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“My condolences, Your Majesty.” The emissary contorted in stifled revulsion. “Surely only a human union was required.”
Fighting the impulse to tell the elf that it was none of his business whom I married and how, I chose a different tactic. “We married in a full elven union.”
“Oh dear, but she is dying. Surely it won’t last then, and you will be free.”
My anger flared. The room darkened, and the pup curled against my side whimpered. I laid a soothing hand on her through my tunic as I glared at the emissary.
“My wife is not dying.” My annoyance got the better of me. “Please thank your queen profusely for her generous gift.” I motioned to the wriggling pup. “If she wishes to establish diplomatic relations between our nations, I would be willing to entertain a proposal. I have pressing matters to attend to. This audience is at an end.” I nodded to the dryads and the halfling before turning my back on the emissary and striding from the room. The moment the door closed behind me, I stepped through the shadows into my study, startling Durvin.
“Sire?”
“I need you to compose a message to the queen of Solhelm thanking her profusely for her gift, expressing our interest in opening diplomatic relations between our peoples, and making it clear I don’t want that swine of an elf she sent to deliver the gift within my borders again. Can you do that without causing an international incident?”
“I can attempt it.” He spotted the wriggling lump in my shirt. “What is that?”
“The queen of Solhelm sent me a Grimm pup, a female.” I reached into my tunic to fetch the creature out, but she resisted. With a scramble of paws and the interference of her tails, I struggled to get a grip on her. “I am not sure what supplies we need for a just-weaned pup, but see we acquire them.”
“Grimms require special care. I will send for Kori in the stables. He will know what to do. Has she bonded with you?”
“No.” I pulled the squirming bundle from my shirt hind end first. Her three tails whipped furiously around as the pup paddled the air and mewled her protests at being pulled from my shirt. “She likes me well enough, but I suspect I am not her match.”
Durvin watched my efforts to turn the writhing creature right side up and adjust my grip so I wouldn’t drop her. “Perhaps you should see if she is a match for the queen. A Grimm would be an efficient guard dog.”
“There is no harm in trying.” Finally, the dog settled in the crook of my arm again, this time outside my tunic. She settled her head in the palm of my hand with a sigh and stilled—well, all of her except her tails, which thumped an alternating rhythm against my side. “If she isn’t, we will have to figure out who is or how to care for her if she never bonds. Do their eyes never open if they haven’t bonded?”
Durvin shrugged. “I don’t know. I will ask Kori. Where would you like us to meet you?”
“Come find me. I will introduce her to Kate.” I scratched the sleek head between the ears. Her tails thumped a happy staccato beat on my ribs. “Perhaps she will have some ideas for a name.”
“Indeed.” Then Durvin disappeared into a shadow.
I chose a different shadow, intent on a specific destination.
Chapter Twelve
Kate
I woke, acutely conscious that Emrys was nearby. Both strange and comforting, this new sensitivity came with an additional awareness of another presence.
“You awake?” The bed dipped as Emrys sat on the edge.
I blinked away the blurriness as I rolled toward him. “How long did I sleep?”
“Not long.” He shifted and set something down on the bed next to me. “I need your help naming my new present.”
Shoving myself up into a sitting position, I found an adorable black puppy sniffing around the blankets as it tried to stand on wobbly little legs. “A puppy!” I offered my hand to the creature’s questing nose.
“A Grimm puppy.” He reached over and stroked the puppy’s back as its three tails whipped about.
Just then, the pup squeaked, drawing our attention down to it. The dog licked my fingers and gave a happy yip before lifting her head and looking straight at me with the most beautiful big brown eyes. A warm rush of connection filled me. Suddenly, I knew it was a girl pup, and she was delighted to see me.
“Perfect!”
Distracted by the delight in Emrys’ voice, I looked up at him as the puppy’s head butted my hand, only to stare in surprise. His normally reserved expression had disappeared into a wide grin as his blue eyes turned silvery with laughter. “Just wait until the emissary hears the pup bonded with you.” He chuckled.
“Why? Who is the emissary?”
“The twilight queen gifted this pup to me in a goodwill gesture to pave the way toward diplomatic relations between us and Solhelm, but her choice of emissary was tactless.” He reached over to help the puppy scramble into my lap.
