"No," Myrtia says as Valeria settles among the cats as well and offers the bread to the human occupants of the alcove. "Both my dad and the king are still asleep, and they are snoring like bears."

"Too much singing last night," Valeria says, wisely. "But the king doesn't snore like a bear, more like a lion."

"You never heard a lion," Myrtia retorts, taking a bite of the bread.