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PART II

CHAPTER THREE

1--Kaeleer

Saetan smiled dryly at his reflection His full head of black hair was o, but the lines left in his face by illness and despair had softened while the laugh lines had deepened

Turning froallery His bad leg still stiffened if he walked too long, but he no longer needed that da tonic in more ways than one

As he descended the staircase that ended in the infor hi of keys attached to her belt and felt relieved that finding the current housekeeper had been so easy

"Good afternoon," he said pleasantly "Are you Helene?"

"And what if I am?" She crossed her arms and tapped her foot

Well, he hadn’t expected an open-armed welcome, but stillHe smiled at her "For a staff who’s had no one to serve for so long and so little incentive, you’ve kept the place quite well"

Helene’s shoulders snapped back and her eyes glinted with anger "We care for the Hall because it’s the Hall" Her eyes narrowed even further "And who are you?" she demanded

He raised an eyebrow "Who do you think I am?"

"An interloper, that’s what I think," Helene snapped, placing her hands on her hips "One of those who sneaks in here froawk and ’soak up the athed "They’d do well not to soak up too h it was always calmer than its Terreille counterpart I suppose after so many years away, I aht hand As the Black Jewel in the ring flashed, there was an answering rumble from the stones of SaDiablo Hall

Helene paled and stared at him

He smiled "You see, my dear, it still answers my call And I’m afraid I’m about to wreak havoc with your routine"

Helen fuh Lord?" she sta the Hall"

"But"

Saetan stiffened "There’s a probleold eyes as she briskly wiped her hands on her large white apron "A thorough cleaning will help, to be sure, but"--she looked pointedly at the drapes--"so would help even ive you so to make do with an empty title?"

Helene blushed and chewed her lip

Hiding a smile, Saetan vanished the drop cloths and studied the roo, the wood pieces will still do, providing the preservation spells have held and they’re structurally sound New sofas and chairs Plants by the s A fe paintings for the walls as well Neallpaper or paint? What do you think?"

It took Helene aof restoring?"

"This one, the for roouest rooms--and a special suite for my Lady"

"Then perhaps your Lady would like to oversee the redecorating"

Saetan looked at her with horrified amusement "No doubt she would However, my Lady will be twelve in four months, and I’d much prefer that she live in a suite I’ve decorated on her behalf than that I live in a Hall decorated with her somewhateclectictastes"

Helene stared at hi the question he saw in her eyes "I could have soht up to the Hall for you to choose from"

"An excellent idea, my dear Do you think you can have this place presentable in four h Lord," Helene said hesitantly

"Then hire the help you need" Saetan strolled to the door that opened onto the great hall "I’ll ain at the end of the week Is that sufficient tiain

Having been born in the slua, Hayll’s capital, as the son of an indifferent whore, he’d never expected or wanted servants to grovel in his presence He didn’t ht, that was the last curtsy he would ever receive

At the end of the great hall, he hesitated before opening the door of his public study He walked around the roohtly at his dusty fingertips

He’d once ruled Dhemlan Kaeleer froiven Dhemlan Terreille to Mephis when he became a Guardian, but not her sister land in the Shadow Realm

Ah, Kaeleer It had always been a sine for hiic and itsout of theStrand by strand, Jaenelle was rebuilding the web, calling them all to the dance