It’s time for everybody’s favorite game…Guess the author! That’s right folks…We have three hints for you. 

1: The author’s note is surrounded by asterisks.

2. It’s an even numbered chapter…

And 3. Demonic-muses wrote the last chapter.

I hope you can figure it out now.  Thoughts are in –Thoughts. -

            Dawn paled and threw Matthew into the back of a large cupboard.  She ducked back into the little gap between the compost heap and sinks and motioned for Astarii to scram.  She hid in a shadow, melding with the blackness in a way no human could.  The coarse laughter of a familiar voice made Dawn cringe.

            “Dawn dearest, I know you are in here.  Your brother told me you have been playing with candles down here lately.  Come out…” Dawn took a deep breath and gave Matthew a significant look that threatened painful maiming if he moved from his cupboard.  She stood up with a sweet, penitential smile, smoothing her skirts. 

            As soon as she came into the light, a change came over her: all attitude and personality was transformed into a pleasant, if somewhat vacant, benign mask.  “Ooooh, Jack! I didn’t know it was you!” Her voice had bubbles in it and wavered from tone to tone with excited squeals.  Matthew made a pained face in the protective darkness.  The tall raven haired young man smiled and kissed her hand.  Dawn giggled a brainless giggle. 

There was a slight jingle in the background which she covered with another giggle and a “What are you doing down here, Sir Jack?”  He smiled the gallant smile of a young knight who desperately wanted someone else in his bed with him.  He and Dawn had a chat that was nothing but a proposition wrapped in fancy words and fluff.  Dawn stifled a fake yawn and curtsied.

            “I am sooo sorry Sir Jack, but it is late and I must get up early tomorrow to help Elisa with her sewing.  Tee hee, I’m sure you aren’t really interested in women’s work!  Good night!”  The grin on Sir Jack’s face faded and he hurried to keep his claws in his prey.

            “Oh, in that case, I will walk you to your room.  It is only my chivalrous duty.” 

            -Chivalrous duty my arse, Sir Jack.  I am going to kill my brother for this…- As she was walked to her quarters, Matthew slipped out of his hiding place with a gleeful grin.  Speaking partly to the air and partly to Astarii, he snickered, “Hah! Ryan’s gonna paaa-ayy…” Astarii crept out of her hiding place silently.  Matthew smiled.

            “I would suggest taking all you can carry and legging it out of here, pretty Astarii.  Jack is going to be very disappointed and probably try to raid the cupboards for anything alcoholic.”  He bowed like a knight instead of the stable boy he was and left.  She followed his instructions, and sure enough, just as she was leaving the kitchens a grumbling and fuming young man reentered. She legged it out of there without the soft sound of footfalls.