1/Kaeleer

It was times like this that Daemon Sadi missed his father- his advice in particular. Over seven hundred years ago, Saetan SaDiablo had returned to the Darkness, leaving Daemon to assume the roles of family patriarch and the High Lord of Hell. Of the two, he found the patriarch more challenging. Particularly during those times he squared off with Jaenelle Saetien.

Times like today. Dinner at SaDiablo Hall had started almost a half hour ago, giving him the opportunity to corner his daughter into a conversation she'd been dodging for nearly a week. As the strongest living Blood male, he'd think he would have some leverage against one witchling. But not even the Black stood a chance.

Daemon cast his golden gaze around the table, noticing that Jaenelle was careful keep her eyes focused on anything but him. If it had been anyone else, he wouldn't have thought much of it. Witches might steal a look when they thought he wouldn't notice, but very few wanted his direct attention focused on them. Those few who could handle it were the people he called family.

So Daemon could tell when something wasn't right with them. He was convinced that something was worrying Jaenelle Saetien. For a few weeks, he thought she was just more distracted than usual. That wasn't it. His darling witch-child was obviously upset and was trying to hide it from all of them. Mostly from him.

And it wasn't just her, either. The cats were behaving strangely the past month. Perhaps alarmingly agitated was a better way of describing them. Or so Helene and Beale told him- several times. Given what Daemon had seen this morning, he had to agree with them. Hell's fire, any man would be nervous after walking in on that argument.

Jaenelle had been standing between the cats and the front door, a furiously determined look on her face. Haedyn was pacing, a low growl rumbling through the Hall. Nose to nose with her was Taenne, also growling. Daemon had no idea what passed between them, but the tension in that room had been too high to pass off as a typical spat. Now seemed as good a time as any to ask her about it.

"So tell me, witch-child, what exactly were you and the cats debating earlier?"

The fork stopped halfway to Jaenelle's mouth. But he had to give her credit. She didn't flinch. Carefully, she set the fork down again and shrugged.

"You know the kitties. They were just mad that I wasn't letting them do what they wanted to do, that's all."

"And just what was that?"

"Nothing important, Papa. It was just a little argument."

From the look Surreal was giving him, she believed that answer about as much as he did. Jaenelle always had a slight change in her tone when she was trying to gloss over something in front of them. Daemon heard it now.

"I saw that argument. It was far from little."

"Haedyn and Taenne were being snarly, but they really didn't mean it."

Everyone at the table stared at her.

"If it had been anyone else, witch-child, those cats would have been using teeth and claws."

"Papa…"

"Jaenelle Saetien," he replied in a calm voice. "What was this all about?"

Several minutes passed as she looked from him to Surreal and back. Finally, she gave in.

"Look, Lilith said that they had to stay here until she came back to visit again. I guess the kitties got tired of waiting, and wanted to go looking for her instead."

Lilith. He might have known it had something to do with her. That witch was an unsolved puzzle. On the surface, she seemed perfectly ordinary. She wasn't born into any particular caste, although her Birthright Jewel was Sapphire. From what he knew, her family wasn't any of the aristos in Dhemlan. All very ordinary.

Until you started to look more closely.

For one, she was friends with Jaenelle Saetien, and that is not something that most ordinary people could handle. Lilith coped with everything from the terrifying Craft experiments to the nerve-grinding way his daughter leapt into everything. At times, better than the family did. Hell's fire, Lilith encouraged it.

Not only was she friends with Jaenelle, but she also had ties to strong witches in other territories. Charlotte in Glacia and Adrienne in Dea al Mon, to name a few of the more daunting ones. He shuddered at what those four witches could do to Kaeleer if they set their minds to something. Needless to say, Lilith had no qualms about dealing with the more feral races in this realm.

And speaking of feral, Daemon didn't want to get started on her relationship with the Kindred. How the hell did he explain the proprietary claim that Taenne and Haedyn had assumed over Lilith? No one entered her suite in the Hall without their permission- not even him. Hell's fire, they got snarly whenever she was approached by someone they didn't know.

Arcerian Warlord Princes didn't react that way, unless you were a Queen. Sapphire Jewels or not. And even then, they rarely acted that way for anyone who wasn't Arcerian. Since Witch walked the Realms, he'd only seen the Kindred be that protective of his daughter.

Daemon's thoughts returned to Lilith's Jewels. True, she was Dhemlan, and would've waited a while to make an Offering. But by now, it was long overdue. Jaenelle had brought it up several times, and every conversation ended the same way. Lilith would side-step the issue with some excuse why not to do it and nothing would change.

Perhaps what bothered him most was that he couldn't get a sense of what rank Jewel she should wear. At most, they would be Ebon-gray. Rare, but not completely impossible. Given her personality and factoring in everything else he knew, Daemon half expected it.

But even if they would be that dark, he ought to be able to tell. Ever since he received the Black he could always tell a person's Jewels. Daemon was annoyed that as hard as he'd tried, all he ever sensed was the Sapphire.

As he said, a puzzle.

"I suppose depending on which territory she went to visit, it makes sense that they should stay here," Surreal said, breaking into his thoughts. "I can't imagine them staying comfortably in Dea al Mon."

"So Lilith said several times before she left. She put me in charge of keeping those two leashed until she got back."

"And that will be?"

"How should I know," Jaenelle said with a game smile. "It could be a week or it could be a few more months."

Daemon thought he heard her mutter darkly under her breath something that sounded like 'it better not take months'. He had to agree with her. If the cats were this annoyed now, a few more months would be intolerable. But why were they so adamant about going to find Lilith in the first place?

"Maybe sending her a note that the cats are worried would bring her back sooner," Surreal suggested.

"She'll just laugh and say I need the practice dealing with them."

That tone was back in her voice.

"It couldn't hurt to send something, anyway."

"But…"

Daemon pinned his daughter with a look, stopping short whatever excuse she was about to give.

"You don't know where she is, do you, witch-child?"

"It's Lilith- she could be anywhere."

"Didn't she give any indication where she was going before she left?"

Jaenelle Saetien hesitated enough that he was sure the next thing she said would be a half-truth at best. She looked discomfited at being cornered. Good. Now they were getting close to what was on her mind. So Daemon was interested to hear what she'd say.

"She said she had a few things she needed to do in other territories, but didn't get into the specifics. I don't think she really had any concrete plans."

So she knew where Lilith was. And he was willing to bet that the cats knew, too. But none of them wanted anyone else to know where she'd gone. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. Just where in the hell had the witch gone?

"She can't have gone too far," Surreal said. "A letter to Adrienne or Charlotte could tell you if Lilith went to Dea al Mon or Glacia. Heather would know about Dharo."

Jaenelle said nothing, and seemed to pay inordinate attention to the contents of her plate. Surreal looked at him.

*Sadi, what am I missing here? It can't be that hard to locate one witch*

*I agree* he replied. *But our darling daughter doesn't want us to find out where Lilith has gone*

*She lied*

*Almost certainly*

*And you're not going to say anything about it?*

Daemon debated how to answer. He could try to pry the truth out of Jaenelle, which could take the rest of the evening or longer. Or he could let her think she'd won for now, and try again later when she might be less guarded with her answers.

*For now, yes. But when Lilith returns, I'm going to want to know where she disappeared to this time, and she's going to answer me*

*Don't let Jaenelle hear you say that, or she might tip off her friend and Lilith will steer clear of the Hall to avoid an argument*

*We can't be talking about the same witch. Last time she was here, I recall one hell of an argument with Andulvar over Eyrien lore and legends*

*Fair point*

"All right, witch-child, we'll leave it go a while and see if she turns up in a few days or so. But it's up to you to keep those two from terrorizing the Hall in the meantime."

"Yes sir," Jaenelle beamed as she stabbed a forkful of carrots. "Maybe I'll take them out to the cabin for a while in Askavi. They will have fun there and Lilith never said they had to stay in the Hall itself."

Daemon tried not to imagine what Lucivar would think of having Jaenelle and the two cats in Askavi for an extended visit. He supposed he ought to do his brother a kindness and warn him.

*Prick* he called on an Ebon-gray thread.

*Bastard?*

*I hope you are up for an exciting week*

*Just how exciting* Lucivar replied warily.

*Jaenelle Saetien is going to the cabin for a while*

*Uh huh…and?*

*She's bringing the cats*

*What do you mean 'a while'? How long are they planning to stay?*

*I don't know- hopefully only a week or so*

His brother was silent for a long time. Daemon could almost feel him counting to ten to regain his balance before answering. Several times. But when he was finally ready to ask, Lucivar sent him one question.

*Is there some reason they're not going to Glacia or Arceria? If you just want them out of your hair for a while, It would make more sense to send them to Charlotte*

*Askavi is as far as we send them until Lady Lilith returns from wherever she's gone to lately*

*Let me guess- you don't know when that will be?*

*Not even Jaenelle seems to know, and it's making the cats edgy*

*Well, I guess the Boyos could use some practice sparring against a non-human opponent. Maybe that will help take that edge off the waiting*

Only Lucivar would think physical combat with six hundred pounds of annoyed Arcerian cat was a good idea. For the hundredth time, Daemon was glad not to have been born Eyrien. He sure didn't envy the days ahead for his nephews. They had enough to contend with Jaenelle without adding the cats on top of it.

*If they get too troublesome, just send them back*

*If you're going to say that, you might as well not send them*

*You know what I mean, Prick*

*Yeah, old son, I do. Don't you worry- we'll all do fine*

With that, he broke the link. Surreal and Jaenelle had been discussing preparations for the trip. Daemon gave them a small smile.

"Well, I hope you plan to take sparring clothes with you, because your uncle is making his own preparations for your visit."

2/Kaeleer

'Nelle groaned loudly in protest. That was the last thing she needed when she took the cats to Askavi. True, maybe it might be good for them. But her uncle had a knack for using the training ring for more than sparring sticks. It would be easy to let something slip by accident.

"Couldn't you just have let me get there without telling him first? How am I supposed to have any fun while I'm there now?"

"And have him landing on my doorstep at the crack of dawn to explain why I dumped all of you on him unannounced? I think not, witch-child."

She might as well give up. It was enough of a victory that her father let it go about where Lilith was. At least for now. 'Nelle wasn't naïve enough to think that it was closed for good. Especially if Lilith didn't come back in a week or so. This was just a short reprieve. Just how short might depend on how things went in Askavi with Lucivar.

"I guess that's fair."

"We'll see if you still say that after you return," her mother said with a laugh.

With what she hoped was a smile, Jaenelle stood up and pushed away from the table.

"I guess we'll find out, won't we? Meanwhile, I ought to pack and talk to the kitties about the change in plans."

"Good luck with that."

"We'll be sure to stop by before leaving."

Giving her parents little chance to argue about her leaving tonight, she escaped the dining room. At the same time, she hoped that Lilith wouldn't be too upset that she bent the rules a little by leaving the Hall. But she never did say that they had to stay here- or even in Dhemlan- the whole time.

If Lilith got snarly over it, 'Nelle would just point out that she was only supposed to be gone a week, tops. It was going on well over a month, and she hadn't bargained for reining in Haedyn and Taenne for this long. No one could be expected to do it without having some escape. As big as the Hall was, it still felt small when it was meant to be a cage.

Trapped here with those two, it was hardly otherwise.

She found Haedyn and Taenne skulking around her suite, obviously still spoiling for a fight from earlier. 'Nelle sighed.

"Okay, I know you're frustrated and worried, but we have to trust that Lilith knows what she's doing."

*Too long*

*Is wrong*

"Yes, it's obvious that something hasn't gone as planned. But I'm sure that she's just fine."

*Not fine*

"Okay, you win. I'm scared to death that she's in real trouble. But we all agreed to the rules when Lilith left, and you know what she said would happen if we broke them."

Both cats looked chagrined, and stopped pacing long enough for 'Nelle to focus. She shook her head at them.

"What if we compromise?"

*What compromise?* Haedyn wanted to know.

"We won't go looking for her, but we'll at least get away from the Hall for a little while. I thought maybe we'd go visit Askavi. Maybe Lucivar will spend some time training you both how to fight against man-made weapons and you can convince Lilith to let you go with her next time."

May her friend forgive her for putting that thought in their heads. Boy would Lilith be annoyed when she got back and found Haedyn and Taenne had taken away her best argument for not coming to Terreille. She always said that they didn't have enough experience fighting against a human opponent to be safe in Draega.

If they stayed in Askavi for more than a few weeks, Lucivar could fix that easily. 'Nelle smiled to herself. All the more reason she had to hope that Lilith came back soon. Though it would be fun to tease her when the kitties showed her that they could defend themselves just fine.

"So? What do you think?"

*Yes- a good plan*

*Leave now?*

"Well yes, that was the idea. I need to pack some things first, though."

Like her entire stash of supplies to do some dream weaving. Papa didn't come into her suite often, and he would never look at one of her webs without an invitation, but there were some things she didn't like doing here in the Hall. The cabin in Askavi would be a better place for it. So long as one of her cousins didn't tattle on her to Lucivar.

In all, it took 'Nelle very little time to pack up a few bags. The essentials would all be in the cabin, anyway. Even so, the cats were pacing with impatience to be gone from the Hall. They had certainly fixated on the idea of going to Askavi. Especially the part about learning to spar with humans so Lilith couldn't leave them behind again. Maybe it hadn't been a good idea to bring that idea up to them so quickly.

"All right, all right, I'm ready. We can go now."

*Red Wind?*

"First stop is downstairs to tell Papa we're leaving, and then we'll take the Winds to Askavi."

The cats didn't argue, and filed out of the suite in front of her. Haedyn lead the way to the front hall, Taenne taking up the rear position behind her. 'Nelle wasn't sure if she should be amused or annoyed with them. But she set that thought aside when she saw her father waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. She paused, hoping that he wouldn't have any surprises for her.

"You packed quickly, witch-child."

"I had two good motivators," she said, nodding to the two cats.

"So I see. Be careful, witch-child."

"Of course I will, Papa." 'Nelle kissed him lightly on the cheek and continued on her way to the door. "We'll all have a good time, you'll see."

His look was bemused, but her father didn't say anything as they slipped out of the Hall. 'Nelle hoped that this trip to Askavi would give them all something else to focus on for a while. Something other than where Lilith was and when she'd be back.

3/Kaeleer

Tersa studied the web again. The threads were holding, but the balance was still too fragile. Even more so now that Witch had met the Lost Dreamer. The double edged sword. He would save her from herself, or break her like the others before. Too soon to tell.

She'd tried to warn her little Sister- the Boy's special Dream- but Tersa wasn't sure she'd heard all the messages. More understanding from her than from most, but not enough at times. It would have to be enough until Witch brought the Lost Dreamer home. Her Sister would piece together the fragments and warnings then.

But would it be enough? This Dream was much different from the one before it. Had always been different. Now finally the time had come when the Blood was different enough to be a match for the Dream. A chance to be needed and wanted for what it was.

As for the Lost Dreamer, he needed the Dream just as much. Like calls to like and provides balance. Without that balance, the Blood in Kaeleer would always be in danger from him. Tersa shook her head, seeing the shadow warnings of what could be. No, he could not be allowed to turn down that path.

There had to be a way to save them- both the Lost Dreamer and the Dream. And to save all of the Blood in turn.