1/Kaeleer

Surreal decided it would be best to keep a fair distance between Lilith and the Warlord Princes. She and Jaenelle Saetien chose a private alcove in the coach and invited the witch to join them. Lilith looked at her other options and had no trouble making a decision. She sank into the seat cushions with a sigh.

"I told the Prince it would be a long night."

The Prince.

Wasn't it strange that Lilith didn't say Alexander? In fact, Surreal hadn't heard her call him anything but Prince since she introduced him. Why weren't they on a first-name basis?

"I tried to tell Papa not to be angry," Jaenelle Saetien said with a shrug. "But you know Papa."

"It's not your fault, 'Nelle. I knew they'd find out eventually."

They were silent for some time before her daughter spoke again.

"You had me really worried this time, Lilith."

"I always come back."

"Yeah, in a few weeks at the most."

"I was fine."

"And your moontimes?"

Lilith grimaced. "I put them off. So the next one is going to hurt like a wicked bitch."

"Papa and Uncle Lucivar will have a field day."

"Oh I won't be staying long enough to worry about that. I'm not crazy."

Surreal could only stare at her incredulously. "Sugar, you don't realize you're not going anywhere until Daemon and Lucivar let you leave."

"That won't be long. They have the Prince to focus on. There won't be time to worry about what I'm up to."

"Lilith, you didn't see Papa when he found out where you'd been. He's going to make this his business."

"Some thanks I get for all this. I do something that needed doing and they're going to give me nothing but hell over it," Lilith muttered.

"As much as I hate to agree with them," Surreal said with a sigh, "they're right. You shouldn't be going into Hayll."

"Why not?"

"It's just too dangerous. Your Jewels may be Sapphire, but they don't outrank the more powerful witches in Meredith's coven- or their pet Warlords."

The witch didn't seem all that impressed by the argument. She merely glanced at Jaenelle and shrugged.

"The aim of my visits to Draega isn't to attract their attention, so that's really not a problem."

"Lilith, you're playing with fire and you'll get burned."

"Already considered the risks when I started this. I went anyway."

"You know," Jaenelle said slowly. "It might be a lot less risky if you had your rank Jewels to back up the Sapphire. You could change your mind and make your Offering."

Oh how the little witchling glared at Jaenelle. "No, that would not be safer. And I'll thank you not to bring it up again."

"Hey, I was only thinking of how you could convince Papa to give you a break about Hayll."

"'Nelle, you know I can't."

Surreal had heard them argue over the Offering topic many times. But she'd never heard Lilith give that particular response. From the tone, she could only draw one conclusion what the witch meant. Surreal refused to believe it was true. She lowered her voice, afraid that the Princes would hear her.

"Sugar, please don't tell me you've been wandering around Hayll and you're still a virgin."

Lilith didn't say anything, but a quick glance at her darling daughter confirmed that she knew the answer. It wasn't the one Surreal wanted. She swore under her breath with every profanity she knew.

"I'm going to pretend I never knew about this and hope that none of them ever find out."

"That'll be kinda hard if she ever has a Virgin Night."

Mother Night, she was right. It wouldn't matter who Lilith selected here in Dhemlan. The second she did decide to have a Virgin Night, Daemon and Lucivar would find out. And they would be livid.

Their only hope was to have it performed somewhere far away from here. Maybe then they would have a slim chance that it might not draw the attention of the SaDiablo males. Surreal let out a breath in a huff.

"We could find someone else who…"

Jaenelle Saetien snorted in amusement. "I wouldn't count on it. Lilith's already scared off every male in all of Kaeleer. The only males with enough brass to dare attempt it would be one of…"

Her voice trailed off suddenly and she stared first at Lilith and then at the group of Warlord Princes on the other side of the coach. She paused a long while on Alexander.

"Hold on, everyone. I've already told you, 'Nelle. No Virgin Night. Ever. So there's no need to worry about who would or wouldn't do it."

"But…" Jaenelle protested with a searching look.

"Ever. I mean it, 'Nelle. So drop it."

Jaenelle looked one more time at Alexander, then slumped into the seat.

"If that's what you want."

"Really, it is."

Surreal felt like she'd just missed something important. But since the two of them agreed to drop the subject, there was no asking about it now. Maybe she'd get Jaenelle Saetien to tell her later. For now, she was just glad the coach was coming to a stop. They were home at last.

2/Kaeleer

Well that hadn't gone well at all. This was not the time to revisit arguments with 'Nelle over an Offering. It definitely wasn't the time to talk about Virgin Nights. Especially hers.

'Nelle knew from past arguments that she didn't want one. And although Lilith hadn't given her any specific details why, her friend wasn't stupid. She knew that it had something to do with a past experience. So if 'Nelle could tell she wasn't a virgin anymore, she'd know something serious had gone wrong in Hayll.

Please just leave it alone, Lilith prayed silently.

*One question and I'll drop this* 'Nelle sent to her on a private thread.

Uncanny that she seemed to know exactly what she'd been thinking. Fortunately, they'd arrived at the Hall. Lilith exited the coach, ducking past the group of Warlord Princes crowding the doorway with as much grace as she could muster. 'Nelle ran to keep up with her.

*Please?*

Lilith relented. *One question- only one and I mean it*

*Are you okay?* She paused. *I mean…really okay?*

She should lie, but since she'd gotten 'Nelle's promise to let it go, she might as well be honest.

*Not yet, but I will be*

*Oh*

'Nelle stopped, and Lilith turned to see the stricken look on her face. She sighed.

*It's not your fault*

*If you'd not gone back for him…*

*'Nelle, it's not your fault*

*You're sure?*

*Yes*

With that, she walked to the front door of the Hall and tried to smile when Beale answered it. He was both surprised and relieved to see her. Haedyn and Taenne must have become very irksome over the past few months waiting for her.

"Good Evening, Beale."

"Good Evening, Lady Lilith."

"I've come to rescue the Hall from the kitties. I hear they have missed me."

The Warlord said nothing, but she could tell her reply was on the mark. As she slipped past him into the foyer, she realized maybe too on the mark. Two pair of baleful eyes bored into her.

*You said not long and you'd be back* Haedyn accused.

A wealth of male bossiness in that tone. Lilith figured she'd better make peace with them quick. The rest of the group was trickling in behind her and she heard their feet shuffle to an immediate stop.

"I know, I know. I broke my promise, but it was important."

*Why important?*

"I had to finish what I'd started. You don't expect me to walk away in the middle of something, do you?"

Taenne shifted his gaze to the group at the door. He immediately noticed Alex.

*You found the High Lord's cub. This is what you went to do*

"Yes," Lilith agreed, although Alex would probably feel insulted to be called a cub. With difficulty, she suppressed the urge to giggle. She did not want to have to explain it, and not just to the kitties.

*Didn't he want to come back?*

"It's complicated."

The cats ignored her response and padded over to Alex. They circled him, tails twitching. The whole room was very tense. To his credit, Alex was doing his best not to be intimidated. But it was hard not to be when facing sixteen hundred pounds of muscles, claws and teeth.

Not to mention the Red Jewels around their necks.

But he stood his ground and stared back. Taenne returned to her first, nuzzling his head against her palm. Lilith relented and scratched behind one of his silky ears. Haedyn soon took up his place on her other side. She gave them one long exasperated look.

"Well?"

*Is good to bring the Warlord Prince here* Haedyn conceded.

*He will be a good mate* Taenne added.

Oh hell's fire, not them, too. Lilith caught herself before replying aloud.

*He's not here to be my mate*

The cats looked at her, and then back to Alex, puzzled.

*Why not?*

*Because I said so*

*Not good reason*

*The Prince agrees with me*

*Foolish male- we will train him*

*Don't you dare say anything to him about being my mate- either of you* she ordered. *In fact, if any of the Kindred mention it, I will not be quick to forgive*

Now they studied her and exchanged glances. At first, Lilith worried that they might actually defy her. But eventually they agreed to keep silent. At least for a little while. The subject was far from closed in their opinion.

"Lilith?" 'Nelle said. "What did they say?"

She forced herself to look back at the SaDiablos. This Hall belonged to them, but right now, they were all held hostage by what these two cats might do if they took exception to Alex. And she was the one thing standing between them. In moments like this, she wondered how none of them suspected what she really was.

The expression on Alex's face was telling. Seeing her with two Arcerian Warlord Princes wasn't something he was prepared for. So she cleared her throat and tried to answer as best as she could.

"Princes Haedyn and Taenne are glad to see the High Lord's son has come home."

A collective sigh of relief went up from 'Nelle and Surreal. Everyone visibly relaxed, and Lilith turned her attention back to the kitties. She needed to be away from here. It was exhausting to keep everything locked down inside her after two solid days with Alex.

*'Nelle, can we find some reason to escape? I so want this night to be over*

*I'll do what I can*

She was still looking at Haedyn when 'Nelle found her voice.

"I dunno about all of you, but I'm tired. Lilith, I can show you to a guest suite."

"I suppose we can wait for tomorrow for the rest of your explanations about Hayll, Lady," Daemon directed at her.

"Thank the Darkness," Lilith answered with a wry smile. "After all, I doubt you'd get anything useful if I fell asleep mid-interrogation."

She saw Surreal and 'Nelle wince at her phrasing. As for Alex, Lilith stole a quick peek at him to see how he was holding up. To everyone else, he probably looked unconcerned. But she could see that he wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of being left alone. He may not like her that much right now, but at least she was something familiar in this place where everything else was so strange.

She'd have to hope that once she and 'Nelle retired for the night, they'd all do the same. For his sake…and theirs.

'Nelle swept over to her and grabbed Lilith's arm.

"Why don't we go find that guest suite before you and Papa get into another argument?"

While the SaDiablo males tried to sputter a reply, they rushed up the stairs. Haedyn and Taenne were more than happy to come along with them. Hopefully, any furniture in the guest suite was sizeable enough to accommodate her and them, because Lilith doubted she'd sleep alone tonight.

Ironic that she felt safer with two Arcerian Warlord Princes than she'd felt in the past two days.

3/Kaeleer

"Mother Night," Alex whispered to himself as he watched Lilith disappear with two of the deadliest predators he'd ever seen in his life. Well, deadliest next to himself- and quite possibly Daemon Sadi.

"Is that what she meant by 'cats'?"

Lucivar glanced at him sideways. "If she was talking about Kindred, that's who she meant."

"What are they?"

"Arcerians. And you're lucky they like you."

"If they didn't, would they eat me? She mentioned not doing something stupid that would get me eaten by the cats."

Strained silence for a few moments while the others tried to think of a suitable answer. Daemon finally found himself equal to the task, and sighed.

"The Lady truly does have a way with words."

"Are they always so…" he couldn't describe it. But apparently, he'd said enough to get the point across.

"Around the Lady, yes."

Well, that spoke volumes. Alex could well imagine that Lilith would have no trouble keeping anyone away with those two around. Maybe the distance between them was a good thing. It meant distance between him and those cats. At least until he had time to learn how to deal with them.

He continued to stare at the empty space they'd occupied a moment ago. Now that Lilith was gone, Alex was feeling somewhat uncertain about his newly acquired family. And they seemed to be just as uncertain about him. He hoped that coming here had been the right thing to do.

"Well, I suppose that's good to know."

Awkward silence. In the end, it was the Eyrien who spoke.

"They sure did find a way to knock us all on our asses, didn't they?"

"Lucivar!"

"What? I'm just saying what we're all thinking."

Surreal shook her head and muttered something under her breath. Then she looked at Alex.

"You'll have to forgive him, Prince. Lucivar is Eyrien, which means he's about as subtle as an avalanche."

Oh there was no way he was going to endure this. It was one thing that Lilith refused to call him by name. That was his own fault. But if he was going to feel like he belonged here, he sure as hell wasn't going to have his family calling him 'Prince' all the time.

"It's Alex," he insisted quickly. "And I take no offense. He's right."

"See, Surreal? At least the Boyo has sense."

Alex could see that she was about to give him a sharp retort, but Daemon intervened.

"Surreal, it's been a long few days. Let it go."

"Tell you what," Lucivar said with a smile. "Why don't you save that temper for practice tomorrow morning? I'll even let you get in the first swing."

"Careful, Sugar, or Lilith and Jaenelle won't be the only ones knocking you on your ass."

Lucivar laughed.

"If you manage to do it, witchling, I'll pay you fifty silver marks."

He was utterly confused. The Eyrien was enjoying the argument with Surreal, provoking her on purpose. And no one else seemed to think it strange at all. That told him just one thing. This was normal. If not in all of Kaeleer, at least in his family.

As Alex puzzled out the strangeness of what he'd just seen, he realized that Daemon was watching him. It was still unnerving how alike in looks they were. Unnerving, but in some ways useful, too. Alex could almost read exactly what his father was about to say in his expression.

"Doesn't make any sense, does it?"

"Honestly, no," Alex admitted.

"I don't know what all you've heard of Kaeleer, but as you can see, it's very different from Hayll."

Lilith had tried to warn him just how different, but Alex hadn't really understood. Now he was beginning to realize that she'd only scratched the surface on the trip here. Perhaps he shouldn't have been so eager to rush through the journey, even if it had meant enduring another night in an inn.

Common sense told him that one more day- hell, even ten more days- wouldn't have been enough to really prepare him for Kaeleer. The only way he was going to deal with this place was to experience it first-hand.

"It most certainly is."

"I imagine it was a long journey to the Keep," Daemon replied after a pause. "There's nothing that can't wait until tomorrow if you want to call it a night."

Alex wasn't sure if the offer was for his benefit, or for theirs. Not that he cared that much at the moment. If it meant time alone to rebalance himself, he'd take it.

"We rode all day to get to the Keep. I could stand some sleep for a few hours," he answered at last.

"Probably best to find a suite in the guest wing," Surreal pointed out. "Or Helene will be riled that we gave him a family suite without letting her give it a thorough going over."

"I'm the Warlord Prince of Dhemlan and tiptoe around the moods of my housekeeper," Daemon muttered in bemusement. "Come on, Boyo, let's get you settled."

Alex followed his father and couldn't resist asking after some time about something that had him curious.

"Why does that mean?"

"It's a common term used to describe males at your age. But if you prefer something else…"

"No, not really. Was just curious."

They continued to walk through the Hall. It wasn't as big or as grand as the Keep, but Alex still felt a little overwhelmed by it. From what he'd seen of the outside, it was at least twice the size of Meredith's Hall. Maybe three times. Alex reminded himself several times that his family actually owned this place. Unbelievable.

"If you don't mind answering a question…" Daemon began after they'd gone a ways.

Alex really wasn't in the mood to answer any more questions for the night. He'd exhausted his social skills for the day. But he couldn't just refuse, either.

"It depends on the question."

Daemon acknowledged the warning with a nod.

"Lilith said the trip took two days, and I can't help wondering why. Even riding the Sapphire Winds wouldn't have taken more than half a day."

"We weren't on the Winds," Alex replied, relieved that it was an easy question. "We took horses."

"Horses?" He could almost hear his father screaming in frustration. "What in the name of Hell was she thinking?"

Alex knew the reason Lilith had given him at the time. It had seemed to make sense, but then he'd gotten so distracted about his family and Kaeleer that he'd never really thought about it. Now that the journey was over, he realized that she'd been exaggerating the danger of using the Winds. Once they'd left Draega, there was no reason not to have used them.

As he and Daemon wound through the corridors of the Hall, he thought of why she might have chosen a longer route. None came to him right away. If the Sapphire took a half a day, the Ebon-Black would have been a few hours. No need to spend all those wretched hours in the saddle. No need to spend that terrible night in the inn. So why had she done it?

Then it struck him- all those long hours. He recalled the book she'd given him and the hours he'd spent reading it. Not to mention the time she'd spent talking about Kaeleer. And learning how to communicate with the Kindred. And the things she'd told him about his family.

All were things that wouldn't have been possible in a journey of a few hours. Alex admitted if not for those two days, coming here would have been a shock beyond what he might have been ready for. Lilith must have known that, so she'd lied and kept her reasons to herself.

As soon as he could figure out how, he ought to thank her for the kindness. But in the meantime, he could at least provide an answer to Daemon's question.

"She was buying time to explain Kaeleer to me."

The man stopped and pivoted slowly on his heel to face him. Sympathy was written all over his expression.

"She was explaining Kaeleer…my condolences. That had to be a very long two days indeed."

"I think she was of the mind it would help."

"They always think they're helping, even when they're really not."

"I had noticed that."

"Do yourself a favor and don't ask Jaenelle Saetien to explain anything. At least not for a while."

"Okay."

They continued walking for some time before Daemon stopped again. He pushed open a door and walked inside. Alex guessed he ought to follow, although it made him uneasy. Family or not, Daemon was a Warlord Prince. A Black Jeweled Warlord Prince whose experience surpassed his.

Alex wasn't sure he trusted him yet.

With that in mind, he snapped up a skintight shield before entering the suite. Daemon was waiting, and raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Well, at least that's one lesson you won't need."

"What?"

"Shielding before walking into an unknown situation, Boyo. That's a very important lesson to remember here in Kaeleer."

"It was an important lesson in Terreille, too," Alex countered coolly.

Daemon's amusement faded, replaced by a look that was both grim and resigned.

"Yes, I know,"

He seemed to want to say something else, but held it back. Alex waited to see what he might say next.

"I'm curious," Daemon said at last. "Why didn't you shield from the beginning- even at the Keep?"

That was a good question. Ordinarily, he would have. But Lilith had been there, and if she'd felt that they weren't in danger it had been good enough for him. A very disturbing thought came to him.

Mother Night, I trust her.

Oh sure, after their first meeting in Draega, Lilith might have earned some trust after she freed him. But he'd let her lead him all the way to Kaeleer. Not once had he thought to question that she might be leading him into a trap or that she wasn't being honest with him about her intentions. Alex couldn't recall ever once shielding himself on the journey. Not at the blacksmith, or the inn, or as Daemon pointed out- at the Keep.

If it had been anyone else, things would have been very different. And right now, Alex did not want to explore the reasons why. But he still needed to answer Daemon's question. Only problem was that he didn't have one.

"I should have," he admitted finally.

The other man studied him thoughtfully, knowing damn well that really wasn't an answer. This place and the people in it were going to be a test of his skills. In Draega, he'd had no trouble staying one step ahead of Meredith's coven bitches, telling them what they wanted to hear and hiding the rest. Kaeleer was going to be more of a challenge.

"There's a book I should get for you. It'll help you adjust to Kaeleer."

Thank the Darkness, Daemon decided to let the matter go. Alex breathed an internal sigh of relief. At the mention of a book, he immediately knew which one he meant.

"You mean this one?" Alex called in the book Lilith had given him. "Lilith gave this to me as we were leaving Draega."

Daemon looked surprised. "I can't believe she gave that to you and was willing to travel two days before she could get away. The Lady is many things, but a fool usually isn't one of them."

Alex wasn't quite sure what to say to that. But he did have one question.

"So it's true- all the things I read?"

"I'm sure it sounds impossible compared to life in Hayll, but yes it is."

Alex studied the book in his hands and managed a wry smile.

"Life here is going to be interesting."

"Of that I have no doubt," Daemon replied, walking to the door. He was almost in the hall when he gave Alex one last look. Alex thought he might say something, but then he walked away.

4/Kaeleer

Surreal was waiting for him when Daemon returned to their suite.

"Sadi, what do you think of all this?"

"I think there are pieces of this story Lilith isn't telling us."

"I think you're right. Jaenelle Saetien knows something, but she wouldn't tell me, either," she snarled at him. "She and Lilith had one of their conversations- you know what kind I mean- while we were in the coach."

"About what?"

"Hell if I know. But whatever they were talking about wasn't the same as what we were talking about amongst the three of us."

"I can find out about it when I talk to Lilith tomorrow."

Surreal shook her head at him.

"Give me a few days to work on Jaenelle first. I think I can get her to explain it to me. You're going to have enough of a time getting answers to what you want to know, anyway."

It was true. So why did he get the feeling that Surreal was the one trying to hide something? He was thinking of a way to bring it up when she spoke up suddenly.

"Sadi, how bad do you think it was for him?"

Deliberate or not, she'd effectively moved their conversation to a new subject. One Daemon wasn't sure he was ready to discuss. Between what Lilith had said and what he'd seen so far, he had no comforting answers.

Daemon collapsed wearily on the edge of the bed, emotionally wrung out. Surreal sat beside him quietly and waited. When he felt strong enough, he made himself look at her. Tears filled her eyes, and he knew he didn't have to say anything. Daemon answered, anyway.

"Those bitches tortured him. They ringed him and tortured our son." He shook with rage…and guilt.

"I let him spend six hundred years in that place."

"Sadi, we both had no idea he was even alive."

"If I'd gone to Hayll even once, I would have known he was there."

"At what cost to you?" she argued. "We may have gotten Alex back, but might have lost you and you know it."

"I could have handled it," he protested with a snarl.

Surreal wasn't deterred one bit. She reached up to hook her hair behind her ears and sighed.

"Lilith said it herself. At best, Draega would have been destroyed if you'd gone. And at worst…"

He knew she was right, but the guilt still burned in him. His son had learned things that Daemon hoped no child of his would ever know. It would take years to undo the damage Meredith and her coven had done. If it could be undone.

Would Alex bear the same scars that Daemon couldn't completely banish in himself? Another snarl fought its way out of him.

"I could still destroy it."

They were both silent for some time before Surreal laid a hand on over his.

"Would you?"

"If I thought it would do any good…yes. But Lilith is right. Crushing Meredith and her court won't fix what's wrong in Hayll."

"What do you think will fix it, Sadi?"

"I wish I knew," he admitted dismally.

Now more than ever he wished he had found a way to rid Hayll of the corruption at the heart of the Territory. Ever since he'd realized what was going on in Hayll, he'd been searching for an answer to stop it. None had come to him. Maybe if it had…

Well, there was no use thinking about what ifs. The fact was he didn't and Alex suffered for it.

"Do you think Lilith knows the answer," Surreal ventured after a while. "She's spent more time in Hayll than anyone else from Kaeleer."

"Don't remind me. I don't want to think of how much danger she put herself in. Or that Jaenelle Saetien knew about it and didn't say anything."

"That's why I wonder if she knows some way of fixing Hayll. She mentioned that she had other interests there- and I'm thinking maybe that's what she's doing."

"I don't care if she thinks she knows…the witch only wears a Sapphire jewel and has no business skulking around the slums of Draega. She'd end up dead or worse."

"So if she made an Offering and wore the Gray or the Ebon-Gray, you'd be okay with it?"

"Hell's fire no."

"What are you going to do about her, then? Sadi, she's going to keep going, whether you like it or not."

"The Lady isn't going anywhere," Daemon said, deadly calm.

To prove he meant it, he keyed the shields in the Hall. The power of the Black rolled through every stone and sealed virtually everyone inside. No one would be leaving the Hall without his say so.

Surreal said nothing at first, and then sighed.

"She's not going to be happy about this."

No, Lilith certainly wouldn't be happy about any of this. Not one bit. No doubt tomorrow when he spoke to her, she'd have a lot to say about being shut up here.

"She'll be alive," he replied resolutely. "That I can live with."

"Can you live with what might happen to Hayll if she doesn't go back?"

"Be serious, Surreal. What could happen?"

She shook her head and gripped his hand tightly for a moment.

"I don't know, but I have this feeling that there's something we don't know about her, and it has to do with why she keeps going there."

Daemon had no idea why Lilith kept going to Hayll, but even if it did have something to do with healing the Territory he didn't care. She would not be going back.