It had been no small task to convince the Court of Cats to leave. Over and over, I repeated the words of the Roane but to no avail. I began to understand, a little, why Father had been as he was. Ultimately, I had to resort to force, driving them off with tooth and claw and threats of worse. By the end of the first month of my reign, only two cait sidhe remained in Londinium, myself and Colleen.

"I wish you would come," she said to me as we bide our goodbyes.

"And I wish you would go."

"Please."

"If I go, who will hold this Kingdom? Another King will come and establish a Court if I am not here to stop him. It is the nature of cats. And when the city burns, all their deaths will be on my conscience."

"A cat with a conscience. Is there anything more pitiful?"

"A king without a court, perhaps."

"Perhaps." She sighed. "Open roads, dear brother."

"Sweet shadows, and may the world forever run a step behind you."