She Is Mine

Deanneth

In between dreamless sleep, I heard someone pound at my door. I had half a mind to tear them limb from limb. No one was allowed to disturb my sleep unless the Quarter was on fire.

“Lord Deanneth. Emperor Deanneth!”

It was Felix. I groaned and rubbed my eyes.

“Stop pounding the damn door and come in already,” I said.

He opened the door in a rush, and I watched him from my bed. “You seem to be missing someone,” I said coolly. “Surely you did not come back here without a certain lady that I expressly told you to protect?”

If his brown face could turn pale, it would do so right now. A sullen look was on his face, but it did him credit that he seemed remorseful for the time being. “Your half-brother shut me out of his rooms. I told Clara to come, but she refused.”

I sat up straight and interrogated Felix. “Let me get this straight. I told you in no uncertain terms to stick to Clara like her second shadow. I told you that you would end up in a soup if you didn’t do this for me. I a