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Zahn stepped over to a chair right across from hers and pulled it out from the table. “Sit, Kitty,” he said.

Kitty dutifully hopped up into the chair, and with two huge paws on the table began to sniff at Vivi’s breakfast.

“No, Kitty. That is for our Sirena!” Asl scolded.

Kitty hissed at Asl, but sat back in his chair.

“Here we are!” Jof Ta exclaimed, entering the dining room with a flourish, holding a huge silver serving platter with the largest meatiest bone Vivian had ever seen stretching from one end of the platter to the other.

Jof Ta placed it before Kitty on the table and stood back to watch.

Kitty immediately slapped both paws back on the table and began gnawing on the bone.

“And now he’s your friend, too,” Vivian said with a laugh.

“I think your Kitty would be a good friend to have,” Jof Ta said, laughing joyously as he returned to the kitchen.

Chapter 6

The rest of breakfast went as well as could be expected. Despite Kitty’s presence, those he’d disrupted when he arrived resumed their meals, and eventually made their way over to Vivian’s table to introduce themselves.

Vivian smiled warmly, politely placing her utensils on the side of her plate and dabbing at her fingers with her napkin before standing to receive each of them with a gentle grasp of their hands as though they were a guest in her home. After a bit of polite conversation, they’d take their leave, she’d rinse her fingertips in the small bowl of lavender laced water meant for just that purpose, then return to her meal, only to be interrupted a few minutes later by another person wanting to welcome her and introduce themselves. Each time Zahn assisted her in standing due to her lack of balance.

Kitty had long ago decided to take his bone off the table and was napping at her feet with his head on his bone. Vivian, had at least been able to taste a bit of everything and knew what she liked best, but because of all the interruptions had decided to take all the food back to her quarters.

“Can someone call Jof Ta?” she asked, doing her best to be kind, but unable to hide the fatigue that plagued her.

“Of course. What is it that you wish, Sirena?” Zahn asked.

“I want to package all this up and take it with me. I’ll eat some more a little later. I’m just tired of trying to eat through all the new people I’m meeting,” she finished on a whisper.

“I’ll tell him,” Kail said, bowing briefly to her, then walking toward the kitchen briskly in search of the chef.

Almost immediately Kail reappeared with Jof Ta right behind him.

“How can I be of assistance, Sirena?” Jof Ta asked.

“I’m very tired, Jof Ta. I find I tire so quickly,” she said, curving a hand over her huge belly. “But I adore your food, and I’d like to take it back with me to my quarters. Do you have something we can package the food in to take it with me so that I can finish it a little at a time?”

“Absolutely, Sirena. In fact, I will have it delivered to your quarters momentarily,” Jof Ta replied. “I will include some sweets as well.”

Vivian grinned at him. “You know me already. I appreciate you, Jof Ta. Thank you so very much for all the delicious food and for being so gracious to myself and Kitty and my guards.”

“It is no hardship, Sirena. I am proud to be of service.”

Jof Ta bowed as she got to her feet again with the help of Zahn and started toward the door with her guard — Asl carrying Kitty’s bone — and Kitty at her side. True to his word, he wasted no time calling for his employees and giving them instructions on packaging fresh versions of each food on her table to be delivered to her quarters.

Vivian glanced over her shoulder to smile at the sound of the male telling them that only the freshest versions of the meal were acceptable for his Sirena and to get to it at once. But she didn’t stop walking, she just looked back as she continued moving toward the door. Which meant she didn’t see the large, red wall of male that had moved into the room and was standing right in front of her. Instead, she bounced off of him.

Kitty hissed.

Vivian gasped, and gave a little shriek as her arms flailed to try to maintain her balance.

Strong hands settled on her waist, steadying her at almost the exact moment she bounced off a definitely male chest.

She gripped his forearms as she looked up to see who held her steady.

“I have you, Ehlealah. I have you,” Quin said. He could hear the beat of her heart and feel it vibrate through her body as the rush of adrenalin sent it into a rapid rhythm.

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