Heir to the Shadows

dream?" he asked. She'd had quite a few restless nights and bad dreams in the past few weeks.
    "A dream," she agreed. She hesitated for a moment. "I was standing in front of a cloudy crystal door. I couldn't see what was behind it, wasn't sure I wanted to see. But someone kept trying to hand me a gold key, and I knew that if I took it, the door would open and then I would have to know what was hidden behind it."
    "Did you take the key?" He kept his voice soft and soothing while his heart began to pound in his chest.
    "I woke up before I touched it." She smiled wearily.
    This was the first time she remembered one of those dreams upon waking. He had a good idea what memories were hidden behind that crystal door. Which meant they needed to talk about her past soon. But not tonight. "Would you like a brew to help you sleep?"
    "No, thank you. I'll be all right."
    He kissed her forehead and left the room. .
    Lucivar waited for him in the corridor. "Problem?" Lucivar asked.
    "Perhaps." Saetan took a deep breath, let it out slowly. "Let's go down to the study. There's something we need to discuss."
    2 / Kaeleer
    "Cat!" Lucivar rushed into the great hall. He didn't know what had set her off, but after talking with Saetan last night, he wasn't about to let her go anywhere by herself.
    Fortunately, Beale was equally reluctant to let the Lady rush out the door without telling someone her destination.
    Caught between them, Jaenelle unleashed her frustration with enough force to make all the windows rattle. "Damn you both! I have to go."
    "Fine." Lucivar approached her slowly, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "I'm going with you. Where are we going?"
    Jaenelle raked her fingers through her hair. "Halaway. Sylvia just sent a message. Something's wrong with Tersa."
    Lucivar exchanged a look with Beale. The butler nodded. Saetan and Mephis would be back at any moment from their meeting with Lady Zhara, the Queen of Amdarh, Dhemlan's capital—and Beale would remain in the great hall until they arrived.
    "Let me go!" Jaenelle wailed.
    Thank the Darkness, it didn't occur to her to use force against them. She could easily eliminate what amounted to token resistance.
    "In a minute," Lucivar said, swallowing hard when her
     
    eyes turned stormy.  "You can't go out in your socks. There's snow on the ground."
    Jaenelle swore. Lucivar called in her winter boots and handed them to her while a breathless footman brought her winter coat and the belted, wool cape with wing slits that served as a coat for him.
    A minute later, they were flying toward Tersa's cottage.
    The journey maid Black Widow who was staying with Tersa flung the door open as soon as they landed. "In the bedroom," she said in a worried voice. "Lady Sylvia is with her."
    Jaenelle raced up to the bedroom with Lucivar right behind her.
    Seeing them, Sylvia sagged against the dresser, the relief in her face overshadowed by stark concern. Lucivar put his arm around her, uneasy about the way she clung to him.
    Jaenelle circled the bed to face Tersa, who was frantically packing a small trunk. Scattered among the clothing strewn on the bed were books, candles, and a few things Lucivar recognized as tools only a Black Widow would own.
    "Tersa," Jaenelle said in a quiet, commanding voice.
    Tersa shook her head. "I have to find him. It's time now."
    "Who do you have to find?"
    "The boy. My son. Daemon."
    Lucivar's heart clogged his throat as he watched Jaenelle pale.
    "Daemon." Jaenelle shuddered. "The gold key."
    "I have to find him." Tersa's voice rang with frustration and fear. "If the pain doesn't end soon, it will destroy him."
    Jaenelle gave no sign of having heard or understood the words. "Daemon," she whispered. "How could I have forgotten Daemon?"
    "I must go back to Terreille. I must find him."
    "No," Jaenelle said in her midnight voice. "I'll find him."
    Tersa stopped her restless movements. "Yes," she said slowly, as if trying hard to remember something. "He would trust you. He would follow you out of the Twisted Kingdom."
    Jaenelle closed her eyes.
    Still holding Sylvia, Lucivar braced himself against the wall. Hell's fire, why was the room slowly spinning?
    When Jaenelle opened her eyes, Lucivar stared, unable to look away. He'd never seen her eyes look like that. He hoped he'd never again see her eyes look like that. Jaenelle swept out of the room.
    Leaving Sylvia to manage on her own, Lucivar raced after Jaenelle, who was striding toward the landing web at