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he
couldn't make sense of what they were saying--Damien's gift was
alive?
    "Someone what to tell me what's going on?" he
rumbled.
    Harrison sighed, beginning to wonder if his
impetuous decision to purchase the neko for his brother was worth
all the trouble. Instead of trying to explain it, he waved the
guard down the hallway to the storeroom.
    When he threw the latch and shoved open the
door, the guard took a moment to register what he was seeing--a
tiny, pale little neko was cowering in the corner.
    "I bought a companion slave for Damien for
his birthday," the blond count breathed exasperatedly.
    The guard's eyes shot wide in shock. "Are you
kidding me? Have you lost your mind?"
    Harrison sighed. "Yeah, I'm beginning to
think so."
    "That thing is nothing but skin and bones,"
Geoff scoffed. "What happens to him when Damien refuses to keep
him?"
    Harrison shrugged. "I don't know. I was
hoping maybe Damien would at least get a laugh out of it for his
birthday. He's been so..."
    Geoff's eyes softened in understanding,
knowing exactly what Harrison was thinking. "Yeah, I know. But you
know how Damien is. He doesn't like anybody around."
    "True," Harrison admitted. Harrison sighed as
he turned to Ysmenia who was hovering at the end of the hallway.
"Can you make sure Kayden is fed and bathed, and something suitable
is found for him to be presented to my brother in?"
    She nodded quickly. "Yes, sir."
    Harrison was making his way back through the
kitchen as the captain rummaged in the cold storage locker for some
cheese, then sat down at the kitchen table, grabbing some bread and
pour water from the pitcher resting there.
    "My lord," Garin started again. "You can't
expect me to allow him to stay in my kitchens. Nekos aren't allowed
to work in the kitchens for a reason. It's unsanitary, with the
tail and fur and all."
    "Master Garin," Harrison began patiently, "I
understand your concern, but he's not actually in the
kitchen, is he? He's in a storeroom, and just for a couple
days."
    "Yes, my lord," Garin grumbled, obviously
unhappy about it, and Harrison heard the captain chuckle behind
him.
    "Drystan," the noble called another servant
over. The young man immediately bowed to his master. "You know the
small study that connects to the Duke's bedroom?"
    "Yes, sir."
    "Damien doesn't use it, correct?"
    "No, sir. He uses the office next to the
parlor."
    "Good," Harrison grinned. "I want you to
prepare that room without Damien knowing. Get it cleaned, set up a
bed if you can. It doesn't have to be very large, as you could
see." He waved his hand in the general direction of the storeroom
where Kayden was.
    John Drystan nodded with a smile.
    "Oh, and get a few clothes gathered in there
for him. Arnett can probably help you. He'll need something more
than that slip of fabric he's wrapped in right now."
    "Yes, sir," the young man bowed and turned to
hurry off to begin his task.
    Harrison took a deep breath now that the
excitement was over. "So, Garin, how goes the birthday
preparations?"
     
    ****@
     
    Kayden startled when the door creaked open,
spilling light into the small room. The older woman with the long
brown braid stepped in, peering into the darkness looking for
him.
    "Little one, where are you?" she called.
    He uncurled himself and moved toward her, so
silently that he startled her when he was almost at her feet before
she noticed him.
    "Oh, my, you are a quiet little thing, aren't
you?" She sighed as she met his liquid green eyes. "Okay, well,
stand up. Let's get you fed and cleaned. We'll go to the bath in
the servant quarters, and I'll feed you over there. Don't think
Garin would like it too much if you were in his kitchen long."
    She took his leash and led him through the
kitchen. He kept his head down and ignored the eyes of the other
servants on him as he carefully kept his tail tucked down, and his
ears tucked back fearfully.
    "Here," he heard a man's voice stop the woman
near the exit to the kitchen. It was the chef, Garin. He