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She didn’t know and didn’t care "If it’s an illusion spell, we could try getting out through theIf it’s not…"

"We e"

She blinked "You think so? Without sooff a table and breaking?"

He shrugged "Jaenelle could have done it She could pick up a house this size and turn it around without causing sothis size and set it down in a different village Or in a finger-snap ht out from under your feet"

"You’ve never seen her do that"

Rainier released the fork, letting the curtain fall back into place "Actually, I have There’s an odd sensation of the floor dropping out froo out Then the lights co on a different sofa, which is actually ure out if she shifted the people or shifted the room"

Surreal felt her jaw drop Then she shook her head Why was she surprised? Before she had shattered herself and her Jewels to save Kaeleer, there had been al Jaenelle couldn’t do

Except basic Craft

"Which do we try?" Rainier asked "Door or ?"

Sage’s voice piped up behind them "Lady Surreal? I need to pee"

"Well," Surreal said to Rainier, "unless you want to try holding her out the , I guess we find out what’s behind the door"

"He flinched" Marian glanced at Daemonar to reassure herself that he was still ht in for hih Lord "Lucivarflinched "

Saetan looked sole his gold eyes "Darling, I heard you the first tinificance of the words that puzzles h to him?

"And this upsets you Why?"

"Because…" Flustered, she pushed her hair back How could she explain if he didn’t--or wouldn’t--understand?

A twitch of his lips A hint of a s to realize you have power over such a powerful man, isn’t it?" Saetan asked

Thank the Darkness, hedid understand "Yes I wear the Purple Dusk I shouldn’t have that kind of power over him"

"Marian, you’re the wos that can match that kind of power Not even these" He tapped the Black Jewel he wore over the tunic jacket

"Would you have reacted like that?" Marian asked "If you had ement your wife had wanted you to attend, would you have flinched?"

She bit her lip when she saw the look in his eyes and wished she could take back the words Considering who his wife had been, it was a bad question

"No," he said "I wouldn’t have Not for her" He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead, a fatherly kiss washed in the sensuality that was inherent to the man Then he added, "But if I had disappointed Sylvia by not reement that I believed was important to her, then, yes, Marian, I would have flinched"

Draca,

The High Lord must not leave the Keep Do whatever is necessary to keep hie back to Draca, then looked out theand watched Marian playing with Daemonar in one of the Keep’s courtyards

After a while he raised his left hand Most days he didn’t think about that lost finger, but there were other days when he could still feel the ainst his skin

"It’s one thing for a e when it’s tier and better able to stand on a battlefield But it humbles a man to realize hissons think he’s too old"

"You were harmed the lasst tier that had been lost to Hekatah’s torture Oh, he hadn’t lost anything else physically, but the dahed in his decision to step back fro Realms

Just because he couldn’t use his balls didn’t mean he didn’t still have them when it carowled

"They know that"

He snorted "Do they? One son sends ayou to lock e with Khardeen, who latched on to uarded soup bone The other son shows up this s if I don’t proht have been laughter "Lucivar hass alwayss been htful

Draca reached out and touched his arht hiss wife and sson here becausse you are here He dependss on you to protect what he holdss dear"

"And Dae?"

"More than Lucivar, Dae you here, he iss protecting hiss own heart"