“Venna has arrived with a contingent of guards.”
“Tell her I’m not receiving visitors,” I said, preparing to shut the door and go back to Leda.
“She heard about your guest.”
My skin grew hot. “What?”
“She’s insisting that she see you.”
Shit. I couldn’t afford to alienate her. Her estate bordered mine. She could make my life extremely difficult if I pissed her off.
“Damn,” I grumbled to myself.
“Is everything okay?” Leda asked.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw that she was now standing behind me. Her eyes were still swollen and pinkish around the edges. The tip of her nose was red. She looked small and lost. My protective instincts surged, even as I hated the sight of her defeat.
“Yes,” I answered. “All is well. It seems my neighbor has come visiting unexpectedly. You should remain here and relax while I speak with her.”
“Her?” Leda asked.
There was a strange tone in her voice. I didn’t know what it was, but it sent a prickle down the back of my neck. I recognized that feeling. It was a warning. I needed to be very,verycareful.
The voices outside were getting closer. When I moved to step into the hall, Leda stayed right behind me. I didn’t bother to try to convince her to remain in the sanctum. I was beginning to understand her. She was stubborn and rarely backed down. The storm she’d just weathered would likely be the only time she let herself lose control of her emotions.
Asking her to wait would only make her dig in her heels, so I didn’t bother. Instead, I walked to the front door of the manor with Guldan and threw it open. The sun was bright as we stepped outside.
The wide path leading up to the front of the manor was full of mounted riders, with Venna front and center. I wanted to scoff because she always did love to make an entrance, but I saw her eyes shift to Leda behind me and harden.
As I made my way down the pair of steps, she slipped from her saddle, landing lightly on the ground.
“Lady Venna,” I greeted. “What a pleasant surprise. How are you this fine morning?”
“I am well, General Bokkan. I heard you had a special guest. I can see that the rumors were true.”
Damnation. Because Venna addressed Leda’s status, I was now beholden by manners to present my human to the daemoness.
Grinding my teeth, I stepped to the side and gestured to Leda to step forward. She didn’t argue or resist, just came to a halt beside me. Her head barely reached the center of my chest, but she stood tall and proud. The sun gleamed in her hair, bringing out the red lights in the dark brown strands. The remnants of her crying jag were still visible, but her features were composed, as though she wasn’t surrounded by creatures that were two or three times her size.
Venna’s eyes started at Leda’s face, moving down her body before returning to her eyes. Her jaw flexed when their gazes met, a flare of red filling her eyes before it vanished just as quickly.
Sensing her anger, I braced myself for what she might do next.
To my shock, Venna smiled. It wasn’t a kind expression, more like that of a snarl than anything else.
“So, you’re Bokkan’s guest,” she drawled. “You’re not what I expected.”
“I don’t suppose I am,” Leda replied. “Lovely to meet you, Lady Venna.”
“What was your name again?” Venna asked.
Before I could try to intervene, my human answered, “Leda.”
“What sort of name is Leda?” The disdain in Venna’s voice was clear.
“A human one. What sort of name is Venna?”
I bit back a smile at Leda’s carefully measured words. Only because I was in tune with her every move could I see the irritation in the line of her shoulders, but her response sounded nonchalant, as if she didn’t give a single damn about Venna’s disdain.
