Queen of the Darkness (The Black Jewels #3)(23)
Author: Anne Bishop

"Would you like to see her?" Saetan asked.

"But … if she’s demon-dead…"

"A meeting could be arranged here at the Hall. I could ask her if she would be willing."

"Since you’re the High Lord, I’m surprised you wouldn’t just order her to come," Surreal said a bit tartly.

Saetan chuckled. "Darling, I may be the High Lord, but I’m also male. I’m not about to give an order to a Black Widow Queen without a very good reason."

Surreal narrowed her eyes. "I can’t picture you as submissive."

"I’m not submissive, but I do serve. You would be wise not to confuse those two things when dealing with the males in this court."

Oh, wonderful.

"Especially since you’ve formally declared yourself part of this family," Saetan added.

Mother Night. "Look," Surreal said, leaning forward. "I didn’t know anyone was using that name here."And I certainly didn’t expect to meet them.

"All things considered, you have as much right to that name as Kartane SaDiablo," he said cryptically. "And since youdid list it, you’re stuck with the results."

"Which are?" Surreal asked suspiciously.

Saetan smiled. "The short version is, as the patriarch of this family, I am now responsible for you and you are answerable to me."

"When the sun shines in Hell," Surreal shot back.

"Be careful what conditions you set, little witch," he said softly. "Jaenelle has an uncanny—and sometimes disturbing—way of meeting someone’s terms."

Surreal swallowed hard. "She really is in Kaeleer?"

Saetan held up the mark of safe passage that had been sitting on his desk. "Isn’t that why you came?"

She nodded. "I wanted to find out what happened to her."

"Why don’t you save those questions for Jaenelle. She’ll be home in a few days."

"She liveshere?"

"This isn’t her only home, but, yes, she lives here."

"Does Daemon know?" she asked. "He wasn’t at dinner."

"He knows," Saetan said gently. "He’s feeling a bit unsettled."

"That’s an understatement," she muttered. Then she thought of something else, something that had nagged at her curiosity for thirteen years. If there was anyone in the Realms who would know the answer, she figured it was the High Lord. "Have you ever heard of the High Priest of the Hourglass?"

His smile had a sharp edge. "Iam the High Priest."

"Oh, shit."

His laughter was warm and full-bodied. "You’re willing to snarl at me as the High Lord, the Steward, and the family patriarch, but knowing I’m the Priest knocks your feet out from under you?"

Surreal glared at him. Put that way, itdid sound silly. But it was disconcerting to find out that the dangerous male she’d caught a whiff of that night at Cassandra’s Altar was the same amused man sitting on the other side of the desk. "Then you can tell Daemon what happened that night. You can tell him what he doesn’t remember."

Saetan shook his head. "No, I can’t. I can confirm what happened while we were linked, and I can tell him what happened after. But there’s only one person who can tell him what took place in the abyss."

Surreal sighed. "I’m almost afraid of what he’ll find out."

"I wouldn’t be too concerned. When Jaenelle formally set up her court, the Consort’s ring was set aside for him, by her decree. So whatever happened between them couldn’t have been that distressing. At least for her," he added solemnly. Rising, he came around the desk. "I still have to meet with several of the Eyriens tonight as well as get the reports from Aaron, Khardeen, and Lucivar. If you need any help understanding the Blood here, please come and talk to me."

Accepting dismissal, Surreal rose and glanced at the door. "There is one other thing."

Saetan studied the closed door. "I see you’ve met Lord Graysfang."

Surreal choked back a laugh.

"I know. Their names sound as strange to us as ours do to them. Although they may have more reason to think so. When kindred young are born, a Black Widow makes that mental sidestep into the dreams and visions. Sometimes she sees nothing. Sometimes she names one of the young according to the visions."

"Well," Surreal said, smiling, "he is gray, and he does have fangs. Aaron said he was in the Hall because he’s looking for a friend."

Saetan gave her an odd look. "I’d say that’s accurate. The kindred dogs and horses relate well to the human Blood since they’ve lived among them for so long, although, until eight years ago, in secret. The rest of the kindred tend to stay away from most humans. But whenever they come across a human who is compatible with them, they try to form a bond, to better understand us."

"Why me?" Surreal asked, intrigued.

"The Queens here have strong courts, and the males in the First Circle are entitled to the first share of their time and attention. A youngster like Graysfang has to wait for his turn and then has to share that time with other young males in the same position. But you’re a Gray-Jeweled witch who does not, as yet, have any other male claims."

"Except the males in the family," Surreal said sourly.

"Except the males in the family," Saetan agreed. "On both sides."

She sputtered.

"But that claim isn’t quite the same thing. You’re not a Queen, whose courts are set up by a different Protocol. So if you accept Graysfang before the other males realize you’re here, he will hold the dominant position over any male except your mate, even if the other male wears darker Jewels. Since he’s not old enough to make the Offering to the Darkness and still wears his Birthright Purple Dusk Jewel, the odds of a darker-Jeweled male becoming interested in you are rather high."

"Which still doesn’t explain why he’s interested in me in the first place."

Saetan reached out slowly. His left index finger hooked the gold chain around her neck and drew it out of her shirt until her Gray Jewel hung between them.

At first, she thought the caress accompanying that movement was a subtle kind of seduction. Then she realized that, for him, it wasn’t meant to be seductive at all. It was simply a gesture that was as natural to him as breathing.

Which wasn’t doingher breathing a whole lot of good.

"Consider this," he said. "He may not have been given that name because he’s gray and has fangs but because he is Gray’s fang."

"Mother Night," Surreal said, looking down at her Jewel.

He lowered her Jewel until it rested above her br**sts. "The decision about him is yours, and I’ll support any decision you make. But think carefully, Surreal. A Black Widow’s visions should not be dismissed in haste."