"The gods only know. Simple-gentry trying to ingratiate themselves with the Feyreisen. Wealthy merchants attempting the same. Friends. Neighbors. Complete strangers." Lauriana shrugged. "I gave up inspecting whom they're from and just starting stacking them. The parlor is already full.”

Ellysetta shook her head. "Amazing." Then the expression on her face grew somber and she put her arm around her mother's shoulders. "I'm sorry for upsetting you earlier, Mama. I know everything's in turmoil, and it's my fault. There's so much to do in so little time, and—”

"Shh." Lauriana put a finger on her daughter's lips. "I know, kit. And I'm sorry, too, for snapping at you. It was a madhouse here this morning. There was too much going on all at once. I must admit I'm grateful your betrothed sent them all packing, though I don't much approve of his methods." Lauriana cast a dark look Rain's way. "Exploding windows and flying bodies only added to the madness.”

Rain bowed low. "I shall endeavor to show restraint in future." Ellysetta gave him a startled glance. «Say nothing, shei'tani. It is best that all believe I am responsible for the windows.» After a moment, she nodded.

"I have several errands to run," Lauriana said. "Why don't the two of you open the wedding gifts in the parlor, so we can clear some space.”

What? Rain opened his mouth to object, but before he could say a word, he heard his shei'tani doom them both. "Yes, Mama.”

Rain closed his mouth and carefully blanked his face.

"There's a book in the secretary. Be sure you write down who gave you what, so I have some hope of sending appropriate gratitudes.”

"Yes, Mama.”

"Well, then, I'd best be going. I've got a hundred things to do. Don't forget that Master Fellows, the queen's Master of Graces, is coming here at fourteen bells to begin your instruction in the noble graces. Be sure to tidy up before he arrives—both the house and your own appearance. You don't want to make a bad first impression.”

"Yes, Mama." As Lauriana bustled off, Ellysetta glanced at Rain uncertainly. "Do you mind about opening the gifts?”

He did, of course. Opening gifts from Celierians he neither knew nor cared about was not how he would choose to spend his courtship bells. He answered diplomatically. "My time is yours, Ellysetta. If this is how you choose to spend it, then so it shall be spent." She bit her lip. "It's just that Mama's already done so much, and I've done so little. And it's my wedding. Our wedding.”

"I understand, shei'tani”

"Do kings even open their own gifts?" she asked as they walked down the short hallway to the parlor.

"Apparently this one does." The grumble in his voice made her smile, as he'd hoped it would. But when they reached the parlor and Rain saw the gifts, crammed into every inch of space and stacked to the ceiling, he called for reinforcements. Ellysetta's quintet came running in response to their king's summons, though when they heard what he wanted of them, their faces went predictably blank.

"It won't be that bad," Ellysetta promised, "especially with all of you helping.”

"They live to serve you, shei'tani," Rain assured her. After serving as a source of amusement to these Fey over the last few days, it gave Rain great pleasure to turn the tables.

Rain watched as his five best warriors squeezed into the tiny parlor, picked their way through the jungle of wedding gifts as if tiptoeing through a nest of Drogan sand vipers, and settled down with stone-faced stoicism to proceed with the humiliatingly un-warrior-like task of opening presents.

«You bring pride to this Fey,» Rain sent on their common path, and his tone rang with amusement.

Five lethal glances speared him. For the first time in a thousand years, Rain Tairen Soul threw back his head and laughed.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Ten thousand swords before you, ten thousand daggers drawn,

Ten thousand lives defend you, ten thousand warriors strong

Our blood will spill ten thousand times.In hope, ten thousand sigh.

For love we face ten thousand deaths,

With joy, ten thousand die.Ten thousand Fey before you, ten thousand fierce and tall,

Ten thousand souls protect you, beloved of us all.

—Chorus from Ten Thousand Swords,

a Fey Warrior's Song

Even with seven pairs of hands, unwrapping and recording all the wedding gifts was tedious work. To pass the time, Adrial vel Arquinas began to hum a rhythmic tune. His brother Rowan soon joined him, then Kiel. Then Kieran began to sing. To Ellie's amazement, Rain soon joined in, his voice a deep, rich baritone.

They sang in Feyan, and though Ellie only understood a word or two here and there, the song's beat and the melodious sound of the lyrics made her smile. "That was beautiful," she said when they finished. "What was it?”

"A Fey warrior's song called `Ten Thousand Swords,' " Rain told her. "It is a song all Fey youths learn when they are training to become warriors.”

"Can you translate it for me?" With a nod, he did so, and tears sprang to her eyes as she listened to the words that vowed the death of thousands to protect the life of one woman. She gave a little shiver. "Surely it's just a song. I, for one, wouldn't want any of you dying for me.”

"It is the greatest of honors to die in the defense of a shei'tani," Kiel protested. "Such a warrior will be born to this world again, to find a truemate of his own.”