Twilight's Dawn

and primitive drawings covering the set of folding panels that separated the room.
    *It’s less frustrating than trying to clean the walls all the time,* Saetan said.
    Since he was clearly moving to keep them out of sight of whoever was on the other side of the panels, she stifled a laugh.
    “It’s a pretty nice place,” a young male voice said. “There are toys and games and lots of books to read for fun. There are also chores and studies, but those are interesting too. Some of the time.”
    Sylvia smiled. That sounded so much like Mikal.
    Saetan slipped his arm out of hers. After making sure she was steady, he stepped back. *Go ahead. Take a look.*
    Taking hold of the edge of the panel, she eased herself into a position to see the room.
    Thirty children, if not more. None of them had reached adolescence, whatever their race. Among them was a Dhemlan boy sitting on the floor, hugging a stuffed toy.
    Sylvia looked back at Saetan. *Is that . . . ?*
    *Haeze’s brother? Yes.*
    She listened for a minute as the boy in charge explained the rules everyone had to follow in order to be a resident of the Hall.
    Pushing against the panel, she floated back to Saetan. *Who is the Keeper of the Rules?*
    *The first cildru dyathe to choose to live here instead of on their island. Daemon rescued him from the spooky house several years ago and brought him to me. In his way, he’s made the same choice another cildru dyathe made long ago—to be the leader of this band of children and help the others adjust and survive and let go when they’re ready.*
    She caught something the boy said, and looked more closely at the man. *You can’t help the ones who don’t trust adults enough to accept help, but you help these children, don’t you? You’re the one who comes to read them stories or listen to them or give them a hug. Aren’t you?*
    *Some came from loving homes. Others never knew the comfort of a hug. Not from a father or a mother.*
    Everything has a price. Suddenly she knew what he was asking of her in exchange for spending time with her own sons—to be a maternal presence for the children who had never known any. To help them with their unfinished business. To give them a sense of family. With him.
    Linking her arm with his, she tipped her head toward the door. He took them out of the room, then waited for her to indicate a direction. Instead she just looked at him.
    “I asked you once, and I understand better now why you gave me the answer you did,” she said. “But everything has changed, so I’m going to ask again. Will you marry me, Saetan?”
    She saw shock in his eyes, swiftly followed by joy, which was just as swiftly followed by caution.
    “Can you promise me that you won’t stay one day longer than you truly want to?” he asked.
    “I promise you that.”
    “Then I will be honored to be your husband for all the days that come before that day.”
    She threw her arms around him and held him as tightly as he held her.
    “What kind of wedding would you like?” he asked.
    She eased back enough to look at him. “A fast one.”

EIGHT

    S ylvia had to wait a week for her wedding because Jaenelle wouldn’t allow Beron to travel to the Keep until every tiny part of his ears, eyes, and throat had healed completely. She chafed about the delay, but approved of the reason.
    The Priestess from Riada came to the Keep to perform the marriage ceremony. The food for the living guests had been provided by Mrs. Beale from the Hall and Merry from The Tavern.
    Sylvia’s father and brother had been invited. They weren’t able to smudge that line between the living and the dead and had refused to attend. But her sons were there, along with Marian and Lucivar, Daemonar, Jillian and Nurian, Tersa and Manny, Surreal and Rainier, Daemon and Jaenelle, and plenty of kindred who were also members of this pieced-together family.
    Saetan slipped an arm around her waist and held out a ravenglass goblet of yarbarah. “How are you doing, Lady Sylvia?”
    Accepting the goblet, she narrowed her eyes. “Mikal and Daemonar are about to get into some mischief. They’ve got that look.”
    “You think so?” he asked, laughing softly.
    The boys had barely taken a step before they were flanked by Scelties and blocked by Kaelas. In that moment, Sylvia saw three male heads turn in that direction—Daemon, Lucivar, and Rainier.
    She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing aloud, since Mikal looked so annoyed at having his fun stopped