It was nearing normal evening meal time when Lucivar strode up to Tersa's door. The fact he was about to meet a pregnant black widow made him keep a tight leash on his temper. the fact that Tersa was in there was the reason he had three double whisky's before coming this far. A deep breath then he politely knocked on the cottage door. Would Tersa know about Daemon? Would telling her up set her or… The door creaked opened before he could finish the thought.

A pair of bright gold eyes stared at him and the look on the woman's face was anything but welcoming. "Prince?"

"Lady." He tried to push the door open and found it much heavier then it should be. "I do believe you shouldn't be using craft right now darling."

"Lucivar?"

The boy must be close enough to see him, "I need to speak to the ladies."

"It's ok Ally. It's only Lucivar. He's family."

"I don't give a damn who's family he is if he tries to tell me what I shouldn't be doing he will be missing body parts." She hissed as she let the door open and stepped aside.

"Is Tersa home?" It was just a formality really. He knew with in seconds that she was in the kitchen.

"You're Prince Sadi's brother." Not so much a question as confirmation.

"I am. And make no mistake Tersa is my mother." Where the hell did that come from. Sure it was true but…

"My boy. My winged boy." Tersa shuffled over to him. "Something is wrong. Today is not the day you come."

True it wasn't. Actually he shouldn't be here till next week. "I've come to talk to you and Ally. And maybe have her stay at the Hall for a short time?" HE sounded like a boy asking his mother something… didn't he?

Tersa looked deep into his eyes, "My boy?"

"Is sick. He's fine sweetheart I swear he is, but he can't drain Ally's jewels right now so he asked if I could."

"Yes the girl does need looking after."

"Actually my jewels don't need drained since something has been draining them for me. But if it would make things easier until Prince Sadi is well.. or at least well enough to discuss some things with me I have no problem with standing at the Hall. After all I'm sure Lady Surreal would like some help in getting her child's room ready."

Karla's deposition he could see… Marian? not so much.

Hell

"Aunty Karla?"

Karla glanced over her shoulder at the girl who had been told several times not to come here. "Jaenelle. I thought your papa told you that his realm was off limits?"

"Mama gave me permission for just this one time."

Wonderful. "Alright, I'm listing."

"Papa is sick and needs a healer that knows black widow stuff. Since your both."

Turning back to her friend and sister, "Gabrielle?"

"Go. Our little sister can take the web to the dream weaver."

"Just so you know if I get tossed in cold water I'm telling the prick where to find you."

"I'm demon darling not guardian. He already knows where to find me." The to Jaenelle "Come here. I'll tell you everything u need to know while aunty Karla takes care of your papa."

Karla stepped in the main hall and locked her glacier blue eyes with Surreal. "Kiss kiss."

"Karla?! You're… you…" Surreal took a deep breath. Not long after Silvia married Saetan Jaenelle had went to Glacia to vist her dear friend. That friend and queen had … what they all assumed… died during that visit. Not just her body dyeing but truly burned out with help of Witch. Now that same friend was standing before her… "Daemon knew?"

"Uncle Saetan knew. Daemon found out some years later. Now I was told he was sick and needed a healer that is a black widow. OS do you want to dicuss my little secret or have me help my brother?"

linking her arm with Karla's so she didn't have to rely on the cane Surreal tried to smile, "I don't know how bad. Nurian won't let me in the room and Lucivar wasn't much help with information."

"Lucivar saw him?"

"He did."

At the top of the stairs Karla patted Surreal's hand, "In that case make him seven grave diggers and make sure he drains them.'

"Oh that's mean."

"No darling it's not. It's practical. A drunk Eyrien is easier to deal with then one who is trying and failing to leash his temper. Now go I have work to do."

"Karla?"

"Surreal."

"When this is over …"

"I'll tell you why." Not Daemon but why the deception.

*Yaslana*

*Surreal?* a blend of hope and worry flowed on the thread

*you need to get your ass here. The healer left instructions for you that you will obey*

*Will I?*

that sounded like a challenge * You will or you get to deal with all the children and Daemons' paper work till he's feeling better*

Karla took her first few steps in to Daemon's room and hissed from the smell both physical and physic that she was picking up. "What the Hell?"

Nurian looked up from cleaning a bit of bruised skin that had broken open from swelling, "Lady Karla? I think he was poisoned. Makes no sense really."

"Any objection of me taking over and you assisting?"

"None."

Calling in a thick leather book Karla handed it to her, "Follow the instructions on the first three pages. By this time tomorrow he'll be a pleasantly uncomfortable and sick male but not a nearly dead one. And Nurian, he was poisoned. It would have had contact on the skin not ingested. Whoever did this was clearly a novice."

Lucivar barely took a step into the Hall before he saw Surreal looking a bit to glassy in the eyes, "What instructions?"

Seven glasses appeared just a hint above a side table wobbled then sat down. "You are to drink those before going up stairs."

looking over to the glasses he picked one up and sniffed. Oh there was no way he was drinking these the going up stairs. None. He could take them upstairs the drink them. Hell right now with the head ach he was getting from dealing with Ally and Tersa he welcomed the chance to get stupid drunk before needing to be level headed… "Darling if I drink these I will be no use to anyone. Including a wife who has children to watch."

"Marian helped make them."

"You trust this healer that your daughter knows enough that you agree that I should be drunk."

"I think you should drink one of those before I tell you who your niece brought."

Mother night was this suppose to make sense? "How many have you already had?"

"Enough for everything to be clear in my head. And by the way when we see the little blond hair darling I'm going to kick her ass."

Since witch was just a whisper in the dark he took that as Surreal was beyond drunk. "Alright, Let's go upstairs. And while I drink these you can tell me whatever it is that I need to be drunk for."

Since getting near Deamon's room right now was not an option Lucivar steered Surreal into the first parlor he could find that was on the same floor, then helped her into a chair.

Draining the first glass of strong liquor he asked, "So tell me why am I getting drunk when my brother is hurt and we don't have any answers as to why?"

"Because of the healer that is now tending to him."

"Ok witchling out with it. Who is the healer?"

"Karla."

Karla. Had to be someone else. Karla's ashes were spread over one of her gardens in Glacia. He and rest of the family and coven had been there. Janelle Angeline spread the ashes herself. "Karla?"

"All sharp tongue spiky hair Karla. She didn't just die. I'm going to kick her ass just as soon as Daemon is well."

Draining two more glasses Lucivar landed on the couch. "She's …"

"A guardian. And Uncle Saetan knew. All those years. I could ring his neck."

Which meant Daemon knew and kept it from all of them. "I think the best thing to do is drink these and wait till the darling is done making sure my brother is well enough to have his ass kicked."

"Yes I think that is a wonderful idea. But…"

"but…"

"Before I get that drunk I have a daughter that still has not returned from wherever Karla has been hiding."