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it going. I had a furnace, of course, but the natural
     heat always seemed to feel better.
    I could hear the Tralla horses downstairs, their large hooves stomping on the concrete
     of the barn, and their neighing and rustling as they settled in for the night. The
     Tralla horses were huge workhorses the Kanin had brought over from Scandinavia centuries
     ago, and they stood even larger than Clydesdales, with broad shoulders, long manes,
     and thick tufts of fur around their hooves.
    The horses in the stable all belonged to the King and Queen, and, like most Tralla
     horses, they were only used for show, pulling a carriage through town if the Queen
     was making a visit or marching in a parade.
    They could be ridden, and I did ride one horse—Bloom—as often as I had the chance.
     Bloom was a younger steed with silvery gray fur. Even as tired as I was, I wanted
     to go down to say hello to him, maybe brush his fur while he nuzzled against me, searching
     my pockets for hidden carrots or apples.
    But I knew I had to be up for the meeting, so I figured I’d better postpone my reunion
     with Bloom until the next day.
    Instead, I settled in and put the rest of my things away. My apartment was small,
     taking up only a quarter of the loft space. A wall separated my place from the room
     where the hay bales and some horse equipment were stored.
    But I didn’t need that much space. I had my bed, a worn couch, a wardrobe, a couple
     shelves overflowing with books, and a chair and a desk where I put my laptop. Those
     were the only things I really needed.
    While I waited for the loft to warm up, I changed into my pajamas. I’d decided that
     it was about as warm as it would get when I heard footsteps thudding up the steps.
     Based on the speed and intensity—like a herd of small but anxious elephants—I guessed
     that it either had to be a major emergency or it was Ember Holmes.
    “Bryn!” Ember exclaimed as she threw the door open, and then she ran over and threw
     her arms around me, squeezing me painfully tight. “I’m so glad you’re okay!”
    “Thanks,” I managed to squeak out as she hugged me.
    Then as abruptly as she’d grabbed me, she let go. She’d barely even stepped back when
     she swatted me hard on the arm.
    “Ow.” I rubbed my arm and scowled at her. “What the hell?”
    “Why didn’t you call and tell me you were coming home?” Ember demanded, staring up
     at me with piercing dark eyes and her hands on her hips. “I had to hear about it from
     Ridley that you’d been attacked and were leaving early.”
    “Thanks, Ridley,” I muttered.
    “Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?” Ember asked.
    “I didn’t want word getting out.” I sat back on my bed. “I thought it’d be best to
     keep mum until we figured out what’s going on.”
    “Well…” She didn’t know how to argue with that, so she brushed her bangs out from
     her eyes. “You can still tell me. I’m your best friend.”
    Ember was lithe and petite, standing at least four inches shorter than me, and I wasn’t
     that tall to begin with. But she was a good fighter, quick on her feet and determined.
     I respected that about her, but that wasn’t what bonded us together.
    Like me, she didn’t quite fit into Kanin society. In her case, it was because she
     was actually Trylle. Her father had worked for the Trylle Queen before they’d moved
     here to Doldastam four years ago. They hadn’t exactly been welcomed with open arms.
     Outsiders never were, but Ember and her parents had made their place here.
    She did have the added struggle of being a lesbian in a society that wasn’t exactly
     thrilled about that kind of thing. But since she was a tracker, and not a royal with
     an important bloodline—or even Kanin—she’d gotten a bit of a break and tended to slip
     under people’s radar. Not that Ember would ever let anybody keep her down anyway.
    “I know. I’m sorry,” I said. “Next time I’ll be sure to tell