Page 14 (1/2)

5--Hell

Saetan left the sorously toweling his hair His nostrils immediately flared and the line between his eyebrows deepened as he stared at the study door

Harpies had a distinctive psychic scent, and this one, patiently waiting for hie her presence,to the bedroom, he dressed swiftly but carefully When he was seated behind the blackwood desk, he released the physical and psychic locks on the door and waited

Her silent, gliding walk brought her swiftly to the desk She was a slender woman with fair skin, oversized blue eyes, delicately pointed ears, and long, fine, silver-blond hair She was dressed in a forest-green tunic and pants with a brown leather belt and soft, calf-high boots Attached to the belt was an empty sheath She wore no Jewels, and the wound across her throat was testimony to how she had died She studied him, as he studied her

The tension built in the room

Harpies itches who had died by a inally ca than other demon-dead witches, and seldom left their territory, a territory that even demon-dead males didn’t dare venture into Yet she was here, by her own choice A Dea al Mon Black Widow and Queen

"Please be seated, Lady," Saetan said, nodding to the chair before the desk Without taking her eyes off hiracefully into the chair "How may I help you?"

When she spoke, her voice was a sighing wind across a glade But there was lightning in that voice, too "Do you serve her?"

Saetan tried to suppress the shiver her words produced, but she sensed it and s to the surface "I’h Lord, witch I serve no one"

Her face didn’t change, but her eyes beca questions That isn’t good So I ask you again, High Lord, do you serve her?"

"Hell has no High Priestess"

She laughed grimly "Then no one has informed Hekatah of that small detail If you don’t serve, are you friend or enemy?"

Saetan’s lip curled into a snarl "I don’t serve Hekatah, and while ere married once, I doubt she considers ust "She’s important only because she threatens to interfere The child, High Lord Do you serve the child? Are you friend or eneer pricked his stomach

The Harpy exploded from the chair and took a swift turn around the roo the sheath as if searching for the knife that wasn’t there

"Sit down" When she didn’t move, the thunder rolled in his voice "Sit down" Hekatah was suspicious of recent activities, and ru from the Dark Realm had sharpened her interest But he had no control of where Jaenelle went or who she saw If the Harpies knew of her, then who else kne long would it be before Jaenelle followed a psychic thread that would lead her straight into Hekatah’s waiting arms? And was this Harpy a friend or an enemy? "The child is known to the Dea al Mon," he said carefully

The Harpy nodded "She is friends with my kinswoman Gabrielle"

"And Chaosti"

A cruel, pleased smile brushed her lips "And Chaosti He, too, is a kinsman"

"And you are?"

The smile faded Cold hatred burned in her eyes "Titian" She swept her eyes over his body and then leaned back in the chair "The one who broke mehe carries your family name but not your bloodline I was barely twelve when I was betrayed and taken from Kaeleer He tookhas a price I left hiacy, the only seed of his that will ever come to flower In the end, he’ll pay the debt to her And when the ti Queen"

Saetan exhaled slowly "How many others know about the child?"

"Too aa twisted Titian’s face

Saetan leaned forward "I understand why being touched by a htlyor forinto the chair "Very well"

Focusing his eyes on the fire, Saetan made the psychic reach, touched the first inner barrier, and felt her recoil He patiently waited until she felt ready to open the barriers for hiuest It didn’t take long to find what he was looking for, and he broke the link, relieved

They didn’t know Titian wondered, guessed too close But no one outside his confidence knew for sure A strange child An eccentric child Achild That would do His wise, cautious child But he couldn’t help wondering what experience had

He turned back to Titian "I’ her Craft And I serve"

Titian looked around the room "From here?"