Tangled Webs

belongings.
    A pathetically small bundle. A diminished life for a bright boy. Who was Yuli’s mother, his father? Had they hidden him away because he had the potential to be Blood or because he didn’t? Would he become a bitter man someday because his heritage hadn’t been acknowledged?
    Daemon could have sympathized with Jarvis Jenkell. He might have enjoyed discussing stories with him if they had met at a party. Or he might have hated the man for being a pompous ass. Either way, he would have acknowledged Jenkell as Blood.
    If the man hadn’t played out this game.
    Even then, he might have been willing to overlook—to some degree—the man’s suicidal attempt to play games with some of the darkest Blood in the Realm.
    If the man hadn’t killed children to do it.
    If the man hadn’t hurt Surreal and Rainier.
    «She’ll heal,» Jaenelle said.
    «She sounds like a cranky child.» And that scared him because it made her sound weak and diminished. Once he was sure she would recover, she could bitch and whine as much as she wanted. Until then, the sound was going to scrape nerves already raw from worry.
    «She has a fever, the poison is draining out of those wounds and hurts, and she’s feeling pretty miserable. On top of that, she thinks we’re treating her like a child by making her stay here instead of letting her go back to the town house in Amdarh. Of course she’s cranky. And she’s figuring that as soon as she’s feeling better, you and Lucivar are going to chew on her for getting hurt.»
    For a woman with a fever, Surreal did have a good grasp of where things stood. Which made him feel better. If she understood that much, her brain was still working.
    Beale opened the door. Footmen hurried out to bring Surreal and Rainier into the house.
    Daemon stepped aside, bringing Jaenelle with him.
    “They’re going to need me for the rest of the day,” she said.
    He nodded. “I have tasks of my own to deal with.” Including figuring out what to do with a young boy.
    Yuli followed Tersa out of the Coach. He looked so young, so scared, despite a fragile show of bravery.
    “Boy,” Tersa said. She walked up to Daemon, pressed a hand against his cheek, and smiled. “You did well, boy.”
    “Will you make some of your surprises for my spooky house?” Jaenelle asked.
    Tersa looked at Jaenelle, then looked at him—and walked away without answering.
    Jaenelle patted his arm and whispered, “If she answered, it wouldn’t be a surprise.” Then she held out her other hand to Yuli. “Let’s find you a room for a day or two.”
    They’d barely gotten into the great hall when four Sceltie puppies came running up to greet them. Three bounced and yapped and wagged tails at everyone before running back to whatever puppy game they’d been playing.
    The fourth one planted his little white feet on Yuli’s foot and said, «My boy!»
    «I guess that settles that,» Jaenelle told Daemon.
    «I guess it does,» he replied, watching the boy’s face bloom from shy smile to complete delight.
    “Can I play with him while I’m here?” Yuli asked.
    Oh, boyo, just try not playing with him. “Yes, you can. He still has some trouble on the stairs, so why don’t you pick him up while I show you to your room.”
    «Up!» the puppy said. «Up!» When Yuli didn’t immediately respond, the puppy whined and looked at Jaenelle. «Boy has dead ears?»
    “He hasn’t learned to hear kindred yet,” Jaenelle said, slanting a glance at Yuli. “But he’ll learn.”
    “Huh?” Yuli said.
    “Pick him up,” Daemon said. «This is going to be a learning experience.»
    She pressed her lips together, fighting to keep a straight face. «For both of them.»
    As Yuli followed them, silent and wide-eyed, and the puppy never shut up about what he would need to train his boy, Daemon thought, At least something good has come from all that pain.

TWENTY-SEVEN
     
     
    D aemon filled time with paperwork while he waited for Jaenelle to return home.
    He’d wondered if his father had been aware of the half-Bloods who were raised in orphans’ homes in Dhemlan. He should have known better. His only excuse for not picking up the clues was his own emotional turmoil the previous year.
    One of the vast estates owned by the SaDiablo family contained a self-sufficient community, including a school. When he’d taken over handling the family’s property and wealth, Saetan had told him that community was required to support itself, but no income