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Yess, Lorn said very quietly You have done well Daemon looked up, looked around When he looked back at Witch, she faded Everything faded

15 / Terreille

Saetan opened his eyes, tried to move, and found himself trapped by tarm bodies curled up around him His sons

Oh, witch-child I hope it orth the price

He tried to rohen he couldn’t, and finally jabbed Lucivar with an elbow

Lucivar just growled back and cuddled closer

He shoved at Lucivar again because he couldn’t, even in this srowl turned into a snarl, but he finally stirred And that woke Daehted you find me such a coe prefers not to sleep on a cold stone floor"

"Neither does ato his feet He rolled his shoulders, stretched his back

Daeht fill Daeerness It broke his heart

He accepted Dae to his feet--and noted Lucivar’s coolness toward his brother That would change Wouldhave to change But Lucivar wouldn’t be approachable until he’d seen Marian and Dae that Eyrien teht now

As he walked to the doors, they fell into step on either side of hiht The whole day had passed

They walked across the open courtyard Lucivar opened the gate

A gust of windSaetan’s attention A scrap of cloth froown

He didn’t ht now," he said quietly "Would you two"

Lucivar looked toward the south, Daemon toward the north After a rim, deliberately calm expression

"There are a few Blood," Daemon said slowly "Not many"

"The same," Lucivar said

A few Only a feeet Darkness, let theo hoh the Gate between the Realms When they walked out of the Altar Room, Daemon and Lucivar both looked in the direction that would lead them to the First Circle--and the others

He turned in the opposite direction, not quite ready to deal as going to come "Come with me" Reluctantly, they obeyed

He led them to a loalled terrace that overlooked Riada, the closest Blood village

Daee Lucivar looked in the direction of the Eyrien cohed with relief "I don’t kno many people had lived there yesterday, but there are still a lot of Blood there"

"Falonar!" Lucivar cried He looked at theht Badly shaken up, but all right"

"Thank the Darkness," Saetan whispered The tears carief Prothvar had said it was a different kind of battlefield but a good one to fight on He’d been right Itwas a worthy battlefield Instead of seeingthose friends would live Char, Dujae, Morton, Titian, Cassandra, Prothvar, Mephis, Andulvar He would ht, hoouldthe song well,it well"

He would have to tell Lucivar and Daemon--and Surreal--about this, too But not yet Not now

He dreaded it, but he knew he couldn’t hold either of theer "Co to have a few things to say about this"

It orse than he’d expected

The coven and the boyos fell all over Lucivar, who had his arreeted with cool reserve Except Karla, who had said, "Kiss kiss," and thenhad kissed hiiven Daemon a cool stare, and said, "You look like shit, Sadi" He would have lashed out at her for that if Daemon hadn’t commented dryly that her corinned at the remark

And Tersa, who had held her son’s face between her hands and looked into his eyes "It will be all right, Daeently "Trust one who sees Itwill be all right"

Saetan wasn’t sure Daemon noticed the coolness, wasn’t sure he even noticed who had greeted hi the roooing to be there

He was trying to think of a reasonable excuse to get Daemon away from the others when Geoffrey appeared at the door "Your presence is requested at the Dark Throne Draca would like to see you"

As they filed out of the room, Saetan stepped in beside Lucivar "Stay close to your brother," he said quietly

"I think it would be better--"

"Don’t think, Prince, just follow orders"