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“I’m sorry,”I said. I didn’t know what else tosay.

“We’ve been goingup to that damn resort almost every damn week. All thegifts!And why mustIbethere?”

Imadea noncommittal noise and gave him my most reassuring smile. His eyes were glassy and seemed to look through me. Finally, the door opened and the attendant came in with a bottle of water on a trayand…

Oh,dammit.

With Perennia Whitefang in tow.

“Water, sir,”the attendant said, handing the bottle to Polton. “If you’d come with me, we’ve arranged a quiet room foryou.”

“I’d prefernot!”Polton cried, throwing his finger into the air. “I’m finerighhere!”

“Polton, you’re drunk!”Perennia hissed, grabbing his arm. “You’re making a fool of yourself. Go with this man!Go!”

She yankedhim to his feet. I was expecting him to put up some kind of fight and throw a drunken scene, but to my surprise he was immediately silenced, like a shamed puppy. The attendant took him by the arm and helped him out the room, not without a fewstumbles.

“My apologies for my husband,”Perenniasaid.

“Not a problem at all.If you’d excuse me, I needto—”

“Ah,I’d like it if you’d take me to the secure room to check on my belongings. Just to make sure everything’s inorder.”

“Iassure you,Mrs. Whitefang, everything is secure. The room is locked and being watched as wespeak.”

“Locked and watched by whom,Christophe? By whom? I don’t know these men. They could be anyone, they could bethieves.”

“Most of thehouse staff have been with my family since before I was born, madam,” I said. “And an insult to my family is an insult to the Crescent MoonClan.”

Perennia’s mouthopened and closed like a fish gulping for air, and in the end, she crossed her huge arms over her chest and huffed a barely-thereapology.

“We’ll godown to the room and check on your things, and once you see that everything is fine I ask that you please trust the security and enjoy the rest of the party.Agreed?”

She huffed again and nodded.Ismiled.

“Please, follow me.”