Dreams Made Flesh

another cup of tea. As much as she wanted to hear about her unfaithful lover's performance while he'd been visiting Zhara's court, it wouldn't do to make anyone wonder about her interest.
    She picked at the meal she'd ordered, no longer taking pleasure in the food, too aware of the women at the other table. Finally, feeling too ill to continue pretending, she paid for her meal and hurried out of the dining house, wanting nothing more than the sanctuary of her own home.
    2
    "What's wrong with that bitch?" Lektra snarled as she paced her sitting room. "Doesn't she have any pride? She must have heard that he's been unfaithful to her. She should have severed whatever ties still hold him to her."
    Roxie, curled in one corner of the sofa, selected another chocolate from the large box on the table. "Have you seen her?" She made a disgusted sound. "Even if he was unfaithful and having sex with six other women every day, she wouldn't let Daemon go if he's still willing to service her. What other man would want her?"
    "But he's going to marry her!" Lektra's hands clenched. "He's supposed to want me. He's supposed to love me." How dare he disappoint her when she was counting on having the strongest, most beautiful man in the Realm as her lover? How could he even think of staying with Jaenelle when she loved him so desperately?
    Roxie frowned. "Maybe we can give him a reason to walk away from her ."
    Or maybe it's time to take a more direct approach to the problem. "I'm going out," Lektra said, hurrying toward the door. Her Summer-sky Jewels were strong enough for what she had in mind. And with luck, there would be some tragic news for people to discuss over dinner tonight.
    3
    Wrapping one arm around Jaenelle, Daemon tucked her closer to his right side as the horse-drawn cab headed out of the shopping district.
    Jaenelle said, "We could…"
    "No."
    "But…"
    "Enough."
    She studied him with narrowed eyes. "You've got that bossy I'm-a-Warlord-Prince-so-rm-right tone in your voice."
    "No, I've got that I'm-a-Warlord-Prince-who-is-your-adoring-loving-husband tone in my voice."
    "Sounds like bossy from where I'm sitting."
    "Must be the acoustics in the cab." He smiled as he kissed her frown-wrinkled forehead. "Sweetheart, you're exhausted. We've paid a courtesy call to Zhara and been seen in several shops today. That's enough. You need to rest." He paused. "Hell's fire , I need to rest."
    She considered that for a moment. "What did you have in mind?"
    Several things, but he'd take them in order. "Tucking into the sitting room for the rest of the afternoon. If you're a good little witch and nibble on some food to make up for what you didn't eat at midday, I'll read to you."
    "That's bribery," Jaenelle grumbled.
    "And your point is?"
    "It's a good bribe."
    Daemon grinned, then looked out the window when the cab stopped. "Streets are crowded today."
    "What else is on your mind?"
    He sighed. Of course she'd noticed his preoccupation at the last two shops they'd visited. Taking her left hand in his, he dropped the sight shield on his wedding ring for a moment. The brief sight of it warmed him, soothed him.
    "Maybe we should let this go," he said quietly, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.
    "Someone tried to ruin your reputation and isolate you socially from the rest of the Blood," Jaenelle pointed out.
    "Someone wanted you to turn away from me. You didn't. Nothing else matters." The cab started forward. "I don't give a damn if the Blood in Amdarh accept me or not."
    "If someone wants you enough to hurt you…"
    The driver cried out. The horse screamed and bolted.
    Daemon had enough time to throw a Black shield around both of them before the horse veered sharply. The sound of wood snapping…
    "Air!" Jaenelle shouted.
    … then the cab tipped, crashing on its side before continuing a sickening flip with unnatural speed until it smashed against walls of power.
    The inside of the cab was a dazzle of colors…Green, Rose, Summer-, sky, Purple Dusk, Red, Sapphire.
    As the cab came to rest, Daemon blinked to clear his vision. The colors danced around them a moment longer before they faded…and he realized they were floating in the middle of the cab. He had automatically created a tight, defensive shield that would have protected them from invasive harm, but they would have been thrown around the inside of the cab. Jaenelle's bubble shield had provided a better cushion.
    Shattered glass and thrusting spikes of broken wood littered