Nightmaster. Susan Krinard

I take you down to the serf’s dining area.”

      For a moment Trinity was completely startled. Was it really going to be that easy for her to make contact with the other serfs and scope out the Household?

      “Is he dismissing me?” she asked as she joined Daniel at the door.

      “I told you I don’t know his mind,” Daniel said stiffly, leading her toward a side entrance within the empty harem quarters. “He didn’t take your blood, did he?”

      “No, but—”

      “Did you refuse?”

      “No. I offered. He still wouldn’t take it.”

      Daniel snorted. She stopped him with a touch on his shoulder.

      “You don’t want me here, do you?” she asked.

      “Not if you disturb his peace and give him nothing in return. He’s been happy as he is.”

      “Are Opiri ever happy?” she asked.

      He began to walk again. “Until you know him,” he said, “you can’t understand him.”

      “Then help me know him,” she said, catching up. “I have to live here, and I don’t know what I—”

      “I’ll help you enough so that you don’t make too many stupid mistakes,” he said, “like interfering in a Challenge.”

      “Ares already warned me about that,” she said. “You care about him, don’t you?”

      “We’d all be much worse off in any other Household.”

      Which wasn’t much of an answer, Trinity thought, but she’d begun to realize that she might learn a great deal about Ares from Daniel. If he was willing to tell her.

      Still, she remained silent until they entered one of the narrow side corridors reserved for servants. Soon they reached a back staircase that descended to the floor below. Trinity memorized their path.

      Instinctively she turned toward the delicious scents she knew must lead to the kitchen, but Daniel hung back.

      “I have other duties,” he said. “The mess is through that door. Try not to make any trouble.”

      Then he was gone, and she was left angry and frustrated by his unwarranted hostility. He was clearly very protective of Ares, and for some reason he thought she would be a detriment to the master’s life. The question was...why would he jump to such a conclusion?