Page 86 (1/2)

Name after name after nana- ture and black-wax seal, was a map of Kaeleer, the Territories that now stood in the shadow of the Keep shaded in Except for Little Terreille and the island that had been granted to the Dark Council centuries ago, the Shadow Realstronature She had stood before the Council twice as a s of what she would become Now they had to deal with a Queen ould not tolerate mistakes

He shuddered and looked at the seal In the center was athe e of the seal were five words in the Old Tongue

A small piece of folded paper suddenly appeared on top of the seal Magstrorabbed it at the same moment Jorval pulled the parchment out of his hands While Jorval and the Second Tribune read the list to the rest of the Council, their voices quivering stro it hidden

A masculine hand had written the same five words that were on the seal Below thestroh Lord stood just outside the open chahtly and vanished the paper, relieved no one had noticed that Saetan had ree

He would take the warning to heart and send a hters had es outside of Little Terreille He’d tell Arnora, his youngest granddaughter, to go to one of her sisters’ homes immediately Once she was there, surely there would be so the new Queen of Dharo or Nharkhava to pernant, frightened babbling, Magstrom felt a nicker of hope for Arnora’s future

He didn’t know the new Queens, but he knew someone who did

After all the whispers, after all the stories, he thought it was fitting irony that the one person he could go to ould syh Lord of Hell

5 / Kaeleer

"I never wanted to rule," Jaenelle said as she and Saetan strolled through the Keep’s ardens "I never wanted power over anyone’s life but my own"

Saetan slipped an arm around her waist "I know That’s why you’re the perfect Queen to rule Kaeleer" When she looked puzzled, he laughed softly "You’re the one person who can weave all the separate strands into a unified hile still encouraging every strand to remain distinct If you promise not to snarl at me, I’ll tell you a secret"

"What? Okay, okay I pro Kaeleer unofficially for years now, and you’re probably the only person who hasn’t realized it"

Jaenelle snarled, thenthat should be so to be much difference between the official Dark Court and the unofficial one that was formed the first summer the coven and the boyos descended on the Hall and made it a second home"

Jaenelle brushed her hair away from her face "Well, if that’s true, then youreally were an idiot not to have realized you would become the Steward since you’ve been the unofficial Steward for at least as long as I’ve been the unofficial Queen"

Since there was no good way to respond to that, he didn’t

"Saetan " Jaenelle nibbled her lower lip "You don’t think they’ll start acting differently now, do you? It’s never° made a difference before, butthe coven and the boyos aren’t going to start acting subservient, are they?"

Saetan raised an eyebrow "I’m surprised any of you know the word, let alone what it ed her "I wouldn’t worry about it I think Lucivar’s about as subservient as he’s going to get"

Jaenelle leaned against hiroaned Then she perked up a bit "Well, that’s one good thing about for for hiering ht better of it She was entitled to a few illusions--especially since they wouldn’t last long

Jaenelle yawned "I’ht" She kissed his cheek "Good night, Papa"

"Good night, witch-child" He waited until she’d gone inside before heading for the far end of the garden

"The waif turned in early?" Andulvar asked, falling into step

"She’s doing the bedtiood Queen, SaDiablo" "The best we’ve ever had" They walked in silence for a couple of ain?" Andulvar nodded "Plenty of indications that she’s got her hooks firn of her Hekatah was always good at staying out of the nastiness once she got it started It still surprises et herself killed in the last war between the Realhed "It ot the kind of power over a Realm that she’s alanted" "Yes, it ht?" "We should warn all the boyos before they return to their own Territories so they knohat to look for in case she tries to coreed But if the Darkness is kind, we’ll have soround under their feet before we have to deal with another of Hekatah’s schemes"