Daemon lazily let his eyes flutter open. His chest still hurt but not as bad… where the rest of him just ached.
"Easy namesake."
His father's voice filled with worry not anger. Then something pressed to his dry lips. A reed. Something the coven discovered as children to drink from and annoy the adults. Still he accepted the drink. Tonic he corrected after a sip and the warmth flowed through him easing his lungs. "Father?"
"You're in your private room. Karla is currently deciding who has access to this part of the Keep."
For a moment he didn't speak then, "Draca agreed?"
Too much of a small boy in those words and nothing of the warlord prince. "Draca is practical. You need to step back to feel safe. Even within her home. If this is what you need she is pleased to accommodate you for as long as you need. Whenever you need."
Something wasn't right here… something… carefully he asked, "Did you speak to that lady?"
So much fear in those words. Too much for a man to have and still think he was wanted by his queen… or for that matter by anyone. "Are you ready to listen?"
Slowly he sat up in the bed. If he was going to be condemned he was going to face it head on. "Yes."
Saetan looked into his son's eyes making sure he had his full attention. Didn't like what he saw no more than Karla had. "The Lady will be at the Hall in the Dark realm till later tonight. But Yes I have spoken to her."
"Is it acceptable for me to remain here?"
Too much worry… and too much of a small child testing to see how much trouble he was in. "If the lady accepts it or not is of no consequence. Draca has given you this area. It is now a restricted place open only to those you allow with the acceptation of those who serve the Keep itself."
For a long time Daemon was quite. Finally he nodded. Not really understanding but accepting what was being said without question. "How did I get here?"
"My darling you have been in a healing sleep for two days. Karla didn't like how you were breathing. However it gave your uncle and I time to find furniture that would suit the space. Jazen seems pleased with the choices as well as your personal hearth witch."
"I don't have personal hearth witch."
And there was a snarl he was looking for. "You do now. She is responsible for your suite including making sure you have meals. In addition there is a parlor that the healers put together just outside your suite that she will tend to. Both she and Jazen also have rooms close by."
He was unwanted by his queen. Hated by his wife. Despised by his brother and a threat to Witch. So how was being taken care of by anyone proper? The answer… He was a black jeweled warlord prince and they were handling him with care so he wouldn't turn on everyone.
Witch should just break him and save everyone the time and effort of keeping him. No that would be a measure of kindness that he didn't deserve.
Jaenelle shuffled through the gate. Her skull felt like it was going to crack open at any moment. The feeling of the web burning out still making her skin crawl. Yet she was not complaining. No matter how much she wanted to sleep. How much her head ached… she deserved this. She could choose to blame the witch that had created the web. Choose to blame whoever had paid her for that bit of craft. But she was choosing to blame herself for not double checking each gift before she touched it.
She was Witch. The strongest to ever be born before her daughter. She shouldn't have fallen prey to a tangled web.
Now to see what she could fix… and hope Daemon would forgive her. Hope her brother and first escort would be able to look at her and not forever see the events that she forced him to watched. Doubted either would ever be able to ever be alone with her.
Saetan was just outside the room that housed the gate when she stepped into the hallway. "High Lord?"
Saetan narrowed his eyes. "You should be resting."
"Every minute I spend resting both of your sons slip further into themselves… and their own doubt."
Hard to argue when she was right. Lucivar was refusing anything that would help him or even take away a fraction of the pain. And Daemon? Other than eating Jazen was worried that what was in the room was nothing more than an empty husk. "Both Karla and Gabrielle are waiting for you."
She nodded once and shuffled into the private room where both queens were waiting for her. The moment she entered the room Karla narrowed her eyes, "Is the web gone? Completely and totally gone."
How had Karla managed to have that much anger in her voice without showing any outward signs? "I swear by my jewels it's completely burned out. However the items that the webs were attached to are still within the Hall. Because of the way it was made I should not be the one to retrieve it or be near it. Now that it has been activated even shielded I don't know if I would be able to protect myself from it. However it is of no harm to anyone who is not of my blood."
That was more information than any of them had been expecting. "You know how it was made?"
"The web held the answers of how it worked. Another time I might be interested in it. Not today." Carefully she took her seat still keeping her eyes closed. "How is Daemon?"
For a moment neither Karla nor Gabrielle spoke. Then Karla took a deep breath. "Physically he is no worse than he was before your first wedding. Emotionally he's running scared. Mentally? Ashlyn is protecting his chalice. Don't expect your daughter to continue hiding behind the mask we call humanity if her papa becomes anymore unstable. In fact I wouldn't count on your son either."
That made her open her eyes. "You spoke to them?"
"Darling when your children are pissed they don't speak they growl. But they did warn me they will not tolerate anything more happening to their papa. I dare not think about what they can do."
"Mother night." Jaenelle gasped, "What is the chance I'll get close enough to Daemon to speak to him?"
Karla leaned forward not hiding her anger and growled, "The demons of hell would be reborn before you got close enough to Daemon's rooms."
If she would have said Hell would freeze over she would have scare the residents with a winter storm. Having the residents reborn? Not something she could do. Not something anyone could do. The fact that Karla a friend that she had known almost all of her life was this pissed off at her… yes getting near Daemon would be on his terms not hers. "I see."
"However." Gabrielle started seeing Karla was ready to express her anger and frustration before anyone else tried. She called in a silver tray just in front of Jaenelle. Daemon's jewelry sitting on it. "Draca did finish her work. Both his wedding band and Consorts ring now have the same shield that protects the Keep braided into it. It's set so even a shiver of fear or pain and it will protect him. Also while he is in the Keep what protects the Keep now protects Daemon."
"Draca is well beyond mad then."
"Darling, Draca has agreed what happen while you were tangled within the web is not your fault. However not sensing the web is. The spiders are going to help you correct that for future reference."
"In that case I want the entire first circle to learn how to sense this kind of web before it is active. And learn how to defend against it."
"Agreed." Three voiced all equally annoyed with her.
"And Lucivar?"
"Lucivar is harder. He has refused anything that might ease his discomfort. He had a bath soak the first day and a tonic to help him rest. He is hold up in his father's room fighting physical pain along with slowly bleeding from soul wounds. His chalice is shaky but whole but I have the strong sense that one wrong word would shatter it."
Saetan came around to look at his queen, "When he finally sleeps he wakes crying. The one time I wrapped him in a sleep web he nearly broke his chalice running from whatever dark memory he was running from."
"Lucivar doesn't run… He…"
"For 1700 years he had his brother. For the first time he was responsible for causing his brother harm. Not just a game they played to hurt each other but actually held the weapon that hurt his brother. He's having a hard time coming to terms that he almost killed his brother."
Swallowing hard Jaenelle closed her eyes. "High Lord you need to be the one to retrieve the web. Before that please inform Prince Sadi that I am requesting an audience. The place of that audience if granted will be up to him."
Saetan narrowed his golden eyes but said noting as he left the room. Whether or not if he thought it a good idea or not he wouldn't say… but he would convey the message exactly as given to him as well as the answer.
Saetan paused at where the warning web that separated Daemon's private place from the rest of the Keep. Just standing here he could feel the emotions pouring off of his son. Oh he was attempting to mask them… but not well enough.
Caching Jazen's watchful glance he asked, "How is he?" Not that he couldn't figure it out.
Jazen closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "He told Katie, his perusal hearth witch that she as the authority to do just about anything she wants outside his bedroom. He has also refused to step foot outside that room."
Wonderful. He had hoped Daemon would respond better to Jaenelle being in the Keep. Wasn't to surprised that he wasn't. "Did he eat?"
"He had his tonic before the lady arrived."
Not an answer but an answer. Nodding Saetan took the final step into the sitting room. Could just make out another voice coming from the bedroom. Peering into the room, "Peyton?"
Slowly bringing his finger to his lip Peyton pointed to the sitting room. Gliding out of the door he made sure it was closed before speaking, "He's finally resting."
That didn't explain anything. So he waited.
"Lucivar asked me to find out if he would be welcome down here. Game of cards or something."
"And?"
"It would be best if my brother doesn't know both Revenar and myself are second circle."
"Let's go to the parlor and you can tell me what you can't here."
The moment they enter the room the coven had declared as a resting place Peyton to calmly said, "If she comes down here I will do more then beat her ass."
Ignoring the threat Saetan asked, "What about Lucivar?"
"I asked Daemon if he felt up to seeing his brother. HE asked why I was asking. I then very carefully said Lucivar was wanted to play some cards."
"And?"
"And my brother broke. Whatever control he was starting to regain on his emotions snapped. He was telling me… asking me… what he did to piss Lucivar off. Why he wanted to see him in pain. Then how much more flesh he wanted to strip from his body. That was when he felt her step through the gate." Payton paused and turned away from his father, "Given enough time I might be able to get him comfortable for Lucivar to speak to him. As it is right now… I doubt that will ever happen with the lady residing in the Keep."
Shit. "I'll see what I can do. In the mean time see if you can ruffle Lucivar up."
"Father?"
A raised eyebrow was his only response.
"Lucivar is in pain. Physical pain. HE's not letting anyone who might help get within a hundred paces of him. I doubt if Daemon doesn't speak to him soon whatever damage that he is hiding will become permanent."
Carefully moving a stray lock of hair from Daemon's eyes Saetan forced a smile as his son's eyes fluttered open.
"High Lord?"
Not father which Daemon had called him this morning. "Easy namesake. Or your fear is going to damage the healing webs that you need right now."
Daemon wiped his face slowly letting his mind wake up. "Why are you here?"
No easy way to say this. And no way to gauge how his son would react. "Two reason. One your brother needs a good massage." Calling a jar he placed it into Daemon's hand, "Karla made this for you to use."
"Which brother?"
A tiny growl more at from being asked to leave his cozy room or possible be woken up then from the possibility of actually being helpful. "Lucivar. And Before you start explaining why you can't. He asked for you to do so. Apparently his wife can't do what you can." Not exactly but close enough to sounding truthful.
Glancing at the jar Daemon slowly sat up. "Is that why he sent Payton down here?"
Not exactly. "Yes. Peyton didn't get a chance to ask what he needed to."
Vanishing the jar Daemon nodded. "He can come down here."
One problem solved. Maybe. Now just to get his other son down here and convince him this was his idea. A flicker of a thought to Peyton then, "Your other brother and cousin are bringing him down. Expect him to be rumpled."
"Of course. Why would I not think in the time it would take Lucivar to come here that Peyton wouldn't do something to rumple him?"
At least his son was returning. "In the mean time I was asked to convey a message. Your answer will be delivered exactly as you give it to me."
"What message?"
Too much fear and distrust in those words. "The lady is requesting an audience at your discretion."
"What is the continuance of refusing?"
"If you refuse the lady will go stay at either her townhouse in Scelt or at her cabin until you feel up to meeting her. However long that might be."
"She won't come down here?" Not a question a plea.
"No one will come down here unless they have your expressed permission. Except myself. Being your father has its advantages." And there was the ghost of a smile he was hoping for.
"When do you have to give the Lady a response?"
"When it is given to me. However I think spending some time with your brother is more important right now."
And that told him everything he needed to hear. His father would stand by any decision he made regardless of how selfish. At least for the moment.
