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the vanilla fragrance. He found no new desserts that could be the cause. None of the empty platters was the source. He looked at the maiden who had flirted with him. She was nearing his seat again. Perhaps it was she who smelled so good, and the lilac scent was from the many flowers decorating the room. As for the heat, John hoped it lasted. He hated the cold. He was more of a summer-all-year-round person.
    He noticed King Yudit and Bogdan were speaking. At intervals, they paused to look at him intently. Were they talking about him?
    “Do you see that?” asked Bogdan.
    “Of course I do,” Yudit whispered.
    “It seems Jasira is the one.”
    Yudit nodded.
    “We must now give her time to win his heart and trust.” Bogdan looked at Yudit. “Any ideas? He is anxious to return to his empire, to war.”
    “You are a busy man,” suggested Yudit. “You have packages to deliver, a permanent mate to visit.” He turned to Bogdan. “Disappear.”
    “He will go to you then.”
    “Let him.” Yudit stared at John. “I am the king. What can he do if I have no ships to spare? He will remain on Surreal until we are sure about their future.”
    “He may get restless and use his wristguards.”
    “I doubt it. He strikes me as a man of honor. He would not condemn us to death.” He glanced at Bogdan. “I will instruct the guards to remind our citizens to remain silent. No one must speak a word about the peepuhl of the mist. If he learns the solution to our problem, it would sever the mists’ connection to the planet’s core. We could lose them all.” He returned to staring at John. “I will not allow that to happen.”
    Bogdan saw John staring back at them. “He is curious and observant. He will ask questions.”
    “Let him. Say nothing. I will deal with him. If I must, I will tell him what he needs to know.”
    After a while, their behavior made John feel so uncomfortable that he felt it was time to leave. He said goodnight to everyone at the table and thanked the king for an excellent feast. He tried not to rush as he headed to the door. Before exiting the large room, he glanced over his shoulder and spotted Yudit and Bogdan still watching him. What was going on? Did he do something that made them suspicious of his intent? Did he make a mistake coming here? He would have to tread carefully.
    John walked along corridors lit by oil lamps. His feline genetics allowed him to see well in the dark, but they did not help him locate his room. He growled. He looked at the time on his wristguard. He had been walking in circles for fifteen minutes. He felt foolish doing it, but he stopped to ask a maid for directions.
    He entered his room and found the maiden who had poured his tea at the celebration preparing a fire in the hearth at the foot of his bed. “Well, hello.” He felinely approached her.
    The maiden stood. “Hi.” She smiled and nervously wiped her hands on her apron.
    “What’s your name?”
    “Dena.”
    “Lovely name.” Her cheeks turned pink. “I’m John.” He reached for her hand and kissed it. “Nice to meet you.”
    Dena’s cheeks darkened. She quickly returned to her work.
    John sat on his bed. His gaze traveled over Dena’s curves repeatedly while she prepared the fire. “Do you live here in the castle?”
    “No. I live outside the kasuhl. My pairunts own the meat market in toun. I work here to earn extra money to help them and my siblings.”
    “How many siblings do you have?” He enjoyed listening to her sweet voice. It was a distraction from the cold. However, her strange words made it a little difficult to understand.
    “I’m the eldest of five. I have three bruhders and one sisder.” She finished her work and stood. Her eyes met his and stayed. “Where are you from?”
    John sniffed the air. She did not smell like vanilla. Her scent was that of lilac. “I’m a Seacat from the Sea-anan Empire.”
    “Where is that?”
    “Far from here.”
    There was a knock at the door. A dark-haired