By the middle of the second week she had made good progress but she was going out of her mind, despite her natural interest in the material. There were only so many hours a day a person could read and study before their brain went numb, and she had more than hit that number every day, over and over again.

Sitting by the window, tapping the text in front of her with her fingers but staring out at the inner courtyard below where young soldiers were training in hand-to-hand combat, she was unprepared for the admiral’s guardian to walk in, stately and quiet and without even knocking.

“Is the doctor keeping you busy?”

Agadart stared as Guardian Roki folded himself into one of the upholstered chairs near her small reading desk.

“Very much so, sir.” She purposefully did not rise and bow to him. If he was going to be a mannerless heathen, then she was not going to lower herself to pretend otherwise.

“Please call me Mani. I’m just the guardian, no one stands on ceremony.” He studied his fingernails as he lied to her. Everyone, including his own mate, referred to him as Guardian Roki. Agadart refrained from rolling her eyes at him.

He was, as usual, immaculately put together. His somber gray suit was set off by a dark maroon vest and neck cravat set against a pale yellow silk shirt, his wavy locks of hair loose but shiny and smooth, his boots spotless. Agadart took no shame in appreciating what she saw, although she at least tried not to be obvious.

“They should, as you are attending a man who is a duke and admiral of both Kaaltendt and Watt.”

“I am misplaced here in this austere military fortress, and we all know it.” He sighed, although his voice was tight through his smile. “I did not contract for the sake of a war campaign.”

“But you knew he is a dragon. Surely you were aware of the likelihood of being sent to a military post?” Agadart closed the book, glad for the break.

Mani shrugged. “I fell in love. The rest of it I merely tolerate.”

“So rare, that one would fall in love with a dragon.”

“Here in Kaaltendt, I suppose it is.” He looked thoughtful as he considered it. “I honestly never doubted that I would. It is more that he is a dragon of Watt that I still find surprising.”

They sat in silence for a moment, Mani studying the bookshelves across from them while Agadart tried not to stare. Finally she leaned forward a little, to catch his eye. “Are you waiting for the doctor, my lord?”

His eyes flicked over at her. “No. I was hoping to catch you here.”

She straightened up, praying that he was not about to solicit her affections. It would end badly for all of them, because she would have to rebuff him, and she suspected he was one who did not take rejection well.

He seemed to notice her posture. “Relax, Maid Aegirine. I am here to ask for your assistance.”

That caused her to pull back a little. “My assistance?”

“Yes,” he answered simply and completely, with no explanation.

She fought to keep her expression neutral. “If my lord needs assistance with the admiral’s lair I am afraid I cannot help. I am currently and exclusively assigned to Dr. Worthan. I’m sure Mistress Seraphinite can provide you with however many dragon maids you might need—“

“I do not need a dragon maid,” he said sharply, then looked her over like a chef inspecting a chicken. “The flick of your tail betrays your breeding, as my mother would say.”

She shook her head but stopped, taking a deep breath. “Is this, perhaps, the conversation you mentioned that we would be continuing?”

He smiled slightly, but it was not mocking. “Indeed. You have a good memory.”

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“It has proven helpful in the past.” She folded her hands over the closed book in front of her. “To answer your unsubtle queries, I do hail from the upper classes of Kaaltendt, but it is a life that has been left far behind. The reasons why are not material to you, the duke, or anyone but Mistress Seraphinite. I hope you will respect that.”

He nodded his head in return. “I intend to. I am not concerned with your past, only my future.”

“And how can I assist you with that?”

He sat up in a more gentlemanly fashion. “War or not, I expect to spend many more years here in Kaaltendt. I was tutored on this country’s history and politics, and some etiquette, when I was sent here by my family on business matters. Rodgardae — Admiral Leonteinparre — is from Watt, so he knows more than I do, but nonetheless we both find ourselves at odds more often than not. Kaaltendt is the strange, exotic, dragonless land our parents warned us about as children, and here we are, lords in it. I do not represent my dragon, much less myself, very well.”

This was all news to Agadart, who frowned. “You have both been here over five years.”

“Six for me, eight for Ro.” He nodded. “I do not know if you ever made it to court, Maid Aegirine, but if you had, you would likely not have seen much of either of us. Queen Theaedra keeps her flight close, and all other dragons of Kaaltendt are usually stationed far from her by necessity of their own jobs.” He waved an elegant, long-fingered hand around, indicating that Endestern was itself an example of that truth, which in fact it was.

“The middle space between the queen and the distant borders of her realm is liminal and rarely occupied. His Grace and I have inhabited it as best we could. Now here we are.”

He was correct, though. She had seen them only a few times at court, usually for solstice celebrations and the new year. Hardly enough to even recognize them from a distance. At the moment, she was grateful that the reverse was also true.

“I trust you are telling me the truth, as it reflects my understanding of the august court.” She shook her head. “I still do not see how I can be of assistance. Especially here.” She mimicked his hand wave.

“You are as close to a noblewoman as I can get without scandal, and whether you’ve ever been to court or even visited the capital is less important than your knowledge of social conduct in general.”

Agadart blinked at him, confused for a moment as the only possible implication of that became clear to her. “You want me to tutor you in etiquette?” she asked incredulously.

He tipped his head in acquiescence. “I would ask that you help acquit me of the social conduct I need to master.”

“Surely—”

“That I need to master, Maid Aegirine. Not that I need to be barely competent at.”

“There are tutors who do this, for the families of the nobility, or for commoners who are trying to buy or marry in.”

“Why had I not thought of that?” His tone was so dry and biting that Agadart cringed.

“I apologize.”

“No no, it’s a valid question, if a frustrating one.” He stared at her intensely, willing her to figure it out on her own.

It was not hard to do, in the end. “They refused your offers of hire. I assume because of the proximity to a dragon?”

“You got it in one. Even when I promised to visit them, no dragon in tow, they were firm.” He took a deep breath. “The dragons of Kaaltendt are generous enough, but do not have time or patience to teach me what most of them grew up knowing.”

They were also likely sheltered from polite society themselves, Agadart knew, and suspected Guardian Roki knew that as well but was too polite to mention.

He sighed heavily. “I have inadvertently insulted the hostesses of parties, slighted noble families during important political functions, and found myself on the odd end of conversations.”

Agadart stopped herself for a moment to consider. “It is likely the subtleties you are missing.”

“Oh, definitely. The broad strokes such as when to bow and whom to bow to, I have no issue. That much I can find in books.”

“True.” She nodded. “I could help, but only if Dr. Worthan approves it. Any time I spend with you will be time away from my training.” She waved a hand over the stack of thick books on the desk in front of her.

“I was unwilling to ask his leave until I had approached you with the idea.” He stood up, and Agadart followed suit. “Admittedly, Rodgardae finds this all easier than I do, being that Watt and Kaaltendt are more closely related by history and temperament.”

“He could very easily be mistaken for a noble of Kaaltendt,” Agadart replied, knowing that her comment implied the opposite of Guardian Roki.

His smile was charming, highlighting his beautiful features. With his guard down, his beauty turned warm and inviting, and Agadart had to hold herself from being drawn to it like a moth to flame. She bowed instead. “My lord.”

He bowed in return, proper and graceful. “Maid Aegirine.” He left as brusquely as he had entered, and without bothering to close the door behind him. Agadart sighed, shutting it firmly before returning to her studies.

Guardian Roki was as good as his word. When Dr. Worthan showed up later that afternoon from his visit to the warrens, he told her that she could meet with Mani but only every other day for an hour. She thought that was more than generous for the task and tried not to feel too excited about spending time with the attractive guardian. It was not as if she were a young eligible girl, and it was not as if he were a bachelor. They both had their commitments, as appropriate to their ages.

Yet…