craftingmom

As always, I take every review to heart, and I will certainly keep your review in mind when I re-edit the story after it is complete. Once it's done, I'll be able to have a better sense of how it all flows together. I am getting the sense from several others that the pacing is okay though. But every opinion and review is very important to me, and many point out things I hadn't picked up on before. So I will definitely re-evaluate it. Thank you. I hope I haven't turned you off the story completely. Stick with me?

Very true. You know me well. There's a lot going on in the next two chapters, with information spillage between Kye and Ashton especially.

Thank you!!

Thanks! There is a lot more psychological aspect to this one with the single first person POV. I had considered switching, but Parker and I thought just the one POV would work best. It makes some things harder, but I'm liking it this way.

Aww, thank you so very much!

Showing Ashton's true feelings and mindset up until now is difficult with the single POV, since it's all how Kye perceives it. I've tried to give a couple hints of Ashton's interest before (in the garden, when he talks about Kye's eyes...) but maybe I'll need to go back and see if I and hint a little more. As for the Lees, now that Ashton knows, finding Lee will be the next trick.

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you are enjoying it!

No, it's not over yet as they still have to figure out who Lee is.

You're welcome. And thanks for the PM letting me know the pacing is good and you are relieved at Kye finally being able to tell Ashton. I'm glad you enjoying the story! Thank you!

Thanks! So glad you liked it!

Thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Chapter 12 A rhythmic beat in the earth roused me from my short nap. I sat up, warily looking around, only to see a blur of obsidian on the horizon. I stood up to get a better view. A horse, it seemed. And a rider. Who the rider was should have had me trembling, maybe even running, but it didn't. I stood riveted as Lord Ashton bore down on my position. I suppose it was because it wasn't someone worse, like the steward Liam, or even my old master. I was actually grateful to see the vi

Yes, he can enjoy himself for a bit like he used to with Tareth. I'm glad the changes worked. Thanks!

Not telling!

Yes, he's definitely enjoying the fresh air.

Chapter 11 I assumed Lord Rowland was still alive, since the steward hadn't come yet to carry out his threats. But then no one had bothered me for two days, I was ignored—completely, which was just as disconcerting. I had no idea what was happening. I wondered if maybe they had discovered my Master's whereabouts and simply forgot about me. Certainly Lord Ashton didn't feel I was worth any more of his time. I assumed Donnelly had been ordered off my care detail, after having 'let me free'

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

I loved this story too! Congratulations on the feature!

There is quite a bit of misunderstanding going on. This is partly due to Kye being unable/unwilling to talk freely as well as his belief in his own guilt, but I think it also has to do somewhat with the single POV. I did think about switching, so you could see Ashton's but I think that would detract more from the story than sticking with Kye's.

Hehe, yes, I can see the waiting would be hard and make it seem more drawn out, especially as you are waiting for everyone to figure it out. It will happen in the the next two chapters. Sam is pretty dense. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Thank you. So glad you are enjoying it.

There is a lot of misunderstandings going on. I suppose I was trying to portray the depth of chaos and confusion that the Rowland's poisoning has dealt the Sterling household. While questioning Kye is somewhat important, there are so many other things that have to be dealt with as well, which is hard to portray using only Kye's POV. I'll have to see if I can figure out how to rework it. It wasn't meant to be a filler, just somehow indicate Ashton's pain at his brother's possible death, that he's too preoccupied by Rowland to really focus on Kye. Yes, he wants to hunt down the Marquis, but his brother comes first. I guess I didn't do a very good job with this chapter getting that across. Thanks for pointing that out. I'll see what I can rework eventually to make it cleaner.

Kye not being able to express himself anymore is key. He's had his spirit beaten into submission. He's only been at the Sterling estate for a couple days, but it may seem longer (especially with my infrequent postings too). Everyone is still very angry about Rowland's poisoning, and ready to blame the only person they can. So no one's really listening or paying attention to the facts in front of them. Sam is trusted because he's the spy the Sterlings sent to Barrett's. They already trusted him. Alisha is basically a housemaid, not necessarily important, but accepted because of Sam and her relationship. But it might be coming across that Alisha is more accepted than I meant her to be. I'll work on fixing that. Sam, though, I meant him to come across as trusted since he was Count Sterling's spy. Ashton is on the verge of figuring things out over the next few chapters.

I know. Kye has had it beaten into him not to talk, and the others are so upset right now they aren't listening. This chapter, though, is the beginning of Ashton starting to figure things out. I'm sorry it so frustrating, but in the time frame of the story it's only been a couple days. My taking forever to post may make it seem like so much longer too

Thanks!