15On the other side of the forest grove rested a village, but by the time they arrived the suns had already begun their descent over the horizon. Treyan informed Alex this was the closest village to the palace, for no homestead wanted to rebuild near the desolate battlefield from centuries ago, and for security reasons, it was also where his guards and rangers lived with their families.
“It would be rude to travel this close and not proceed without the proper introductions.” He smiled as he opened the door to a small cottage at the center of the village.
He introduced her to Jamison, the Captain of his guard and his right hand on all other matters, and to his wife, Mallia, who, Alex discovered, would be her Mistress, one of the personal handmaidens assigned to the Queen Empress once the
