1/Kaeleer
Lucivar strode into the training room and surveyed the group assembled for practice. He wasn't sure if he should be glad or not that both Lilith and Alex had come as directed. Yesterday, he'd convinced Daemon to put a Red lock on the door in the great hall, so he'd gone to check on things in Ebon Rih. At the time, he'd been prepared to deal with some tension between them on account of the whole attraction thing.
What he saw this morning was far worse than tension. The undercurrents in the room were ugly enough that instinct nearly convinced him to snap up an Ebon-gray shield. He'd see if not following that instinct would be a mistake he'd regret later. It was enough to get his attention, though. So he signaled to Daemonar, Titian and Andulvar to hold back until he'd assessed the situation before him.
Lucivar studied the trio waiting for him- Jaenelle Saetien, Lilith and Alex. Of the three, only the waif wore any expression that gave him a clue what had gone on while he was away. As for the boyo, Lucivar knew that expressionless mask well enough to be wary. It reminded him of Daemon's, revealing nothing to anyone who hadn't seen what the Sadist had done while wearing it.
But Lucivar had tangled with the Sadist before, so he had some plan how to deal with Alex. It was Lilith's expression that made him uneasy. More than uneasy, actually. He'd never seen someone look that…Mother Night, there wasn't even a word for how she looked. It was emotionless- cold, yet full of a terrible intangible something.
And there stood his niece between them, looking agitated and guilty. Lucivar cast his luck that she might know what was going on with the other two.
*Witch-child, what's going on here?* he sent on a private thread.
*Going on? Nothing. Nothing at all*
*Try again, waif, and make it quick*
*But…*
He just looked at her. Didn't say a word- just looked at her. No witch had ever won against it, and Lucivar saw the moment Jaenelle caved.
*I don't know what happened* she admitted finally.
*You must know something*
*I'll tell you what I saw* She paused. *So, you know how you had me keep Alex busy yesterday?*
Uh oh. He said nothing and let her continue.
*Well, we were talking and he sorta might have said that maybe Lilith shouldn't have been in Hayll to rescue him from Meredith's court. I think he was just being snarly because he thinks it's too dangerous…*
Now Lucivar did try to say something. Tried, but Jaenelle just kept going.
*Only problem is Lilith happened to overhear it and I dunno what she thought he meant- she wouldn't tell me when I asked her- but whatever she thinks, it's pretty bad, and she hasn't said a single word to anyone about it- or about anything else for that matter- since yesterday afternoon*
Having asked for an explanation, he supposed he deserved the headache building behind his eyes. How was anyone supposed to follow any of that? But years of listening to Titian and Jaenelle give similar whirlwind explanations had taught him how to tease out the vital pieces of information. A skill Lucivar was grateful to have right now.
*What did your brother say he meant?*
*He didn't*
*I know you, waif, so didn't you ask him?*
*It's the same as Lilith- he won't say*
This had catastrophe written all over it. Only one thing Lucivar could do; Pretend to ignore the problem and push them until one or the other cracked. Given Alex wore the Ebon-Black, he hoped it would be Lilith. He glanced at her once more. Then again, maybe not.
Might as well get started. Lucivar gave a whistle to Titian and the boyos. They joined him in the training room, but made no move towards the trio opposite them. Not even Titian seemed willing to cross that line, which had to be a first.
At least he'd already prepared them for what they'd see regarding their cousin. Prepared them the best he could have, anyway. So he only caught a couple of sidelong glances at Alex as they judged how closely he resembled their Uncle Daemon. Even so, no one said anything for a few minutes. And then Alex turned to Jaenelle.
"My cousins, I'm guessing?" he queried with a nod in their direction.
"Yep. Uncle Lucivar must have dragged them all the way here from Ebon Rih just to spar with us this morning."
"Lucky us," his nephew replied drily. "I must admit this family's approach to first introductions is unusual."
"Hmmm, I dunno about that," Jaenelle mused. "Hey, Titian, wouldn't you say most Eyriens meet in sparring matches?"
"Pretty common, actually, in Ebon Rih."
"See? Nothing unusual at all."
Oh Mother Night. Not even two days in Kaeleer and the waif was already giving Alex the same nerve-grinding attention she gave the other boyos. But surprisingly, his nephew was more bemused by it than anything. Lucivar bet that wouldn't last long. Best if he intervened, before she provoked him any further.
"Waif, save that sass for practice. You and Titian can spar with Lilith while we work with your brother."
"I wasn't sassing anyone!"
"Yes you were. Now go practice."
His daughter cast a wary look at the two witches- Lilith in particular- before her eyes slanted to him.
*Papa, are you sure sparring is a good idea this morning? Lilith looks…well I've never seen her look like that*
*Keep it slow until we're all warmed up* he ordered. *If this strange mood is still riding her after that, I'll have one of your brothers spar with her*
Or if worse came to worse, he'd get in the circle with her himself.
*Okay, but I don't think they're going to be any more enthusiastic about sparring with her than I am right now*
With that said, she broke their communication thread and headed over to Jaenelle. On the way, she passed Alex as he approached. The boyo looked like hell and Lucivar guessed that he hadn't gotten much sleep last night. The argument with Lilith likely had something to do with that.
Sleep or no sleep- didn't mean he was going to go any easier on Alex.
"So I guess now's when I find out if Lilith was exaggerating about Eyrien practice drills."
For the first time since he'd walked into the room, Lucivar found himself smiling. He called in several practice sticks and handed one to Alex.
"Exaggerating? I highly doubt it, Boyo."
2/Kaeleer
This was not exactly the reunion Titian had been expecting when Papa told her Lilith had come back to Kaeleer. Sure, she'd been shocked when she heard what her friend had been up to- and where. Well, maybe not so shocked about the where. 'Nelle had hinted at it last month, even if she wouldn't say it out loud.
But Titian never would have guessed in a million years that her cousin hadn't died, or that he'd been in Hayll this whole time. How in the name of Hell had Lilith known where to find him? It was all just too much to believe. She had to, though, after seeing Alex beside 'Nelle, looking every bit the younger double of her uncle.
She would have thought reuniting the family would have produced a much…happier…mood. Granted, Papa hadn't told them all of the details last night about what happened, but shouldn't they be relieved to have him back in Kaeleer where he belonged? Titian saw neither of those things in 'Nelle's face- and definitely not in Lilith's.
And it wasn't just her being snarly about early morning drills. No, this was different. Worse than that, really. Maybe she'd find out more about that after warm up, but right now, she called in the practice sticks. 'Nelle groaned at the sight of them.
"Didn't I suffer enough when I was in Askavi?" her cousin lamented.
"According to Papa, no."
"Easy warm up, right? It's been a long while since Lilith has been through the drills."
"Now cousin, you should know better than anyone the answer to that question."
Grumbling, 'Nelle took a practice stick and shed all but her workout clothes. Lilith did the same, but without the grumbling. Her friend hadn't said a single word to anyone since they'd come in. Titian really wanted to say hello to her, but instinct cautioned against it. Instead, she took lead position and began the first set of solo warm up drills.
After the first set was finished, Titian glanced back at the other two to see how they were doing. For someone who hadn't been practicing for several months, Lilith seemed to be keeping up just fine. And since it didn't look like Papa was through with teaching her cousin the basics, Titian began the next set. If they weren't done by then, she would have to switch to the partner exercises.
I sure hope it doesn't come to that.
To her dismay, it did. Titian gritted her teeth and stepped onto what she knew would be a battlefield.
"With just the three of us right now, how do you want to pair up first?"
'Nelle looked at Lilith and chewed her lower lip.
"Well, I suppose you and I could go first," she suggested. "That is, if Lilith could use a break…"
"I'm fine," the other witch interrupted. "And if I'm here, I might as well make the most of it."
Something was very wrong. The words sounded like what Lilith would say, but the tone was alien. It carried none of the usual lilt or cadence that Titian was used to hearing. Just...empty. It made her uneasy, so she sent a message on a private thread to her cousin.
*What is going on with her? That is Lilith, right? Not some fancy Shadow you're testing out on everyone*
*No, it's really her*
*What happened? She's all…* Titian paused, trying to think of words to describe it. *It's like the only thing left of her is the physical shell*
*Later, Titian. I can't talk about any of this now*
At least that was something. But her cousin had a lot of explaining to do whenever 'later' finally happened. Especially if anything went awry this morning. The Lilith looking at Titian right now didn't look like her friend. Didn't look like anyone's friend, for that matter.
"All right. Basic shields okay by you?"
"That will be fine."
"'Nelle, you keep time during the warm up and call it when we're close."
"Will do."
The exercise began. Titian started out easy, testing Lilith's reactions with light contact moves and strikes. But by the time they were five minutes into the warm up, she realized that she was no longer controlling the pace. It was all she could do to keep up with Lilith. They twisted, blocked, parried and danced their way through the steps of the exercise. The whole time, Titian never saw a flicker of expression in the other witch's eyes. Just that queer nothingness.
Thinking about it distracted her one half-second too long, and Lilith moved inside her guard with deadly aim. In that moment, Titian wondered if her basic shield would protect her from the blow- if Lilith would care if it didn't.
The strike never landed.
A full minute may have passed before Titian realized she and Lilith were locked in the final move of the exercise. Lilith's practice stick was a hairsbreadth away from her side. The workout had been intense, and Titian was still trying to catch her breath. But Lilith stood unmoving, hardly winded at all from the exertion. Just that stare.
That's when she realized how quiet the rest of the room had gotten. When she was able to break away from Lilith's gaze, she looked for Papa and her brothers. They were all riveted on her and Lilith. How long had they been watching, Titian had to wonder.
*Witchling, are you all right?*
*Unnerved* she sent back, somewhat shakily. *And a little bit of my pride might be bruised. But other than that, I'm fine*
*Are you sure?*
*Yes, Papa* Titian assured him with a much firmer tone.
That seemed to convince him, and he walked away from the boyos to the center of the room. She knew what was coming next, and so did just about everyone else. Only her newfound cousin seemed in the dark. Oh well, he'd find out soon enough.
"Witchling," her Papa called out. There was no mistaking who he meant. Lilith backed away from Titian and stared at him mutely.
"That's enough warm up. You'll be sparring with me this morning."
She gave him a perfunctory nod and joined him in the middle of the room. Meanwhile, the rest of them took positions around the invisible circle to watch. Titian sided up to 'Nelle, while her brothers stayed close to Alex. Daemonar and Andulvar were mildly interested by the possibility of this sparring lesson with Lilith, but neither of them was overly worried. Her cousin was a whole different story. He looked like he might haul Lilith out of the room the second Papa landed his first strike.
Very interesting. I wonder if that's part of what 'Nelle's going to explain to me later.
No time to think about that, though. The sparring match was about to begin, and something told her that she didn't want to miss any of it.
3/Kaeleer
Alex wasn't sure what he was about to see, but right now he considered Lucivar a brave man if he was willing to face Lilith in the mood she was in. Even if the only weapon in her hand was a stick. He'd just seen what she was capable of when she was 'warming up' with Titan, and hadn't been prepared for even that much. When she said she'd trained with the Eyriens, Alex assumed she meant learning the basics.
But you should have known better, he admitted. If you'd remembered what she was doing when you first saw her with Grael.
Oh yes, he should have remembered the fight with Grael. Even drugged with safframate, Lilith had proven herself very skilled at hand to hand combat. And now that she was clear-headed, those skills were only that much more apparent.
Not to mention deadly.
Lilith could have killed Titian with that final move- even with a just a stick. The control needed to stop that close without finishing the blow was almost more impressive than knowing she could have made it. Lilith must have trained with the Eyriens for years to hone that kind of skill.
Which did not help his ego about his own skills. If he'd had any illusions that he could pick up enough of the basics to work with her this morning, they were gone now. Even though Lucivar had said he learned fast while they were teaching him, he was definitely not fast enough to keep up with her. Oh hell no.
Of course, when Alex had seen Lilith's face as she walked into the training room this morning, he had immediately abandoned any idea that he'd be practicing with her. Or talking to her. Or even getting within five feet of her. He'd thought the look she had given him yesterday afternoon was ominous. Little did he know that it could get worse.
With Lilith, it can always get worse.
"How long do you think it'll take him to wear her out, Daemonar?"
The Eyrien on his right crossed his arms and shrugged at Andulvar, who had asked the question.
"Ten minutes, or even fifteen."
"You think she's got a chance at besting father today?"
"I dunno. Maybe."
"I've got ten marks that says she does."
"What do you think, cousin," Daemonar asked with a sidelong glance at Alex. "Do you think Lilith will be able to out-maneuver an Eyrien Warrior?"
From what Alex had understood since leaving Draega, Lucivar wasn't your average Eyrien Warrior. He was one of the greatest who ever lived. Could any witch be expected to take him on and win? Alex had his doubts, and answered Daemonar's question with one of his own.
"Why'd he decide to let her try?"
"That partner warm-up with Titian was a little too intense- even for Lilith. Father's going to push her with a sparring match to find out what's behind it."
And that could be any number of unpleasant things she might say about him. If Alex was lucky, Lilith would stick to the mishap from yesterday afternoon. But if Lucivar pushed her really hard, who knows what she might say. He was not liking this at all.
"Does it really work?"
"Most times- not always, though," Andulvar replied in a low voice.
"Just watch, cousin, and you'll see. They're about to begin."
Reluctantly, Alex turned his attention back to the pair squaring off in the middle of the room. And then as if on cue, they lunged at one another in a series of lightning fast moves. Even before they'd completed the first parry, he felt himself rise to the killing edge. Unprepared for that reaction, Alex fought to maintain control. If it slipped out of his grasp, there'd be no telling what he'd unleash in this room.
Lucivar's not deliberately trying to hurt Lilith- it's just an exercise.
He repeated that to himself over and over again in those first few minutes, when instinct was telling him to bring all his rage down on the man. It was difficult not to follow that instinct. Although Daemonar might have called this a sparring match, from his perspective, it was violence raised to an art form. A beautiful, deadly dance- where a misstep could be disastrous.
As the minutes passed, Lucivar increased his speed and the intricacy of the moves. Lilith showed no sign of giving in. She looked determined, but aside from that, not even the tiniest crack in that expressionless gaze. Whatever the Eyrien had hoped to pry loose wasn't going as planned.
Eventually, their sticks met and held. Lilith and Lucivar were only inches apart, staring one another in the eye. The Eyrien backed away first, and rested the point of his weapon on the ground. Both of them said nothing for a half minute, breathing heavily from the workout. Lucivar spoke first.
"All right, witchling, that's time enough. We'll call it a draw."
"Sounds fair."
He studied her somewhat warily.
"Good to see that you haven't gotten out of practice in the three months you were in Hayll."
"It's not hard to find opportunities to practice."
Alex had to bite his tongue not to point out just what kind of opportunities crossed her path in Hayll. Instead, he merely waited to see what Lucivar would do next.
"I think you've had enough practice for this morning, witchling. Just make sure you take a long walk back to your suite before heading to breakfast."
Lilith nodded, turning on her heel towards 'Nelle and Titian. On her way out, she handed her stick to his sister without even slowing her pace. And then she was gone.
Alex waited a minute or two before he let out the breath he'd been holding. Apparently, he wasn't the only one. No sooner had he done so, everyone else in the room seemed to come to life. They all gravitated towards the middle, where Lucivar and Lilith had been sparring. Before Alex could say anything, Daemonar spoke up.
"You probably could have had her beaten in another five minutes. Why'd you give up?"
"Another five minutes and she may have beaten me, Boyo. And in the mood she was in, that was not a chance I wanted to take."
The younger Eyriens exchanged glances.
"Yeaaah…we noticed she was a little scarier than usual today," Andulvar said.
"A lot scarier," Daemonar added. "What's the deal with that, anyway?"
Lucivar turned towards Alex, which prompted the rest of them to do the same. Not a good sign.
"My understanding of it is your cousin and the Lady had a difference of opinion. As you can see, her mood has not improved since."
"Difference of opinion? Over what?"
All eyes were on him again, and Alex resisted the urge to shift uncomfortably on his feet. Especially at the look Lucivar was giving him. And the slightly apologetic and somewhat guilty look from 'Nelle. Mother Night, what did she tell him?
"That's what I'd like to know, too," Lucivar replied with a grim nod. "Because nobody seems to know what the disagreement was about."
They were all silent, waiting for him to answer. Alex really didn't have one. Because she wasn't this upset over him saying Hayll was too dangerous for her. She'd heard that before, and would have had some sharp retort like the last time he'd said it. Her reaction this time was much different, over something very different.
I wish she would just argue it out with me.
The strangeness of that thought hit him a second later. Never in his life would he have imagined a time when he'd find arguing with a witch preferable to avoiding one. No time to ponder on that just now, since Lucivar was waiting. Hell's fire, they were all waiting.
So what did he say? Better to stick with what he didn't know instead of making any suggestions.
"If you think I know the answer, you're mistaken. Lilith hasn't offered to enlighten me as to why she's so upset this time. Last time I said Hayll was no place for witches like her, she just snarled and froze me out for an afternoon."
"That'd be more typical for her," Titian agreed.
"Well, I suggest someone-" he looked directly at 'Nelle, and then Alex, as he spoke "-sort it out with her, and fast. Somebody's gonna get seriously hurt if we don't know just how angry she is under all that controlled calm."
"What do you expect me to do about it," 'Nelle bemoaned. "I spent several hours yesterday trying to weasel it out of her, and all it earned me was a door slammed in my face."
"Today's a new day, waif, so try again. Whatever it takes."
His sister said nothing- aloud anyway. From the look on her face, she was inwardly cursing. Alex couldn't blame her, since he was thinking much the same thing. He was pretty sure that order from Lucivar included him as well. And even if it didn't, Haedyn and Taenne had already ordered him to 'fix' what was bothering Lilith.
With that subject covered, the Eyrien's mind shifted back to their training. If Alex had hoped the sparring match with Lilith would be the end of that, he was sorely mistaken. Lucivar ordered everyone off in pairs to work for a while. By the time they'd practiced enough to suit him, Alex ached in nearly every muscle he ever knew he had.
Andulvar must have noticed his stiff shuffle as they left the room, and gave him a knowing smile.
Yeah, of course you'd be smiling, Alex thought darkly. That last set of moves you had me work through were not 'easy' like you'd promised.
"It'll get easier," the Eyrien assured him. "After the first few months, you won't feel a thing."
Months. Mother Night, Alex did not want to envision that future at all.
"I'll believe that as much as I believe you were telling the truth when you said 'easy' before."
The smile widened.
"Father's right- you do learn quick. It took 'Nelle a lot longer to come to that conclusion when we started training her."
She must have heard that remark, and caught up with the two of them.
"That's because when you said it to me, you were much more convincing."
"Face it, cousin, your brother is just smarter than you are."
She flashed them both a furious look, even though Alex didn't feel it was deserved on his end. He couldn't help what Andulvar would say about him.
"You take that back!" she said with a light punch to the Eyrien's shoulder.
"Nuthin' doin'."
"You'll take it back or I'll tell Joach and Kalia you're here to take them for walkies today. All day."
That threat had the desired effect, and Andulvar frowned. It didn't take him long to cave.
"All right, fine. I take it back."
Satisfied, 'Nelle breezed past them and disappeared down the corridor. Hopefully in search of Lilith.
"If she hasn't already started acting that bossy with you, feel very lucky."
"No such luck."
"I suspected as much," the Eyrien said with a shrug. "But if anyone had a shot at it, you did."
"Why?"
Andulvar gave him a sideways look, which Alex understood perfectly well.
"Well, you've got a few advantages the rest of us don't. The best being that your Jewels outrank Twilight's Dawn."
And didn't seem to frighten Andulvar as much as Alex would have guessed. Overall, the reaction from everyone in Kaeleer had been wary. Definitely wary.
They had every reason to be. What had shaped him in Draega hadn't vanished just because he'd left the city. The memory of what he'd nearly done with the two servant witches reminded him that he was always one false move away from becoming that monster again. Unstoppable for everyone, except possibly Lilith.
Does that possibility occur to them? He couldn't believe it didn't. Maybe they see it the same way she does.
"Would seem Lilith's taught her not to care about any of that," Daemonar offered. "Day one, that witch hasn't given a damn that we all out-rank her. No surprise if a little of that rubbed off on 'Nelle."
Alex held back his comments on the subject with difficulty. But he managed to avoid giving away Lilith's secret about her true Jewels. Oh did he want to be around the day everyone found out what they really were, though. It was bound to be entertaining to watch.
They arrived in the dining room soon after that, and Alex was grateful that breakfast was already laid out. A session like that worked up quite the appetite. He chose a seat near the middle of the table, wondering if Daemon Sadi and Surreal would be joining them this early. It was seven-thirty at the latest.
Sure enough, they arrived through one of the other doors. Lilith and 'Nelle were right behind them. The mood of the former didn't seem to have changed since she left the training room. This should be fun.
4/Kaeleer
Everyone was seated and serving themselves from the spread Mrs. Beale had provided. Daemon used the opportunity to take stock of the Lilith situation. One quick look told him it was no better than dinner last night.
*So Prick- how did training go? Doesn't seem like Lilith has worked off whatever mood was riding her yesterday*
*I could kick your ass, old son, for not warning me about the witchling*
*Was it really that bad?*
*Daemon, I don't know what it is, but there's a lot of rage inside that witch. Rage and something else I don't know how to begin describing*
Damn. It was worse than he thought.
*Jaenelle Saetien told me it was nothing more than a misunderstanding in her garden yesterday*
*Yeah, she told me the same thing. Must have been one hell of a misunderstanding if you ask me*
*You didn't let her spar with Alex, did you?*
*Shit no. Lilith nearly took a piece out of Titian during a warm-up exercise. There was no way I let anyone else partner her after that*
*So you sparred with her*
*Thought I could push her enough to get some answers*
Daemon paused before replying. Obviously, Lucivar had come out of it just fine, but something in the tone bespoke uneasiness.
*What happened, Prick?*
*Lilith pushed back. Damn near beat me- would have if I hadn't called it a draw when I did*
*Has she ever been that close?*
*No*
*Be careful, Prick, even if she wears Sapphire*
With that warning, Daemon severed the link and turned his attention back to everyone else. Conversation was minimal, and even Jaenelle seemed unusually quiet. He suspected most of that had to do with Lilith's silence, broken only by rare, tersely spoken phrases. If he didn't have unanswered questions for Lilith about Hayll still, Daemon debated lifting the Black shield to let her go.
That, and knowing that she'd find a way to sneak back to Terreille the moment anyone's back is turned.
Suddenly, Jaenelle perked up and leaned across the table to look at him.
"Oh, Papa, I almost forgot to mention it," she began brightly.
He tried not to wince. "Yes, witch-child?"
"Charlotte will be visiting for a little while. She'll be here this evening."
"I see."
Jaenelle spooned a heap of scrambled eggs onto her plate and mumbled something else. Daemon knew he shouldn't ask, but did anyway.
"What was that?"
"I said that Adrienne might also be coming for a visit."
"When might that be?"
"This evening," she replied innocently.
Mother Night and may the Darkness be merciful. Not all four of them together here in the Hall. Just the thought of it nearly sent Daemon into a panic. Jaenelle and Lilith were a handful. But pairing them with Charlotte and Adrienne…Mother Night.
*Courage, old son* Lucivar sent to him on a spear thread. *How bad can it be?*
*Easy for you to say, since you can escape to Ebon Rih*
*Don't worry. I'll be back to keep them in line in the mornings*
While helpful, Daemon doubted even Lucivar's drilling would wear the witches out enough to prevent the upheaval he knew was coming. And then his darling witch child sank his last hope.
"Heather said she was coming, too. Oh, and the boyos. Almost forgot about them."
Was the room tilting? He wasn't sure, but he felt a little light headed. Several minutes of silence passed as he tried to get his brain working again. All the while, Jaenelle Saetien just beamed at him. No doubt loving to see him thrown off stride so completely. Why else would she spring all this on him without warning?
As Daemon glanced at Lilith, he considered one other reason. Maybe Jaenelle was hoping all the added company would thaw the witch's mood and provide a buffer zone between her and Alex. If the plan succeeded, it might be worth the headaches. Might.
"They're all coming here?" he managed to ask.
"Yes, Papa."
"For how long?"
She shrugged. "No one mentioned any particular plans. As long as there's a reason to visit, I imagine."
Meaning until Lilith left. Daemon understood the game now. No doubt their impending guests were all looking forward to the visit for its own sake, but Jaenelle was using it as a way to drive him crazy enough that he might relent and let Lilith go. They'd see who'd win this battle.
*I hope you know what you're doing, witch-child*
*Both of them need the social practice and it's the only way I can think of to distract Lilith enough to put things right*
*And you still don't know more about what went wrong?*
*Unfortunately not*
He wondered if he should even ask the next question. Even if his daughter knew the answer, she may not give it to him in a straight way. Worse yet, she may not know. But a suspicion kept nagging at him, so Daemon asked anyway.
*Should we be worried that she might be dangerous?*
Hesitation hummed across the connection before she came to a decision, albeit a reluctant one.
*Yes*
Nothing more than that. To Daemon, that told him more than enough about the situation. He didn't need to ask if Jaenelle extended the danger to the family. And if Lilith could be dangerous to them, it only added another piece to the puzzle he'd been putting together since she arrived two days ago. Each one tugged at a memory he couldn't quite place. It was damned frustrating.
Daemon resolved to slip out of the Hall tomorrow to visit Tersa and see if she would help with that. For now, he just filed all that away.
*Then I sure hope your plan works*
*So do I*
And what of Alex? Daemon wondered what he thought of their unexpected guests. He knew enough to distrust the impassive expression. After all, it was an exact copy of the one he used. But recognizing a look was not the same as knowing what lay beneath it. For now, whatever his son thought remained a secret.
In truth, he was more worried about Alex's reaction than Lilith's. Three additional witches in the Hall might trigger any number of unpleasant memories of Draega, even if they didn't mean to. But just their presence might be enough to break the leash keeping him from turning savage.
So far, the boyo had maintained more control than Daemon would have expected. He suspected that Lilith had something to do with that. Alex mentioned that she'd spent their two days' travel to the Keep explaining Kaeleer to him. Daemon wouldn't have thought it possible, but maybe she'd actually done more than confuse him.
Stranger things have happened.
Even so, best to keep an eye on all of them until he knew how Alex would react. If the worst should happen, he might be able to shield the witches long enough to reason with the boyo.
Or you might turn yourself into a target in a fight where you aren't wearing the dominant Jewels.
An unpleasant, but all too real, possibility. And if Alex unleashed the Ebon-Black here in the Hall, it was likely he could reduce everything in it to rubble. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.
5/Kaeleer
She wished that she could laugh at the expression on Daemon's face when 'Nelle had told him about Charlotte and the others. If Lilith didn't know better, she'd believe that he was on the edge of a panic attack. Not that she would blame him for it. Yesterday morning, 'Nelle had said it would just be Charlotte and Adrienne. Now it was a whole contingent.
I can bet I know why, she mused.
It was a good plan, and Lilith was grateful that her friend was trying so hard to help her. But reconnecting with everyone wasn't going to 'fix' things with her and Alex the way 'Nelle wanted. Not if Lilith was going to survive here long enough to escape again.
That might be easier if she could act a little more like herself again, though. She'd seen how uneasy Lucivar had been during practice this morning. From the looks Daemon was giving her, he was just as wary. It wouldn't do her any good to have those two keeping such a close eye on her. So maybe it was for the best that 'Nelle had called in everyone to remind her of better times.
From across the table, she saw Titian flick a glance towards her, and down to her plate again. Lilith was sorry that she'd given the witch such a scare this morning. She hadn't meant to let it get that far, but something gripped her the moment she'd walked into that room. It had taken everything she had to stop that final blow from landing.
Even for an Eyrien, not exactly the way to greet a friend you haven't seen in months. She'd have to find a way to apologize for that later. In the meantime…
*When is everyone arriving?* she sent to 'Nelle.
*I told Papa this evening, but likely sooner- why?*
*Gives me an idea how much time I have left to be alone*
*You're not leaving now, are you? Breakfast is hardly started*
Lilith intended to look up at 'Nelle when she answered, but her eyes found their way to Alex instead. He was looking back at her, and must have been for some time. While not completely impassive, the expression on his face was impossible for her to read. But she got the impression that he was not happy about this morning's practice session.
It was difficult, but she dragged her eyes back down to her plate. Half of it remained untouched. Lilith couldn't find an appetite to finish it, and set her fork down.
*Yes, I am*
*But…*
*'Nelle, let it go*
With that, she pushed out her chair and stood. Not surprisingly, she drew the attention of everyone at the table. Thank the Darkness, no one asked where she was going or why. They just let her go. And once she was out of the room, Lilith breathed a little easier.
Until she got to her suite and found Haedyn and Taenne waiting for her, that is. The cats looked positively disgruntled with her. Lilith sighed inwardly and waited for one of them to come out with it. Taenne was more than happy to oblige.
*Supposed to eat* he pointed out in his bossiest of tones.
"I did eat, and now I'm back."
*Not enough*
"I think I know how much I need to eat."
The look he gave her suggested he thought otherwise.
*You trained with our winged Brother this morning*
Lilith crossed the room and stretched out on the bed, trying not to groan at her stiff muscles. Despite practicing on her own while she'd been in Hayll, a workout with Lucivar was still a challenge. She rolled over onto her back, tucking her hands under her head.
"Most certainly did, and I won't be forgetting it any time soon."
*The High Lord's cub trained too?*
"Yes, the Prince was there."
Haedyn jumped onto the bed and flopped down, taking half the space. He regarded her with half-closed eyes, tail twitching.
*You are still angry at him*
"I'm not angry at anyone."
*Yes angry*
She was going to deny it again, but kept silent. Not only would it do her no good, but Lilith knew he was right. She was angry. Mostly with herself, but part of it was directed at Alex.
"Is there some point you're trying to make?"
*Need friends* Taenne insisted.
"Who does- the Prince? Give it a few weeks and he'll make friends here. Trust me, he doesn't need me for that."
*Not true*
Warlord Princes were so incredibly stubborn, no matter what race they came from. How was she supposed to convince Haedyn and Taenne to drop this without getting Alex maimed? Lilith crossed her arms over her eyes and counted to ten before answering.
"It's not practical, don't you see? Once Daemon relents and lets me out of the Hall, I won't be here more than a few days of every month or so. Maybe not even that."
The cats were not so easily convinced.
*Made time for other friends* Haedyn pointed out.
"Yeah, but…"
*Make time for this one, too*
"You don't understand," she replied in weary frustration. "It's not just the time. The Prince doesn't want…"
Lilith caught herself before she finished that thought aloud. Even without raising her head, though, she knew they were watching her expectantly, waiting for her to continue. She flung her arms outward over the still rumpled coverlet and exhaled heavily.
*Doesn't want what?* Taenne prompted.
"It's just better this way," she said at last. "Better to leave things as they are. For me and for the Prince."
They wanted to argue with her, feelings abundantly clear- even without a psychic thread. But something held them back. Lilith curled onto her side and ruffled the fur behind Haedyn's ear. He nuzzled her forehead, eyes sad and dismayed.
And then he jumped down to cross the room. Both he and Taenne gave her one last measured stare before they left. Lilith tried not to wonder what they were up to now. If the Darkness was kind, they would listen to her about this thing with Alex. She didn't want to repeat that conversation again any time soon. Or ever.
It's just better this way, she repeated to herself.