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"And the old Priestess?"

Hekatah shrugged delicately "A meal shouldn’t be wasted"

Greer smiled, bowed over the hand she held out to hi, Hekatah performed the first movements of a court dance For seven h her traps, and his retaliation every time he was driven away from a Gate had made even her most loyal servants in the Dark Realm afraid to strike at him For seven months she had failed But so had he

There were very few Priestesses left in Terreille who kne to open the Gates Those who hadn’t gone into hiding after her first warning had been eliest deure out for hiht the black candles in the correct sequence to open a Gate Of course, if he had gone straight to Ebon Askavi, his search would have endeda natural awe of the place into a subtle terror--which wasn’t difficult since the one time she had been inside the Keep the place had terrifiedher Now,no one in Terreille would willingly go there to ask for help or sanctuary unless he was desperate enough to risk anything--and most of the tio and no one he could trust, would continue hiding, searching, running When he finally got to the Gate where she would be waiting, the strain of the past months would make him all the more susceptible to what she’d planned

"Rule Hell while you can, you gutter son of a whore," she said as she hugged herself "This time I have the perfect weapon"

2 / Hell

Saetan opened the door of his private study and froze as the Harpy standing hi the corridor drew back the bowstring and aimed her arrow at his heart

"A rather blunt way of requesting an audience, isn’t it, Titian?" he asked dryly

"None of h Lord," the Harpy snarled

Saetan studied her for aback

into the roo heavily on his cane, he limped to the blackwood desk, settled himself on one corner, and waited

Titian ca like a winter stor him, fearless in her fury, a demon-dead Black Widow Queen of the Dea al Mon Oncewas drawn back, the arrow aimed at Saetan’s heart

His patience, already frayed fro down before I do soret"

Titian didn’t waver "Haven’t you already done soh Lord? Or are you so filled with the pus of jealousy you have no rooret?"

The walls of the Hall ruain"

Reluctantly, Titian vanished the bow and arrow

Saetan crossed his arms "Actually, your forbearance surprisesbefore now"

Titian hissed "Then it’s true? She walks a in her "And if it is?"

Titian looked at him for one awful moment, then threw back her head and keened

Saetan stared at her, shaken He had known the ruh Hell He had expected that Titian, like Char, the leader of thecildru dyathe, would seek him out He had expected their fury Their fury he could face Their hatred he could accept But not this

"Titian," he said, his voice unsteady "Titian, come here"

Titian continued to keen

Saetan limped over to her She didn’t seehtly against hi silver hair, and ue

"Titian," he said gently when the keening faded to a whimper, "I’m truly sorry for the pain I’ve caused you, but it couldn’t be helped"

Titian buried her fist in his belly and sent hi

"You’re sorry," she snarled as she stormed around the room "Well, so am I I’m sorry it was only utted for this! Jealous old manBeast! Couldn’t you let her enjoy an innocent ro her apart out of spite?"

Finally able to catch his breath, Saetan propped himself up on one elbow "Witch doesn’t becomecildru dyathe, Titian," he said coldly "Witch doesn’t become one of the demon-dead So tellthecildru dyathe, or that I leave a vulnerable young girl open to further enee blue eyes She leaned over Saetan, searching his face "Witch can’t become demon-dead?"