When he was certain she was out of earshot, the Battle Lord turned back to his Second. Doing his best to sound stern, yet still manage to hide his amusement, he told the young man, “Cole, at some point this evening Atty and I might wander off for some time alone. When we do, unless there’s a major or cataclysmic event occurring, I had better not see you, or hear you within a hundred yards of us. Because if I do, and your excuse doesn’t fit my criteria, I will personally bust you down to kitchen help the moment we arrive back at Alta Novis. Am I clear?”
“Perfectly, sir,” the paled young man responded.
“Good. Now, you’re officially dismissed from duty for the rest of the evening. Enjoy yourself, Cole. That’s an order.”
“Thank you, sir,” the Second replied rather stiffly, leaving Yu
