Queen of the Darkness

"Karla, if something wakes the shield in that ring, not only will you have Morton pounding on your door, you're going to have Sceron, Jonah, Kaelas, Mistral, and Khary showing up on your doorstep—along with our Sisters in that part of the Realm."
    "Mother Night!" Karla frowned at the ring. "But ... I know the boyos have used this shield on occasion and it didn't make the rest of them go berserk."
    "I wouldn't count on their responding to a signal picked up from a ring worn by a Queen in the same way they respond to a signal from another Brother in the court," Jaenelle said dryly. "Besides, at this point, the males are' all attuned to each other. They can tell when to remain on alert but to wait for another signal and when to drop everything and head for the person in trouble with all possible speed."
    "And you don't think they'll wait?"
    "Not a chance."
    Karla sighed. That was a little more male attention than she'd anticipated, and she was glad of the warning.
    "I'll link it to your Gray Jewel now," Jaenelle said, holding out her right hand.
    "Won't the boyos pick that up?" Karla asked, placing her right hand in Jaenelle's.
    "Yes, and it will take them under two minutes to figure out that someone in the coven is wearing a ring they can connect with now."
    Well, there's safety in numbers, Karla thought. With all of us wearing a ring like this —
    "And it will take them about another minute to figure out the distinctive feel of this particular ring and recognize it as you."
    "Hell's fire."
    Jaenelle's smile was sympathetic but amused. "Wait until Lucivar shows up the first time. It's an experience."
    "I'm sure it is," Karla mumbled.
    A moment later, she felt a flash of cold followed by heat. The ring throbbed against her finger. The sensations faded, but she could sense the deep reservoir of power waiting just out of reach.
    "The other thing to be aware of is that, when the shield wakes, the only people who will be able to reach you if you physically need help are the rest of the First Circle," Jaenelle said.
    Karla nodded. "In that case, I'd better always wear it. It wouldn't do to have someone else slip it on and have that kind of protection."
    "No one else can wear this ring. It was made for you. If anyone else tried to activate the shield, the results would be ... unpleasant."
    "I see." She didn't ask Jaenelle to define "unpleasant."
    Jaenelle studied Karla for a moment. "Wear it well, Sister."
    "Thank you. I will."
    "I'd better see that the rest of the coven gets their rings." Jaenelle picked up the bag that held the other ring boxes, then hesitated. "Do you really have to leave tomorrow?" she asked a little plaintively.
    "Duty calls," Karla said with a smile. She waited until Jaenelle left the room before adding, "And Uncle Saetan made it quite clear that no excuse for staying would be considered acceptable."
    All the Queens were returning to their home Territories. So were the First Circle males. Lucivar was taking his family and the other Eyriens to Ebon Rih. Surreal and Wilhelmina would go with him as well. Andulvar and Prothvar were already on their way to Askavi, and Mephis had left for his town house in Amdarh.
    She understood why Saetan was clearing the Hall. They all did. By tomorrow afternoon, all the friends Jaenelle had used as buffers would be gone. Her only human companions would be the High Lord, who, Karla was sure, was going to make himself scarce, and Daemon. The Consort would have a clear field in which to woo his Lady.
    "May the Darkness help us," Karla muttered as she strode to the door and threw it open. Then she stood in the doorway and stared.
    Lucivar, Aaron, Chaosti, Khardeen, and Morton smiled at her.
    "Well, well, well," Lucivar crooned. "Look who we found."
    Trying to return the smile, Karla said weakly, "Kiss kiss," and sincerely hoped it wouldn't take Jaenelle long to activate the other rings.
----
    Chapter Ten
    1 / Kaeleer
    After spending two weeks in Ebon Rih, Surreal returned to the Hall, took one look at Daemon, and went hunting for Jaenelle.
    She finally tracked Jaenelle down—actually, Graysfang tracked down Ladvarian, who was with Jaenelle—in a part of the Hall so far away from the family's living quarters that it practically guaranteed no one would think to look there.
    Jaenelle stepped out of a room and noticed Surreal striding down the corridor. Her face lit up with pleasure. "Surreal! I didn't expect you back so—"
    Surreal grabbed Jaenelle's arm and hauled the