Daughter of the Blood

Manny only laughed. "No use trying to raise you proper. Sit down, then, and behave yourself."
    Daemon laughed, lighthearted and boyish, and plunked himself gracelessly into one of the kitchen chairs. Manny pulled out plates and cups. "Although why you want to stay in the kitchen is beyond me."
    "The kitchen is where the food is."
    "Guess there's some things boys never grow out of. Here." Manny set a glass in front of him.
    Daemon looked at the glass, then looked at her.
    "It's milk," she added.
    "I did recognize it," he said dryly.
    "Good. Then drink it." She folded her arms and tapped her foot. "No milk, no nut cakes."
    "You always were a martinet," Daemon muttered. He picked up the glass, grimaced, and drank it down. He handed her the glass, giving her his best boyish smile. "Now may I have a nut cake?"
    Manny laughed, shaking her head. "You're impossible." She put the kettle on for tea and began transferring the nut cakes to a platter. "What brings you here?"
    "I came to see you." Daemon crossed his legs and steepled his fingers, resting them lightly on his chin.
    She glanced up, gasped, and then busily rearranged the cakes.
    Puzzled by the stunned look on her face, Daemon watched her rearrange everything twice. Searching for a neutral topic, he said, "The place looks good. Keeping it up isn't too much work for you?"
    "The young people in the village help out," Manny said mildly.
    Daemon frowned. "Aren't there sufficient funds for a handyman and cleaning woman?"
    "Sure there are, but why would I want some other grown woman clumping about my house, telling me how to polish my furniture?" She grinned slyly. "Besides, the girls are willing to help with the heavy work in exchange for pocket money, a few of my special recipes, and a chance to flirt with the boys without their parents standing around watching them. And the boys are willing to help with the outside work in exchange for pocket money, food, and an excuse to strip off their shirts and show their muscles to the girls."
    Daemon's laughter filled the kitchen. "Manny, you've become the village matchmaker."
    Manny smiled smugly. "Jo's working on a cradle right now for one of the young couples."
    "I hope there was a wedding beforehand."
    "Of course." Manny said indignantly. She thumped the platter of nut cakes in front of him. "Shame on you, teasing an old woman."
    "Do I still get nut cakes?" he asked contritely.
    She ruffled his hair in answer and took the kettle off the stove.
    Daemon stared into space. So many questions, and no answers.
    "You're troubled," Manny said, filling the tea ball.
    Daemon shook himself. "I'm looking for information that may be hard to find. A friend told me to beware of the Priest."
    Manny slipped the tea ball into the pot to steep. "Huh. Anyone with a lick of sense takes care around the Priest."
    Daemon stared at her. She knew the Priest. Were the answers really this close? "Manny, sit down for a moment."
    Manny ignored him and hurriedly slid the cups onto the table, keeping out of his reach. "The tea's ready now. I'll call Jo—"
    "Who is the Priest?"
    "—he'll be glad to see you."
    Daemon uncoiled from the chair, clamped one hand around her wrist, and pulled her into the other chair. Manny stared at his hand, at the ring finger that wore no Jeweled ring, at the long, black-tinted nails.
    "Who is the Priest?"
    "You mustn't talk about him. You must never talk about him."
    "Who is the Priest?" His voice became dangerously soft.
    "The tea," she said weakly.
    Daemon poured two cups of tea. Returning to the table, he crossed his legs and steepled his fingers. "Now."
    Manny lifted the cup to her lips but found the tea too hot to drink. She set the cup down again, fussing with its handle until it was exactly parallel to the edge of the table. Finally she dropped her hands in her lap and sighed.
    "They never should have taken you away from him," she said quietly, looking at memories. "They never should have broken the contract. The Hourglass coven in Hayll has been failing since then, just like he said it would. No one breaks a contract with the Priest and survives."
    "You were supposed to go to him for good that day, the day you got your Birthright Jewel. You were so proud that he was going to be there, even though the Birthright Ceremony was in the afternoon instead of evening like it usually is. They planned it that way, planned to make him come in the harshest light of day, when his strength would be at its lowest."
    "After you had