Dreams Made Flesh

husband.
    As he adjusted the water in the shower, he contacted Ladvarian on a psychic spear thread and delivered Jaenelle's instructions…and felt grateful the dog didn't ask any questions since he didn't have any answers.
    That done, he stepped into the shower and quickly washed while he considered if he was amused or insulted by Jaenelle's "discovery."
    Growing up under Dorothea's control had stripped him of innocence at a very early age, and there was little, if anything, of a twisted, vile nature that he hadn't experienced. The Darkness only knew all that he'd done, but one thing he knew with absolute certainty: He was not naive.
    2
    Surreal stared at Helton. "They left?"
    "Immediately after breakfast," Helton replied.
    "Did Prince Sadi say where he and Lady Angelline were going?" Lucivar asked.
    "He did not, Prince Yaslana. Nor did he leave instructions on how to reach him. He did say he and the Lady would be returning, but he did not say when."
    Surreal blew out a breath and looked at Lucivar, who shrugged.
    "Would you like some breakfast?" Helton asked. "Or perhaps coffee served in the sitting room?"
    "Coffee's fine," Surreal said. She walked into the sitting room and waited until Lucivar closed the door before she kicked a footstool.
    "You pissed off about something, or are you reacting to this room?" Lucivar asked, moving around the room as if he were looking for a trap he knew was there but couldn't see.
    "What about the room?" she snapped.
    "The hot anger still lingering in it." Lucivar studied a spot on the carpet. "The cold rage underneath the anger."
    Surreal stopped her own prowling to see what had caught his attention. "Where's the chair?"
    "What?"
    "There was a stuffed chair in that spot. At least, there was when I was here this winter to do some shopping forWinsol."
    Lucivar crouched, his hand moving slowly just above the carpet. Then he pulled a sliver of wood out of the carpet and held it up.
    He didn't have to say anything.
    She closed her eyes. "Mother Night, Lucivar. Did I do something stupid by coaxing Jaenelle into coming to Amdarh?"
    Rising, he tossed the sliver into the fireplace. "You didn't know about the rumors."
    "Where do you think they've gone?"
    Lucivar turned slowly. His Ebon-gray Jewel glowed. He paused, then clearly broke whatever link he'd been trying to make. "Daemon's not responding, but he's west of here. Heading for the Hall, I think."
    Daemon was the only person Surreal knew who could make Lucivar wary. That Sadi wouldn't respond to his brother made her nervous.
    A light knock on the door preceded Helton, who brought in the tray that held a dish of pastries as well as the coffee. It would have been natural, even expected, for one of them to ask him about the chair's absence.
    Neither of them asked. They kept silent until Helton left the room.
    Then Lucivar sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. "What are you planning to do?"
    Surreal poured coffee for both of them. "I'll stay here for a few days, do some shopping, see if I hear anything interesting. What about you?"
    "I think I'd better go to the Keep and inform the family patriarch about what's happening," Lucivar replied, taking his cup of coffee.
    "Well, that should perk up Uncle Saetan's day."
    He snorted. "Yeah. He's going to be thrilled."
    3
    "Is there anything you can do?" Lucivar asked, finding no comfort in the way Saetan sat so silent and still.
    Finally, Saetan sighed. "I gave up my claim to Dhemlan last year when I decided to remain here at the Keep. The Queens there no longer have to answer to me."
    "But they know you. They'll listen to you. Hell's fire, Father. Things are shaky enough between Jaenelle and Daemon. If these rumors…"
    "I beg your pardon?"
    He felt that whiplash of icy temper and winced. "You've visited them at the Hall often enough," he hedged. "Surely, you've noticed…" Oh, shit.
    Saetan shook his head. "My apologies, Lucivar. I have no right to lash out at you for saying something I don't want to hear. Daemon came too close to sliding back into the Twisted Kingdom when he thought Jaenelle died. If he loses her now… I'm not sure what would happen."
    "You know what will happen," Lucivar said. "You were in that camp in Hayll.You know what it's like to dance with the Sadist. He played out a game with illusions, but with the right provocation, he's capable of doing things like that. He's capable of doing anything. You know that."
    "Yes, I know that," Saetan replied too softly. "After