James watched his father put on his butler jacket.

Smooth.

Sleek.

No creases.

No wrinkles.

It will be an honor to wear that jacket myself. It would be similar to being crowned.

Aloysius double-checked the buttons on his gloves.

“Sir? May I watch you work again?”

Aloysius smiled at him. “Certainly. Get dressed and head downstairs. I must check on Lord Farlington to see if he has need of my assistance.”

“Does he always need assistance?”

“Most of the time, if only to make sure that he is fully presentable with every button buttoned and everything just so in its place. Of course, you will find that there are some days where he will brush you off and insist that he can do it himself.”

James frowned. “What do you do then?”

“Humor him. Take a step back and just be. If he requires your assistance, he will let you know.” He smoothed his hands down his shirt front. “Once you are dressed, go down to the kitchen and observe. Observe the rank of command. If you have any questions, you may ask. Yet, be forewarned: Not all of the kitchen staff takes kindly to being questioned while they work. Do not take offense if they tell you in no uncertain terms to cease bothering them.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I will meet you down there.”

“Sir? What if they put me to work?”

“Work. And do the best job of it.”

“Yes, sir!”

Aloysius gave his son a loving look before leaving the room.

*****

May Rose woke with almost all of her hair in her face. Some truly wayward strands had found a way into her mouth. “Pleah!” She sat up and pulled her hair back.

The bedroom door opened and one of the servants, a petite thing named Maud, bustled into the room. “Good morning, Miss Farlington!” She breezed on over to the windows and opened the curtains. “Ah! And what a fine, good morning it is.”

May Rose was inclined to disagree, but then a thought occurred to her. “Maud?”

The servant came to the bed. “Yes, miss?”

“What do you know of drayfaers?”

Maud uncovered May Rose and helped her out of bed. “Oh, I dare say I know just as much as anyone else does, miss.”

“Do you think they can tell the future? Or do you think they just say whatever sounds good?”

“Well, miss. Drayfaer are fey-kin. They are wayward-speakers. Hardly ever honest or straight-forward. Why do you ask?”

“I saw one the other day. He told me to give James a warning.”

“James? Do you mean James Arden?”

“Exactly him.”

“Oo. What was the warning?”

May Rose’s heart nearly leapt out of her chest. She’s listening to me. She isn’t just shoving it off as a bundle of daft nothing. “He said that the future is not always happy or easy. James will find that out the hard way. What do you suppose he meant?”

“Oh, that’s terrible vague. It could hold true to any person who lives. Have you tried contacting him again?”

“What? Who? James? Oh, you mean the drayfaer.” May Rose thought it over as Maud went to fetch her clothes. “No. But how could I do that? I’m not allowed in the forest.” She sighed heavily. “And rightly so, I guess. If that creature had tried to attack me…” She mentally shoved that thought away. “How could I contact him?”

Maud returned with May Rose’s clothes carefully draped over her arm. “Well, magic, of course.”

“Daft! I am not an extraordinary like him. I’m strictly human.”

“Oh, that’s true enough and for sure.” Maud set the clothes on the bed. “But Farlington blood is a special magic all on its own.” She removed May Rose’s nightgown.

“Our blood is magic?”

“Oh, for sure it is. It is common knowledge.”

May Rose frowned as Maud dressed her. “How can it be common knowledge if I don’t know it?”

“Oh, I simply meant it is common knowledge in certain circles, miss. Circles that you as a young lady of quality wouldn’t be exposed to.”

“Do you mean vampires?”

“Vampires, kraekin folk…” She pulled the drawstrings of May Rose’s drawers tight and tied them into a bow. “And such and such and so on. And, of course, drayfaers. Have a seat, miss.”

May Rose sat on the bed.

Maud put socks on May Rose’s feet. “They say that one drop of Farlington blood can revive an ailing vampire and two drops of blood can make a kraekin folk immortal.”

May Rose held up her hands and examined them as if she expected them to sparkle or glow. “Is it true?”

“For sure it is common knowledge, miss.”