“I agree,” Evie said, then made a face. “Rita Rules.” I ducked my head and smiled. Itwasridiculous to the max. “Really!”

I woke with my head on my desk when Keir arrived home. Not because he was loud or imposing, but because there was an unsubtle change in the atmosphere when the sephalion was in residence.

As he passed through the threshold to my study, he was saying, “Sleeping over the files again, I see.”

He pulled me up into a warm embrace and a kiss that got the attention of my entire body. I relaxed against him like a bag of oats. “You must’ve had a good morning.”

His smile was catlike. “Yes, but I could use a rest. How about moving the nap to our room?”

Almost every word in that question meant something else, but I’d become an expert at reading Keir’s body and innuendo. The question was, what’s better than afternoon delight? The answer was nothing I could think of.

“Let me send Olivia home for the day.”

After a thorough reminder that Keir was a master at leisurely lovemaking, I catnapped. When I woke, he was gone. The way the dogs danced and turned in circles when I got out of bed, one would’ve thought it was a special occasion.

“What?” I asked them out loud. “Are you thinking you should have a treat simply because I slept and then woke?” They stood side by side, wagging tails, looking at me as earnestly as if their existence depended on treat telepathy. “I’m spoiling you rotten. Come on.”

I padded to the kitchen, gave each a little chicken stick, then went straight to the lion’s den.

He looked up and smiled when I entered. “Hello.”

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