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“Kate!” Darlryan had teleported into Kate’s room as soon as he sensed that her father and step-mother were asleep. He smiled as he realised that the only bit of her which was visible above the covers was the top of head. She was surprisingly cute when she slept. She hadn’t stirred so he said her name a little louder and reinforced it mentally.

Part of her face appeared above the covers as she mumbled something about it not being time to get up yet. Better, but she was still sleeping. He waited, but she started to slip back down into a deeper sleep.

He sighed and shook her gently. “I know you’re tired, Kate, but I need to talk to you.”

Her eyes opened and this time she was awake enough to notice him. “Wha!” She sat bolt upright in bed, eyes wide with terror. He had the impression it was just because he was in her room. She certainly hasn’t recognised him yet, which was something of a relief. The sort of fear she was giving off was not conducive to a good working relationship. Of course it didn’t matter why she was scared the result was the same. Only his reflexes got him out of the way of the pillow she flung at him.

“Get out of my room!”

Darlryan cringed at her loudness and quickly reached for her parents’ minds. They were showing signs of alertness so he nudged them down into deeper sleep.

“Please be quiet,” he said. “I can only keep your parents asleep through so much.”

“Huh?” She shook her head and rubbed at her eyes before blinking at him. Recognition crept across her face before being replaced by utter mortification. “Oh crap!” She slipped out of bed and sank to her knees at his feet. He stared at her. Kate tended to suck up to authority figures and then do what she wanted when they weren’t looking so he hadn’t expected genuine respect from her but her emotions conveyed just that. “Forgive me, master,” she said. “I thought you were someone else.” She shuddered convulsively at that and he wondered who scared her so. He didn’t like it and would have to look into it.

“Who did you think I was?” he asked gently.

“I-” Kate frowned and confusion coloured her aura. “I don’t know?” Her scowl deepened and she shook her head. “That’s stupid. Who else would be in my room?”

Darlryan observed her thoughtfully. She was being truthful but that just made this more worrying. He resolved to keep an eye on her until he figured out who was so frightening she blocked them out. She was his servant so it was his job to protect her. For now though he needed to deal with the reason he’d come here.

“Get up please,” he said. “You don’t need to grovel and please don’t call me master. You are not a slave.”

Kate raised an eyebrow as she rose and sat on the edge of her bed. “What would you like me to call you, then?”

“Technically you should call me Darlryan-mirian but don’t think we need to be so formal. Darlryan will do.”

“Mirian is a title I take it?”

“Yes,” he said. “I’ll explain draconic ranks when we have more time. For now, I want you tell me what the hell you thought you were doing this morning?”

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