Dreams Made Flesh

It felt strange walking into that room and seeing another man behind the desk where Saetan had ruled Dhemlan for so many centuries. Even stranger to feel as if nothing had really changed.
    "So," she said, settling into the chair in front of the desk. "Do you ever see any rooms in the Hall besides this one?"
    "Occasionally," Daemon replied with a dry smile. "Brandy?"
    "Sure." She watched him pour a snifter for her and top off his own before he used Craft to float hers over to her waiting hand. "Thanks."
    Daemon leaned back in his chair, the snifter cradled in both hands. His Black-Jeweled ring glittered on his right hand. His left hand looked naked without the Consort's ring. Did he miss the feel of it on his finger? She'd noticed that Saetan still wore the Steward's ring, which the loss of his little finger made more noticeable. But she could understand why Daemon had set the Consort's ring aside. Saetan had withdrawn to live at the Keep, leaving his sons… Daemon, specifically… to handle the property owned by the SaDiablo family as well as the wealth acquired over Saetan's long, long lifetime. Daemon, on the other hand, was still very much in sight. He was no longer the Consort, since Jaenelle, while still a Queen, no longer ruled a court.
    Of course, only a fool wanting to commit suicide would in any way imply that the absence of a ring made him any less Jaenelle's Consort.
    "What are your plans?" Daemon asked quietly. "Or haven't you thought that far ahead?"
    "Know anyone who needs an assassin?"
    He choked back a laugh. "In Kaeleer? Hardly."
    She saw the question in his eyes. "If I'd wanted him dead, Sadi, Falonar wouldn't be breathing. You know that."
    His gold eyes stayed locked on hers as he took a sip of brandy. "Point made. Besides, I'm surprised you put up with him this long."
    That startled her. "Why?"
    "Too much of that Eyrien arrogance for you to swallow for long."
    "You have a brother who has even more of that Eyrien arrogance," she pointed out.
    "You want to sleep with him?"
    "I'd eat worms first. Live." Since the image made her a little queasy, she took a healthy swallow of brandy. "Not that I don't like him," she added. "Maybe even love him a little in a sisterly way… when he's not being a stubborn prick about something."
    "Hmm, all of five minutes a month."
    She grinned. "If you add it up." The grin faded. "What about you?"
    He rolled the snifter between his hands and studied the way the brandy followed the motion. "We're doing all right. He's… wary. Can't blame him for that. But he'll stand. If I need him, he'll stand."
    And you and Jaenelle?
    "Anyway," she said, "I thought I'd spend some time in Amdarh, if you have no objection to me using the town house."
    "It's the family's town house. You're family." He hesitated for a moment. "I have to go to Amdarh in a few days. If you're willing to wait, we can go at the same time. I have a box at two of the theaters, if you'd like to see a play…and wouldn't mind some company."
    I think you're the one who needs some company. Shit, Sadi, what's going on here?
    "Fair enough." She set the snifter on the blackwood desk, stood up, and stretched. "I'd better see what Graysfang is up to. He's of the wolfie opinion that I enjoy drying him off and brushing him when he comes in wet and muddy. Don't know why."
    "He's male. He's getting petted. This is hard to understand?"
    The words were said lightly, but there was an undertone of anguished yearning.
    Not knowing what to say, she left the study. But she thought about it on and off for the rest of the day. She watched the two of them throughout dinner. And when she was staring at the ceiling late that night, with Graysfang curled up beside her, snoring softly, she came to a decision.
    All right, Sadi. I'll keep the peace while we're at the Hall. But once we get to Amdarh… The Blood in Terreille had good reason to call you the Sadist. If I have to dance with that side of your temper to find out what in the name of Hell is wrong between you and Jaenelle, then that's what I'll do. But one way or another, you're going to talk to me.
    And if she couldn't get anything out of him, informing the patriarch of the family that there was serious trouble between Daemon and Jaenelle would get some results. One way or another.
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    Five
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    Jealousy coiled around Lektra's heart as she watched Daemon settle the lovely woman in the seat beside him. He never invited anyone to sit with him when he came to the theater.