1/Kaeleer
Lilith was jarred out of sleep for the umpteenth time this morning. Despite not having to share a bed with Alex again, the nightmares had come back last night. She'd tried to fight it and get as much sleep as she could, but it was time to give up.
That is, if she could get out of bed. The sleeping kitties were taking up most of the room, and wouldn't appreciate being woken up. With a sigh, Lilith wiggled her way around them.
Sunlight poured in through the open window, letting her know it was well past morning. No one had come looking for her, so apparently there was no rush for the answers she'd held back last night. Lilith laid a hand on the sill. The power of the Black hummed in the stone. So, that's why no one was in a hurry. Daemon had sealed the Hall. Surreal had been right. He wasn't going to let her walk away now.
So what did she want to do about it?
In reality, she could make a speedy exit right now and no one would be the wiser for a few hours or so. But then they'd know about her Jewels. If she ever came back to the Hall after that, she'd have to admit to the SaDiablos that she wore more than just the Sapphire.
Worse than that, it would leave Alex here alone with them. After what she'd seen last night, Lilith knew that was not something he was ready for just yet. Two days of travelling had given him a good start, but it hadn't been enough. Anything could set him off, and if she weren't here to control the rage…
I can't be responsible for what might happen to the Blood here, especially 'Nelle and her family.
The selfish part of her was also worried about what Alex might say if he were to explain things without her around. Especially about that last night in Meredith's Hall. Daemon was going to want a better explanation about their escape from Draega, and he would get it from whomever was available. At least if she were here, she had a better chance that of keeping that mess under wraps.
That meant she had to stay. For now.
Lilith stared out the window, but not really seeing anything. Her thoughts were still on Alex. She knew that she was only forestalling what had to happen. Daemon needed to know what she'd done to him. Lilith just wanted a little more time before that day came- before she'd destroy her connection to the one place she felt at home.
With a sigh, Lilith turned back to the inside of the suite. Might as well get started with this day. It was bound to be a long one. She called in a comfortable shirt and pants. If she was going to have an uncomfortable conversation, she wasn't going to be wearing any damn dress. Daemon could growl at her all he liked that she hadn't dressed 'formal'.
The tunic caught on her elbow as she pulled it on, and she cursed herself for not choosing something with buttons. But this was the only thing she had that wasn't in serious need of laundering. She was still muttering darkly when 'Nelle came in.
"Oh good- you're up."
"Did someone finally start to worry if I was still alive?"
"Don't worry. You didn't miss much at breakfast."
"Except breakfast. Cooked by Mrs. Beale."
"Well, yeah."
"Did the Prince at least make it down in time?"
"Yes, he did," 'Nelle said cautiously.
Lilith managed to poke her head out of the tunic and pulled it the rest of the way on. As she reached for the pants, she watched her friend cross the room.
"He was all right, right?" she asked just as cautiously.
"Just a bit…edgy, that's all."
"Well, if it was just edgy, that's no worse than I expected. It'll be a while before the Prince is comfortable here."
"I wasn't complaining," 'Nelle replied quickly, while giving Lilith an odd look. "I'm just glad that you did it and he's really here. The rest will come in time."
Lilith said nothing, but nodded. Meanwhile, 'Nelle perched on the edge of the bed and fussed with Haedyn's fur. The Arcerian raised his head sleepily, but decided he was too tired to care. She studied her friend carefully. Obviously, she was here for a reason.
"Okay, out with it."
'Nelle heaved a sigh.
"You've really got Papa and Uncle Lucivar upset."
"So I've noticed," Lilith said, gesturing to the window.
"They're not going to let you leave this time."
"Give it a few days. They'll want to get the Prince acclimated to Kaeleer, and won't have time for thoughts about me. A few days of nagging at Prince Sadi and he'll more than happy to drop the shield so I can go."
"Do you have to?"
"I can't very well stay here," she snapped, sticking her foot through a pant leg.
"Why not?" 'Nelle shot her a consternated look. "I'd be happy to have you stay a while. Adrienne and Charlotte would come for a visit and we could all see each other at the same time."
Lilith buttoned the pants and considered 'Nelle's offer. Having the four of them together would make for an interesting idea. And possibly useful. More than once, she'd heard Daemon and Lucivar thank the Darkness that it was rare to see more than two of them together. She chuckled to herself.
"Well, that might be more effective than nagging. Have you brought this up to your father yet?"
"I thought it would be a fun surprise."
Lilith doubled over from laughing so hard, her hand gripping the bedpost for support. A fun surprise indeed. She composed herself and sat next to 'Nelle.
"I'm not sure he'd agree with your definition of fun, but I suppose we could find out."
"So you're going to stay?"
"For a while."
They were silent for a few minutes before 'Nelle spoke again.
"Even though you could leave right now if you really wanted to…couldn't you?"
Lilith didn't answer, and looked straight ahead.
"I never realized none of them could tell you were a Black Widow until last night. When you'd said never to make a big deal of it, I didn't realize you were keeping it a secret."
She lifted her shoulders in a small shrug.
"I may have been."
"So back to my original point. To fool Papa, you have to wear at least the Black."
"I don't have to. If they don't know to look for it and I'm here for only a few days at a time, it's not an easy thing to notice."
"Fair enough. But setting all that aside- you do wear the Black, don't you?"
"Do you really think I'm crazy enough to wander Terreille wearing just the Sapphire," Lilith asked, slanting a bemused look at her friend.
"I had hoped not."
"It's not a big deal."
That did not work at all. 'Nelle looked wholly unconvinced, shaking her head at Lilith.
"Nuh uh. You can try that argument on someone else, but I'm not buying it."
"C'mon, 'Nelle. It doesn't change who I am."
"That's not what I'm talking about."
"Isn't that what's most important, though?"
"It's important, Lilith, but you can't brush the rest aside like it doesn't matter. You wear the Sapphire…but you admit to wearing the Black. Don't you see the problem there?"
She did. And so would everyone else the minute 'Nelle blabbed it to the rest of the SaDiablos. Unless she could convince her friend to keep it quiet. But 'Nelle was going to demand information out of her in exchange. Lilith hoped it wouldn't be too much.
"What do you want me to say, 'Nelle?"
"Well I'd like to know how you can wear both Sapphire and Black. Even if you had made an Offering- and we both know you haven't- it's just not possible to descend that far. So there has to be another answer."
"I suspect you have an alternate theory to propose?"
"I think you have more in common with one of my other friends than you've admitted."
Lilith wanted to pretend she didn't understand what 'Nelle was trying to say, but she couldn't lie to her friend. She'd made a point never to lie outright to 'Nelle since they'd met. Avoiding bringing something up was one thing. Now she'd been asked a direct question.
"Perhaps," she replied in an unhappy grumble.
"It's not just the Sapphire and the Black, is it?"
"No, it's not."
"And if I ask you, you'll tell me what they are?"
"If you really want to know, I'll tell you," Lilith promised reluctantly.
Now 'Nelle seemed to hesitate, as if unsure she really wanted to ask her next question. Once the question was asked, there'd be no going back. They'd both have to live with the answer. But as expected, 'Nelle's curiosity got the better of that worry.
"All right, spill. What are your Jewels?"
"Before I tell you, promise me one thing."
"You don't want me to tell Papa, right?"
"Or anyone else. I'm telling you- just you. A Sister's Promise?"
Lilith held out her right hand, palm up, waiting for 'Nelle to decide if she wanted to accept. If she did, the penalty for breaking her promise would be painful- and if Lilith chose, deadly. Her friend didn't take long to make her choice, and laid her right hand on Lilith's, palm down.
"A Sister's Promise- I won't tell anyone," she swore dutifully.
No going back now, Lilith thought to herself. In truth, telling Daemon was the least of her worries about any of this. While unarguably unpleasant, it wasn't what scared her most about revealing her Jewels to 'Nelle.
No, the worst could be so much more than that.
"All right. Clear off the bed a minute and I'll call them in."
They both stood, and Lilith inhaled deeply. It had been a very long time since she'd seen all her Jewels together at once, since she usually called in only one at a time for her pendant. So this would be a new experience for her, too.
Lilith began simple, calling in her lightest Jewels. The White was first. Gradually, she added each rank up through the Black. Two full sets of all thirteen ranks. All uncut. 'Nelle said nothing the whole time, but stared at them intently. She was about to say something when Lilith held her hand for silence.
"I'm not finished yet."
That's when she called in her Ebon-Black Jewels- all seven of them. Thirty-three Jewels in all. It was more power than anyone had ever held since Kaeleer's Heart walked the Realms. In some ways, it was more even than Jaenelle Angelline had commanded. 'Nelle studied them warily before she was able to say anything.
"Mother Night, Lilith," she whispered. "With these you could end the world."
2/Kaeleer
The threads were in place.
Tersa stared at her tangled web. Stared through it into the vision it held. Witch had returned to Kaeleer, and she'd brought the Lost Dreamer with her. But the time in Hayll had only honed the two edged sword. A razor sharp blade poised to sever what it was meant to protect.
Only the Lost Dreamer wasn't the one sharpening it. Witch's hand was on the whetting stone, and every time she touched the blade, it cut deeper. Severed the threads of the web a little more. She would sacrifice the Weaver, thinking that she would save the web. Could not see the Weaver was the web.
Shadows in the echoes; Echoes in the shadows. They were growing stronger.
Tersa had done what she could to warn her Little Sister and her Boy. They would help the Lost Dreamer. And maybe- just maybe- he could reconnect the threads and save the Dream before it was too late.
"Tersa?"
A voice. But not part of the vision. She shifted her eyes away from the web to the journeymaid at the door.
"Tersa, it's midday."
The midday meal would be on the table. It was fourth day- a beef stew with noodles. She nodded at the witch, but turned back to the web. The threads tugged at her. It needed something. Still incomplete.
After a moment, Tersa picked up the spidersilk and added another thread. The vision in the web shifted. A half-heard cry in the darkness. She listened carefully. The cry wandered- a voice lost in a storm. It blew one way and then another, never sure what it wanted to be.
Tersa tensed as she saw what could be if Witch heeded that cry, but not the warning behind it.
"The final slice," she whispered to herself.
"Is everything all right, Tersa?"
"If the web breaks, the cry becomes the weapon."
"The web is safe, Tersa," the witch assured her. "The one you've built there is much more stable than the last."
She couldn't see. Only a journeymaid, still untrained in tangled webs. She couldn't see that for all the stability, this web was more precarious than the other. Tersa tried to find the words to show the witch the truth.
"Tethers and string," she said dismissively. "They mean nothing."
"I promise you, they will hold just fine."
Frustrated, Tersa turned away. It would do no good to try again. Maybe she could get her Little Sister to understand when she visited. She'd promised to come again on first day. The web could wait until then.
"Yes," Tersa agreed at last. "It will hold."
3/Kaeleer
There was no denying it, and Lilith wouldn't lie to her friend. She laced and unlaced her fingers in her lap.
"I know."
"This is why you don't want to make an Offering, isn't it?"
"This is why."
"I wonder what you'd walk away with if you did."
Lilith didn't have to wonder. She already knew what she'd wear if she made an Offering. That kind of power wasn't something she ever wanted to claim, and it wasn't something she was going to tell 'Nelle unless she asked directly. So she shrugged.
"We're not gonna find out, because I'm not doing it."
"Your moontimes must be just awful," 'Nelle commented after a pause.
"They certainly aren't comfortable, that's for sure."
She watched as 'Nelle stepped closer to the bed and seemed to puzzle over something.
"Why'd you pick Sapphire?"
"It made the most sense," Lilith explained, hoping that would be enough. It wasn't.
"You're going to have to say more than that."
"Dark enough that it wasn't strange that I would feel comfortable around your family, but not dark enough to be of interest."
"Lilith, you seem to forget that my aunt is a Purple-Dusk witch."
"Not that kind of interest," she hissed.
Although she was very glad that neither Daemonar nor Andulvar had noticed her in that way. Or that 'Nelle didn't have any other Warlord Prince brothers that may have tried to claim her. Mother Night, what an unpleasant thought. Thankfully, 'Nelle interrupted it by laughing.
"You should see the look on your face. It looks like you just swallowed a pickleberry whole."
"It's not funny."
"Is, too," 'Nelle snickered.
"Anyway," Lilith cut in. "I meant that I didn't want any of your male relatives to get any ideas of interfering in my life more than they already do."
"Well then you might as well tell them what you really wear now, because that boat has sailed after last night."
"We're not telling anyone anything," Lilith muttered darkly. "Enough people know as it is."
"Who else knows?"
Oh hell, she shouldn't have said that. 'Nelle was looking at her and worked out the answer herself.
"It's my brother, isn't it? He knows."
"Kinda," she admitted.
"Kinda like what?"
"Well, he knows that I wear a Sapphire, Ebon-gray and Ebon-Black. But nothing about the rest of these- or how many."
"And how'd that happen?" She paused with a significant and oh-so-irritating look. "Or is that something else I'm not allowed to ask about?"
Lilith smiled at 'Nelle's sass. She was relieved that her friend wasn't running like a scared rabbit after seeing how much power she wielded. Even if the friendship had happened by accident and against her better judgment, Lilith admitted to herself that she needed it. Especially now. She would have been sorry to have lost it.
"No, I suppose you can ask. But I ought to get these put away before anyone else walks in and sees them."
Lilith vanished all but one of her Sapphire Jewels and returned it to its place in her pendant. She re-keyed the illusion that masked the ones she'd hidden away.
"There, much better."
"That is one nifty illusion spell," 'Nelle said with a low whistle. "I can't sense them- even using Twilight's Dawn. You'll have to show me how you did it."
"Were you switching topics, then?"
"No, save that for later. Right now I definitely want to hear how Alex found out about your darker Jewels."
"He wasn't supposed to."
"Big surprise," 'Nelle said, rolling her eyes.
"But I really didn't have a choice about the Ebon-gray, since I needed it to undo a bit of Craft that was keeping him in Meredith's court."
'Nelle's face fell, eyes clouding with sadness. She didn't have to ask what Lilith meant, but she would do it, anyway. It took several tries before she could summon the words.
"That wouldn't be a Ring of Obedience, would it?"
"You've seen his Jewels, 'Nelle. What else could have chained him there?"
"I didn't want to believe it, but I suppose you're right. You really did need to be the one to go, then. I guess I could have done it, too…"
"I wouldn't have risked you going. Twilight's Dawn has the power of the Ebon-gray, but I'm not sure if that would have been enough to release the spell. It definitely doesn't have enough power to finish what else I went there to do, anyway."
'Nelle's mood lightened. She grabbed Lilith's arm in excitement and pulled both of them down to sit on the bed. Haedyn barely avoided having his tail squashed.
"Were you able to do it? I didn't get a chance to ask last night."
Lilith nodded.
"Every Ring is destroyed. Meredith and her coven don't have the knowledge in Craft to create new ones. I took care of that, too. Without that tool, Blood males will be able to thrive again."
"So it's possible that Hayll will heal again."
She certainly hoped so. Lilith worried about the rumors she'd been hearing just before she and Alex had left Draega. It seemed she'd inadvertently given Meredith a new tool to use instead of Rings. From the whispers she'd heard, it was nearly as devastating. And would be just as difficult to eradicate.
"Well, they'll have a hard time doing it without me, so I can't linger here too long."
"I suppose the visit with Adrienne and Charlotte could wait…" 'Nelle trailed off, obviously disappointed.
"No, let's still do that. I can't just waltz out of here right now, anyway."
"Begging your pardon, Lilith, but you can."
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah, I do."
'Nelle cast a sly a look at her, and a sinking feeling settled in her belly. Whatever she was about to say was going to be unpleasant.
"So…you said how he figured out you wore Ebon-gray. How'd you let it slip about the Ebon-Black?"
Dammit.
Lilith had hoped she could redirect 'Nelle's enthusiasm away from that topic. Obviously, it hadn't worked. And since Lilith had told her she could ask, she had to provide an answer. Preferably one that excluded any details about what happened with her and Alex. That would only open the door to letting 'Nelle ask more questions.
"We were hiding out in a suite, and he put up an Ebon-Black shield. I was so focused on planning an escape when the time came that I forgot it was there on the way out again. Passed right through it."
At least that part is the truth, Lilith thought. Granted, a very carefully worded truth. But not a lie. She continued on with the last of the story.
"And once he'd seen that, it seemed kinda stupid to pretend I didn't wear the Ebon-Black."
'Nelle regarded her through narrowed eyes.
"That sounds a lot like the story you told Papa last night about the whole trip. Very lacking in some very important details."
"Yeah, well, I'm sure the Warlord Prince of Dhemlan is going to have plenty of time today to try to get some of those important details during his vigorous cross-examination."
"That's an ugly word."
"Ugly, but fitting for what I expect to happen in that study today."
"You aren't going to lie to him, are you?"
"Not unless I have to."
'Nelle caught her lip in her teeth and chewed it nervously. Lying to the High Lord of Hell was not to be taken lightly, so her friend had the right to be nervous about what might happen if he found out that Lilith hadn't been honest. Even if her Jewels outranked his.
"Relax, 'Nelle. I know what I'm doing."
"If you say so."
They sat silently for a few minutes. And then Lilith's stomach let out a loud gurgle, reminding her that she hadn't eaten in a long while. 'Nelle stared at her and let out a laugh.
"Well, I suppose now would be a good time to head down to the dining room for the midday meal."
"Then we'd better hurry or there won't be much left."
4/Kaeleer
"Agreed," 'Nelle said with a smile. "If you grab your shoes we can be on our way."
"What about you two," Lilith asked the cats. "Are you coming or what?"
*Tired* Haedyn replied. *Stay here*
"I know we got to bed late last night, but it's odd that they're still sleepy."
"They're cats. When they're not hunting, napping is their next favorite activity."
"Yeah, but still…"
Lilith shrugged, but 'Nelle could see shadows in her eyes. Too many shadows for anyone who had slept until nearly noon. But she wasn't going to get an answer out of her friend if she asked about it. The cats, maybe? 'Nelle aimed a private thread at Taenne.
*Any ideas why you all are so tired this morning?*
The tip of his tail twitched in agitation, and his golden eyes flicked to Lilith's back. A low rumble travelled over the connection between them when he finally replied.
*Bad dreams*
*Lilith?*
*Yes, always bad dreams. Worse now*
'Nelle tried not to let it show how much those words cut into her. Lilith had said last night she wasn't okay. Even if she'd insisted it wasn't her fault, 'Nelle still felt responsible. And now she worried more than ever what her friend been hiding when she said things had gotten 'complicated'.
Especially since 'Nelle had noticed one very key difference in Lilith last night. At first, she thought she was just imagining it. The past three months had been nerve-wracking, so it made sense to see problems that weren't really there. But once they'd gotten into the coach, 'Nelle knew it was true.
Lilith may have left for Hayll a virgin, but she didn't come back as one.
'Nelle suspected her brother had something to do with that. Personally. And if she'd gotten out one more question last night before Lilith shut her down, she'd have asked. Of course that would only have led to more questions. The biggest one being why.
From what little she'd heard so far, 'Nelle knew that Alex's experience in Hayll with sex was not a positive one. And Lilith had always been dead set against a Virgin Night. What in the name of Hell could have convinced both of them to do this? At least she hoped it was both of them. 'Nelle didn't like to think that maybe it hadn't been, and that's what had been so complicated.
Or why her friend was having nightmares.
"So am I going downstairs by myself or what," Lilith's voice broke into her unpleasant thoughts.
"What?"
"The midday meal. That's what you came up here to fetch me for, remember?"
The look in Lilith's eyes warned here that she knew what 'Nelle had been thinking about. Just as clear was a warning that discussing it was not an option. Not if she wanted to remain among the living, anyway. So she packed those thoughts away for another time and stood.
"You're right. Let's go."
They crossed the room, leaving the kitties on the bed to keep watch over the suite. Conversation stalled, and it gave 'Nelle time to think. She considered what Lilith had just shown her. Just as she'd suspected, her friend wore more than the Sapphire. But she hadn't been quite prepared to know just how much more.
Mother Night. Two full sets and seven Ebon-Black on top of that. At most, 'Nelle had expected to see maybe the Gray or the Ebon-gray. She had always thought Lilith refused to make an Offering because she'd already made one and didn't want anyone to know. It was equally comforting and disquieting to find out she was wrong.
Comforting since she didn't like to think that Lilith would lie to her. But disquieting to think what it meant if these were her Birthright Jewels. The last to command so many Jewels had been Kaeleer's Heart. Witch. Dreams made Flesh.
'Nelle gathered all she knew about Lilith and laid it out in her mind. The Jewels, for one. Her fixation about healing Hayll. Haedyn and Taenne. Without asking, she couldn't prove that Lilith was Witch. But how could her friend be anything else?
And I promised not to tell anyone, she thought dismally.
Well, that wasn't entirely true. She'd only promised not to tell anyone about Lilith's Jewels. Her speculations about whether or not her friend was Witch weren't part of the promise…technically. But maybe she ought to check Lilith's understanding of their promise before saying anything. Especially if breaking it could get her killed.
"Sooo," she began slowly. "About our Sister's Promise…"
"I wouldn't advise breaking it."
"No, no. That's actually the opposite of what I wanted to know."
"Oh?"
"Let's say I wanted to bounce some ideas off Papa based on what you showed me upstairs."
Lilith slammed to a halt so fast 'Nelle had to back up a step. The eyes that met her gaze were filled with golden ice. No trace of her friend in that face, and 'Nelle admitted to herself that she was afraid. They'd known each other for decades, but this was the first time she'd ever been afraid of Lilith.
She swallowed nervously, and managed to find her voice.
"Maybe I ought to just keep those to myself."
Gradually, the chilling look faded from Lilith's eyes, replaced by something else. Regret? Sadness? 'Nelle couldn't tell, but she was just glad that other look was gone.
"It'd be best if you just let it go altogether, 'Nelle."
"But…"
"Let it go. I didn't show them to you so that you'd start building any crazy theories. And definitely not to get everyone else stirred up."
"All right," she agreed reluctantly. "No chats with Papa."
"Or your mother. Or Lucivar and the rest of the Boyos."
"You really want this tied up with a neat little bow, don't you?"
Lilith sighed, and pushed a strand of black hair out of her face.
"I just want things to stay how they've been," she said quietly, almost to herself. "I want to stay at the Hall for a few days every now and then. To play with the kitties, argue with your insane male relatives, and experiment with Craft with you and Titian. That's all I want."
Small dreams, all in all. Most people wanted so much more. Power, wealth, recognition. Lilith wanted none of that. If that's what would make her happy, then 'Nelle would do her best to let this go.
"I didn't hear on that list anything about Mrs. Beale's cooking," she teased.
A slow smile crossed her friend's lips, and then she made a face.
"Don't ever tell her I forgot or I may never eat in the Hall again."
"Or you'd wind up served as the main course."
The both of them laughed and resumed walking. The dining room was just around the corner. 'Nelle couldn't believe that she'd only left it a half hour or so ago. It felt like she'd been gone much longer. It had nothing to do with the number of minutes- just how much had changed in them.