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“What was I saying?” she asked, returning her attention to Quin.

“You weren’t, Ehlealah. I was. I was speaking to Bart and Samuel about sharing our quarters while they’re here.”

“Oh, yes! We have plenty of room.”

“But if you prefer we certainly can provide private quarters for you. It would be no imposition for us either way,” Quin explained.

“We’ll figure out all the details later,” Bart said, walking with Samuel as they followed Quin and Vivian’s guard back to their quarters in the East wing.

Vivian looked up at Quin’s face as he carried her, until he felt her looking at him and glanced down at her. “This is why you weren’t here when I woke up this morning.”

Quin winked at her.

“I thought you ran off and left me, already getting into the habit of meetings and matters of state and leaving me alone.”

“No matter what is happening that demands my attention, you will always come first. If you need me, call me. I will stop what I’m doing and come at once. But today, I had a special errand. I had to bring your people to you.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too. When we get to our quarters, you sit with your feet up. Stop walking so much.”

“It’s a big place. How I am supposed to not walk?”

“Call for what you need.”

“I can’t. Missy isn’t here.”

“There are other ways. Send for a servant. Use the call system.”

“What call system?”

Quin looked down at her surprised. “Did I not show you the call system?”

“No, you didn’t.”

“I am sorry, my Vivi. I forget that you do not know of all the inner workings of the palace that I’ve taken for granted. There is a system installed within the palace that allows you to place calls to and speak to those in other places in the palace.”

“Is it a vidcall kind of thing?”

“It is.”

Vivian grumbled.

“You wish to remain unseen?”

“If I’m lying around and I haven’t had a shower or I’m lying on my back eating as much food as I can stuff into my mouth at once, I do not want to be seen.”

“I will speak to the communications officers to find the best method of communications. I am aware that things are different without Missy, but we will see what can be done.”

“Get me a cell phone.”

“They are not cell phones, Vivi. They are communicators.”

“They’re easy to use. It’s a fancy cell phone. I could call anybody I needed,” Vivian said.

“If they have the same type of communicator.”

“Sire, if I may request one of the communicators as well, so that our Sirena can contact me at anytime for any food she may be in need of. I will see to her requests personally,” Jof Ta said, somehow bowing around the platters he carried while bringing up the rear.

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