Heart Quest by Robin D. Owens Page B

D’Blackthorn!”
    Trif eyed the door. She’d been testing a lot of doors, lately. She wondered….
    The door opened and a man in his late twenties, clad in shirtsleeves and trous, stood before her. He was taller than she, had patrician features, dark chestnut hair, and bright blue eyes. He smiled down at her. “No, you don’t need to try your charmkey on this door. I am not your HeartMate.”
    A wash of heat warmed her face. This was a man great in matchmaking Flair. “Sorry.”
    â€œNo, I am the one who is sorry,” he said, smoothly bowing her into the sitting room.
    â€œSaille, look what T’Blackthorn and D’Blackthorn have given us! How kind of them.”
    T’Willow looked past Trif at the floating fountain and his expression lightened. “What an excellent gift. I’ll pen a note to them personally.” He nodded to Greyku. “Greetyou, Fam.”
    I am Greyku.
    â€œGreetyou, Greyku, may I place you on this pillow?” He indicated a twoseat stacked with boldly colored pillows.
    I would like the sapphire one, please.
    He arranged the pillow, carefully lifted the kitten from the fountain basin, and laid her on the pillow. She purred and rubbed her head against his hand. He looked at Trif. “You’re lucky to have a Fam. My name is on D’Ash’s list, but…”
    I have a brother. Zanth brought him to D’Ash this dawn, Greyku projected.
    T’Willow nodded.
    â€œZanth is T’Ash’s Fam,” Trif said.
    â€œEveryone knows Zanth.” T’Willow looked amused.
    Trif cleared her throat. “Neither Greyku nor her brother have known bloodlines.”
    Shrugging, T’Willow gestured for her to sit down on the twoseat, and took charge of the fountain. “I don’t care about bloodlines.”
    Trif didn’t believe that. Every member of a FirstFamily thought of nothing but bloodlines.
    He said a Word and the floatspell vanished. Setting the fountain on a pedestal that looked made for it, he glanced back at her. “I’m in the matchmaking business. I care more about the heart of a person than the blood . Wouldn’t you say that is true?”
    His careful expression alerted her. She caught her breath, her pulse skipped, then quickened. She wet her lips. “You know who he is.”
    T’Willow lifted a shoulder. “It only took one glance at you.”
    She narrowed her eyes. “How is that?”
    Laughing, he shook his head. “Ah, now that would mean a three-septhour lecture on my Flair.”
    â€œI suppose you won’t tell me.”
    He frowned and turned away, tapped the fountain, and water surged from the top of the ugly mound to roll a clear crystal ball at the top, then rush down a groove. The crystal glowed as it spun, shooting out iridescent sparks. “You must thank your cuz and T’Blackthorn for returning this T’Willow meditation tool.”
    Trif stared at him and the fountain. “It was yours? How did it come to be T’Blackthorn’s?”
    â€œLet’s walk and talk.”
    Glancing at the glass-paned door opening on the garden outside, Trif frowned. Clouds had rolled in and the wind had picked up.
    But T’Willow followed her gaze, then crossed to a door in the end of the room. “Come into my ResidenceDen.”
    She hesitated. Entering a GreatLord’s ResidenceDen was too much like a very, very expensive consultation.
    Putting his hands in his pockets, he tilted his head at Trif. She studied him, handsome and noble, and secretive. But she sensed he might not have refused to answer her questions, just wasn’t ready yet. She’d have to work on him. She smiled with all her charm.
    T’Willow laughed. “Ah, you canny young woman. The door to the conservatory is through the ResidenceDen.”
    Trif tickled Greyku’s belly. The little cat stretched but didn’t open her eyes. “I’m going to talk with