The Invisible Ring

taken Lia away from the wagon a short time ago. In the center, where the rats’ teeth had broken the skin, the bites looked pus-filled and yellow. The rest of the swollen skin was an angry, red-streaked purple that darkened to black.
    The only viper rat bite he’d ever seen was the one his little brother Davin had gotten. Granted, that was years ago, but he didn’t remember it looking so dark and malignant.
    Jared tucked the bedcovers around Lia’s still body. “I’ll find someone to help,” he whispered, gently brushing her dark hair away from her pale face. “I swear it.‘”
    There had to be a back staircase, a servants’ staircase, some other way to reach the ground floor without using the stairs where Sadi waited for him. Hell’s fire, he’d climb out a window if he had to. One way or another, he was going to find a Healer and drag her back here. And no one, not even the Sadist, was going to stop him.
    After probing the corridor to be sure it was empty, Jared slipped out of the room and Red-locked the door.
    He’d taken one step when a phantom hand clamped around his throat and slammed him against the wall next to the door. Strong, slender fingers squeezed, cutting off his air. Long nails pricked his skin.
    Jared tried using Craft to pry that crushing hand away from his throat, but it just absorbed the strength of the Red and squeezed harder. Knowing it was useless, he raised his hands as if he could physically pull the hand away. His own nails scratched his neck as his efforts became more desperate, but there was nothing to fight, nothing to grab. He could do nothing, while it could kill him.
    Finally, too breathless to fight, he dropped his hands to his sides and leaned against the wall.
    A sight shield slowly faded.
    Daemon leaned against the opposite wall, his hands in his trouser pockets, his golden eyes still sleepy.
    “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t tear your throat out,” Daemon said too quietly.
    “You’ve no reason to,” Jared gasped. “Isn’t that reason enough?”
    Daemon made a sound that might have been laughter. “You really shouldn’t play games with anyone from such a perverted race as Hayll, little Warlord. You say I have no reason. I say I do. Where do you think that leaves you?”
    “Dead.”
    Daemon smiled. “Exactly.”
    Hell’s fire, it hurt to swallow.
    “What are you doing here, Jared?” Daemon asked.
    Working to breathe, Jared studied Daemon. The man looked as if he was just making small talk with an acquaintance instead of choking someone to death. Then again, unlike his half brother, who was known to be a walking explosion, Daemon seldom gave any indication of his mood.
    “What are you doing here?” Daemon repeated.
    This time Jared heard the snarl of temper under the calmly spoken words.
    Struggling to sound calm despite the phantom fingers pressing into his neck, Jared replied, “The witch who owns me is ill. I was ordered to find a place where she can rest.”
    “And you couldn’t find a closer Blood community between where you were and here?” Daemon shook his head. “Try again.”
    Jared didn’t dare blink let alone breathe. How did Daemon know where they’d been?
    “I told you—”
    Daemon cut him off. “When the Gray Lady left Raej, you were with her. Why aren’t you still with her, Jared?”
    Jared swallowed carefully and wondered how to answer. If he could trust Daemon, there was no one better to help him. If he couldn’t . . . “Ownership changed hands a few days after we left.” That was true in a way. Once Lia’s illusion web had broken, the Gray Lady was no longer part of their little group.
    “What happened to the Gray Lady?”
    Jared tried to shrug. “She’s probably back in Dena Nehele by now.”
    The phantom hand pulled him away from the wall and slammed him back into it.
    Something malevolent flickered in Daemon’s eyes. “Dorothea’s Master of the Guard is hunting for the Gray Lady. Every band of marauders who preys in this part of the Realm has been sniffing around for a particular quarry. Does that sound like Grizelle’s safely returned to Dena Nehele?” Daemon sighed and looked at the ceiling. “This is becoming tedious, so I’ll make it easy for you. You have three chances to give me a believable answer. After that, I’ll take the information I want. But I’ll make sure I leave enough of your mind intact so that you’re able to fully understand what I’m doing when I tear your little witch apart.” He paused. “What are you doing here, Jared?”
    For a moment, Jared