Daughter of the Blood

she? That's what the web warned you about."
    "It's not your concern."
    "She doesn't belong just to you, High Lord!" Andulvar roared.
    Saetan closed his eyes. Sweet Darkness, give me the strength. "No," he agreed, letting Andulvar see his pain, "she doesn't belong just to me. But I'm the only one strong enough to do what has to be done, and"—he raised a hand to stop their protests, his eyes never leaving Andulvar's face—"if someone has to stand responsible for what's going to happen, if someone is going to earn her hatred, let it be only one of us so the others can still cherish her—and serve her."
    "Saetan," Andulvar said, his voice husky. "Ah, Saetan. Is there nothing we can do?"
    Saetan blinked rapidly. "Wish me well."
    "Come," Draca said urgently. "The Darknesss . . . We musst hurry."
    Saetan followed her down the stairwell to the locked door at the bottom. Pulling a large key from her sleeve, Draca unlocked the door and pushed it open.
    Etched in the floor of the enormous cavern was a huge web lined with silver. In the center where all the tether lines met was an iridescent Jewel the size of Saetan's hand, a Jewel that blended the colors of all the other Jewels. At the end of each silver tether line was an iridescent Jewel chip the size of his thumbnail.
    As Saetan and Draca walked along the edge of the web, the Jewels began to glow. A low hum rose from the web, rising up and up until the cavern throbbed with the sound.
    "Draca, what is this place?" Saetan whispered.
    "It iss nowhere and everywhere." Draca pointed at his feet. "Your feet must be bare. Flessh musst touch the web." When Saetan had stripped off his shoes and socks, Draca pointed to a tether line. "Begin here. Walk sslowly to the center, letting the web draw you into itsself. When you reach the center, possition yoursself behind the Jewel sso you are facing the tether line closesst to Beldon Mor."
    "And then?"
    Draca studied Saetan, her thoughts hidden. "And the Blood sshall ssing to the Blood. Your blood, darkened by your sstrength, will feed the web. You will direct the power from thiss offering sso it iss channeled to the one tether line you need. You musst not break contact with the web once you begin."
    "And then?"
    "And then you will ssee what you have come here to ssee."
    Saetan tapped into the reserve strength in his Black Jewels and stepped on the tether line. The power in the web stabbed into his heel like a needle. He sucked in his breath and began walking.
    Each step drove the power of the web upward. By the time he reached the center, his whole body vibrated with the hum. Keeping one foot in contact with the web, Saetan positioned himself behind the Jewel, his eyes and will focused on that one tether line.
    He held out his right wrist and opened his vein.
    His blood hissed when it hit the Jewel in the center of the web', formed a red mist. The mist twisted into a fine thread and began to inch its way along the tether line.
    Drop by drop, the thread moved toward Chaillot, toward Beldon Mor.
    For a moment it stopped, a finger-length away from the Jewel chip, blocked. Then it crept upward, a red vine climbing an invisible wall, until a handspan above the floor, it was over, flowing back along the tether line.
    He had breached Jaenelle's mist. The moment the blood thread touched the Jewel chip, he would be able to probe Beldon Mor.
    The thread touched the Jewel chip.
    Saetan's eyes widened. "Hell's fire, what—"
    "Don't move!" Draca's voice seemed so far away.
    What had Daemon done? Saetan thought as he picked up the aftertaste of rage. Sinking beneath the cacophony of the lesser Jewels, Saetan searched the Black, the too-still Black. There should have been three minds within his probing reach. There was only one, the one farthest out, the one at the Dark Altar.
    Keeping his eyes locked on the Jewel chip, Saetan sent a thought along the thread, spear to spear. "Namesake?"
    His answer was a brief, annoyed flicker.
    Saetan tried again, spear to distaff. "Witch-child?"
    For a moment, nothing.
    Saetan heard Draca gasp as light flickered around him.
    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw all the Jewel chips begin to glow, all the silver strands of the web blaze with a fiery cold light.
    Something sped toward him. Not a thought. More like a soap bubble cocooned in mist. Faster and faster it sped toward the web.
    The sudden light from the Jewel at his feet blinded him. He threw his arm up over his eyes.
    The bubble reached the Jewel chip and