AN: Yay! This chapter was fun. I loved writing all the dialogue between Nephamael and Dulcamara! The thought of them being siblings makes a lot of sense; they are very similar in certain ways...I think someone may have mentioned the idea on Holly Black's LiveJournal...I also focused on setting description (this is a lot for me: I actually thought it out this time). And I chose to put the thing with Neph and the never (I don't know what faeries would call it) in, because he would have to take something to be as powerful as he is with that iron constantly draining him like that...And it's just sort of ironic, because while he would almost certainly be a target for the poisonings, he managed to avoid it, but ended up being poisoned anyway! And that wasn't even what really killed him!

"My dear brother," Dulcamara purred poisonously, "now is not the time to be seducing some poor girl...Can I have her when you've tired of her?" she asked, swinging her long legs from the high tombstone she was perched upon. It was warmed by the intense sunlight streaming from the cloudless sky, its lettering so worn and faded as to be illegible.

"No," Nephamael snapped, "I may need to keep her alive." His features seemed all the more sharp and unearthly, his pallor almost blindingly white in the sun.

"And if you don't?"

Nephamael smirked. "In that case, I will finish her myself."

"Can I have the boy then?"

Nephamael sighed and began to stroke the rough bark of a nearby tree. "My dear sister," he growled, his sarcasm mocking Dulcamara's, "your appetite for such things is insatiable."

And yours is not? If anything, I get it from you. You are older, after all. And much more promiscuous than I, to be certain. I mean, you have two! And that's quite a low number for you...Not to mention your little affair with Nicnevin...Imagine having seduced the Lady of the Night Court!"

"You speak as though this is a great accomplishment. My Lady is a whore," he stated matter-of-factly. leaning on the tree to catch his weight. He hadn't slept for a good while, and the blinding sunlight streaming in between the branches of the tree was not helping his viciously pounding headache. He closed his eyes for a moment, but the light still seemed to penetrate thoroughly into his skull, despite the shadows the leaves cast on his face.

"And what would that make you? Much more than a whore, certainly. I am sure you have her on her knees nightly, begging you for pleasures intense enough to leave her gasping." The sarcasm was not lost on Nephamael.

He drew in a shaky breath and straightened, determined not to appear weak in front of his sister, who would take any opportunity she had to make use of what disadvantages he may present, however small. Dulcamara laughed, and the sharp sound made him cringe, but only inwardly. He would be sure to take some of that...whatever folk were calling it...ater.

"Are you actually resorting to flattery to get what you want?" he continued smoothly, ignoring her little outburst. "I can assure you that it's not going to work to your benefit."

"Have you spoken to the pixie yet? Are things in order?"

"Aren't you impatient? No, I have not approached her as of now, but things are 'in order', so to speak. I have managed to drive her and her mother a little out of the city and a bit farther into our hands. I must find Nicnevin's new toy; I have been told he may assist me in attaining her for the sacrifice. He loves the pixie girl. I'll love to watch him kill her.." He grinned. "Nicnevin still doesn't know," he added quietly, casting an apprehensive glance around the area, lest anyone may be watching...

Ethine winced as rough bark grazed the long wounds running down her arms, making her shudder. A single auburn leaf fell from the tree to land at Nephamael's feet. He glanced up for a moment, and Ethine dimly realized that she had forgotten the significance of breathing. Fortunately, she had managed to keep herself well-glamoured, and her presence had gone unnoticed--for the moment.

She was admittedly not the tree-climbing type, but Roiben had taught her well...Roiben. He had found her, lying inert on the ground, in a feverish sort of state. He had known there was something wrong, and that Nephamael was almost certainly the cause, but the exact problem had been a mystery to him. He had nursed her back to health; however, he still expected a full explanation from her once this had been done.

She had told him everything, about Nephamael, how she had met him in the Night Court, her powerful attraction to him, how effortlessly he had seduced her, how she had intentionally allowed him to hurt her...It pained Roiben to hear such things, but he had appreciated her honesty. He could not forbid her to see Nephamael, but she could see that it pained him; made him suffer even more than he was already...

She found herself more afraid of what Roiben might do to Nephamael for hurting her...He had seemed out for blood at first...She had meant to speak to Nephamael, to warn him; at the very least touch him, but instead...this had happened...

"Which is why we are here in the middle of the day, instead of sleeping as we should be," Dulcamara protested with a sigh. She studied Nephamael for a moment, then a slow smile spread across her face. She jumped down from the headstone in a single, fluid motion, and stepped closer to him.

"You look quite drained yourself, Nephamael," she said softly, lightly brushing her finger over his iron circlet, leaving a slight burning sensation along the pad of her finger. "What will you do now?"

"Find her, I suppose," he answered, jerking away from Dulcamara's touch. He never knew what that touch might mean. She was very like him in that respect--one never knew when she may be evaluating a person's vulnerabilities..."And take some...whatever it is. As much of it as possible. And sleep. That is undoubtedly an agreeable notion..."

Ethine dug her nails deeper into the bark of the tree, finding it a little softer than she had expected. Her feelings for Roiben were now settled. She would not have him getting hurt...Even if that meant giving up Nephamael and all his beautiful burning...