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"But," Saetan sta "But it’s still dark"

Chaosti, the Child of the Wood, the Dea al Mon Warlord Prince, gave hiles followed Chaosti’s words as Karla and Gabrielle pushed theht

Saetan’s heart pounded The rooht the Council’s eyes had held a feral glitter, but that had been ta

"Black as ht on the edge of ht," Karla added She rested her forear do you think it’s going to take the Council’ to reconsider their decision, High Lord? A day? Maybe two?" She shrugged and rose "Let’s find breakfast"

With Andulvar in the lead, the children drifted out of the fa the Titian had told him years beforeThey knohat she is He saw Khardeen, Aaron, and Chaosti exchange a look before Khary and Aaron followed the others Chaosti stayed by the aiting

Another triangle of power, Saetan thought as he approached theAl and just as deadly May the Darkness help whoever stood in their way "You knew," he said quietly as he stared out theat the ht "You knew"

"Of course," Chaosti said, s "Didn’t you?"

"No"

Chaosti’s sht you orried about as going to happen We didn’t realize you didn’t understand"

"How did you know?"

"She warned them when she set the tered "Obviously the sun wasn’t going to rise"

Saetan closed his eyes He was the Black-Jeweled High Lord of Hell, the Prince of the Darkness He wasn’t sure that was a sufficient match for these children "You’re not afraid of her, are you?"

Chaosti looked startled "Afraid of Jaenelle? Why should I be? She’s my friend, my Sister, and my cousin And she’s the Queen" He tipped his head "Are you?"

"Soht do"

"Being afraid of what sheafraid of Jaenelle" Chaosti hesitated, then added, "She loves you, High Lord You are her father, by her choice Did you really think she’d let you go unless that’s what you wanted?"

Saetan waited until Chaosti joined the others before answering

Yes May the Darkness help hile up his intellect He’d been prepared to destroy the Council in order to keep her He should have re the Council put more scars on his soul

She had stopped the Council, and she had stopped him

It shamed him that he hadn’t understood what Karla, Gabrielle, Chaosti, and the others had known as soon as they heard the phrasing she’d used Loving her as he did, living with her while she stretched daily toward the Queen she’d beco better, he headed for the breakfast roo that still troubled hie between his shoulder blades

How in the name of Hell had Jaenelle done it?

3 / Hell

Hekatah stared out theat the sere landscape Like the other Realms, Hell followed the seasons, but even in suone wrong again So

She’d counted on the Council’s being able to separate Saetan and Jaenelle She hadn’t foreseen the girl resisting in such a spectacular, frightening way

The girl Soto be tapped There had to be a way to reach her, had to be soht took shape, Hekatah began to sainst a father’s affection For all her power, the girl was a softhearted idiot Torn between her own desires and another’s needs--needs she could safely accommodate since she’d already been opened--she’d comply Wouldn’t she? If the male was skilled and attractive? After a while, with the help of an addictive aphrodisiac, she’d need thefar more than she’d need a father Rejection would be all the discipline required if she balked at so her beloved wanted All that dark, lovely power offered to a cock and balls ould, of course, be controlled by Hekatah -

Hekatah nibbled on her thuhtened of

sexual overtures and repelled all advancesNo need to worry about that Saetan would never tolerate it, would never perly believed in sexual pleasure--as strongly as he believed in fidelity The latter had been a nuisance The for would be ripe for the picking in a year or two

Sutter son of a whore was good for solass of brandy before settling into the chair behind his blackwood desk It was barely afternoon, but after three "days" of unyielding night, he doubtedto quibble about when they tossed back the first glass

Saetan steepled his fingers At least the fools in the Council had the sense to send Lord Magstroranted an audience to anyone else But he didn’t like the Warlord’s haggard appearance, and he hoped the elderly man would fully recover from the strain of the past three days He’d spentbetween sunset and sunrise, and even he found this unnatural darkness a strain on his nerves "You wanted to see le" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>