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She reached the corner in time to glimpse Daemon helping Jaenelle into another carriage. Staggering back a few steps, she braced a hand against the nearest building. He wasn't hurt. Her beautiful love wasn't hurt.
But he still wasn't free to be her beautiful love, and if she couldn't find some way of preventing him from marrying that used-up bitch, it could be decades before he could be with hisreal love.
Maybe Roxie was right. Maybe she'd gone about this from the wrong direction. No woman would give up Daemon Sadi. But since Jaenelle Angelline didn't have any status anymore to attract a strong male, maybe the thing to do was give Daemon a reason to walk away from Jaenelle.
4
Feeling the cold rage wash over the town house, Lucivar stepped into the small entrance hall and shivered. A moment later, Surreal rushed down the stairs.
"Mother Night," she muttered. "We're going to dance with the Sadist, aren't we?"
"Yeah, it looks like we are." What had provoked Daemon into cold rage? Lucivar looked at Surreal. "Maybe you should get out of here."
She shook her head. "Two people distracting him are…"
"Twice as many targets for him to splatter over the walls."
"He doesn't splatter," she snapped. "He's not that merciful when he's this pissed off."
She was right. Unfortunately.
A minute later, they heard a carriage pull up in front of the town house.
Taking a deep breath and blowing it out, Surreal opened the front door. Her shock hit Lucivar with the force of a fist. He gave himself a moment to acknowledge his stomach-churning fear before he locked it away. He couldn't afford to show even a hint of fear. Not if he had to deal with the Sadist.
"Hell's fire!" Surreal flung the door wide open and stepped back. "What happened?"
"A carriage accident," Daemon replied as he carried Jaenelle into the house.
"Cat!" Lucivar leaped forward, but Daemon's glazed, sleepy eyes stopped him from actually touching Jaenelle.
"I'm fine," Jaenelle said.
"I'll settle the Lady upstairs," Daemon snarled. "Then we'll talk. In the meantime, contact Gabrielle and ask her to come as quickly as possible. We need a Healer."
Lucivar stepped aside to give Daemon a clear path to the stairs. "There are Healers in Amdarh."
"None that I trust," Daemon replied. He climbed the stairs and disappeared down the hallway that led to the suite he shared with Jaenelle.
"Oh, shit," Surreal said as she shut the door. "If he considers all the Blood in Amdarh as an enemy, someone is going to die."
"Let's try not to be among the corpses," Lucivar growled. "You stay here. I'll contact Chaosti." He walked into the sitting room and closed the door. Ebon-gray to Gray, he could make the psychic reach to the Warlord Prince of the Dea al Mon.
*Chaosti.* He waited a few moments, then called again.
*Lucivar?*
*We need Gabrielle here in her capacity as a Healer.*
Hesitation. *How much do you need her?*
*What?*
Another hesitation. *We confirmed yesterday that Gabrielle is pregnant. If she uses more than basic Craft… *
*She'll miscarry*
*Everything has a price,* Chaosti whispered.
Lucivar closed his eyes, understanding the question behind the words. If she was truly needed, Gabrielle would come and use whatever power was required for a healing, knowing it would destroy the baby she carried.
*No,* Lucivar said. *We'll find some other way*
*We could come to Amdarh, just to be there,* Chaosti offered.
*No. Stay away from Amdarh.*
*There's trouble?*
He felt the change in Chaosti and recognized a Warlord Prince's predatory nature rising to the fore. *Nothing we can't handle.* Which was true in its own way. No one was safe while Daemon was cold, so why ask a friend to step onto a potential killing field? *Stay home and take care of your Lady… papa.*
Chaosti's pleasure filled the link between them. Then he asked, *Have you spoken to your brother lately?*
*He's here in Amdarh.*
Silence. Then Chaosti said, *Take care of yourself, Lucivar.*
*I'll try to stay off the killing field.*
He broke the link and walked out of the sitting room just as Daemon came down the stairs and Surreal opened the front door to admit Zhara and another witch.
"I heard about the accident," Zhara said. "I brought my Healer to offer what help we can."
"No," Daemon said too softly.
*Daemon, Gabrielle is pregnant,* Lucivar said on a spear thread.
Those glazed eyes stared at him for too long before Daemon focused his attention on the two witches.
The Healer tried to smile. "Why don't I just have a look at Lady Angelline and…"
Daemon's snarl filled the small entrance hall.
"Wedo have a qualified Healer in residence," Surreal said. "I'll go up and ask Jaenelle if she needs another Healer.You just stand there and… breathe… until I get back." She eased around Daemon and bolted up the stairs.
Don't do anything to provoke him,Lucivar thought, watching ice coat the windows on either side of the door. The entrance hall was so cold he could see his breath, and Zhara and her Healer were shivering.
Daemon just stood there, his hands in his trouser pockets, staring at Zhara and the Healer.
Surreal raced down the stairs. "Jaenelle says she has a few sore muscles. Nothing worse than that. Not even a bruise. She's fine, Daemon. She really is. I'm going to help her into a hot bath to soak a bit while you cool off." She looked around the entrance hall. "Or warm up." She started back up the stairs, then turned."Oh.Jaenelle also said you promised to read to her. She told me to remind you."
Saying nothing, Daemon walked into the sitting room.
Surreal dashed up the stairs, leaving Lucivar with Zhara and the Healer.
Zhara's eyes glittered with anger. "If Prince Sadi thinks the respect the Dhemlan Queens have for his father means he can act any way he…"
"Shut up and get out," Lucivar snarled, keeping his voice low enough not to carry to the sitting room. "He doesn't trust you, and right now, he'll kill anyone he doesn't trust."Even me.
"I am Amdarh's Queen, and…"
"You don't know who you're dealing with.You. Don't. Know. But I'm very much afraid you're going to find out. So get out while you can… and hope you're still among the living when this is done."
Zhara's light-brown skin turned gray. "What are you talking about?"
Lucivar swore. "He's a Warlord Prince. Someone tried to hurt his Queen. What do youthink is going to happen?"
