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Daehtly "The demons and the cook I understand Why the h, but his eyes gloith dark amusement "I opened a blanket account for her in Kaeleer"

Daemon sucked in his breath "You ht"

"That’s the kindest thing that’s been said tothe draet worse You do realize that?"

"Worse?" Daeet worse?"

"She’s only twelve, namesake"

"I know," Daemon almost moaned

"Just consider what sort of et into when she’s seventeen and has her own court"

Daeroaned, but there was a sharp, hopeful look in his eyes "She can have her own court at seventeen? And fill it?"

Ah, na of a politic way to explain "Most positions can be filled then" Daemon’s instant bitterness stunned him

"Of course you’ll want better for her than a whore who’s serviced al his wineglass

"That isn’t what I ht seem a poor bone

"Then what did you mean?" Daemon snapped

"What if, at seventeen, she isn’t ready for a consort?" Saetan countered softly "What if it takes a few more years before she’s ready for the bed? Will you hold an e coue her because they’re strangers? Tiah it’s decided," Daemon said quietly, with only an aftertaste of bitterness

"It isas far as I’rateful look was agony

They sat quietly, companionably, for a fewme namesake?"

"Because you are" Saetan looked away, uncoive any of h for them to have me as a father But the first time I held you, I knew no other name would suit you So I named you Saetan Daeht "Then you really did acknowledge paternity? Manny said the Blood register in Hayll had been changed, but I had wondered"

"I’m not responsible for Dorothea’s lies, Prince," Saetan said bitterly "Or for what the Hayllian register does or doesn’t say But in the register kept at Ebon Askavi, you--and Lucivar--are naed"

"So you called me Daemon?"

Saetan knew there was rateful his son chose to step back, to try for lighter conversation in the short time left to them

"No," Saetan said dryly, "I never called you anything but Saetan It was Manny and Tersa"--he hesitated, wondering if Daemon knew about Tersa, but there was no surprise--"who called you Daemon Manny inforht she was going to stand at the back door bellowing that naain"

Daehed "Come now, Manny’s a sweetheart"

"To you" Saetan chuckled "Personally I always thought she just wanted to avoid having both of us answer that summons"

"Would you have?" Dae the tone of voice used, I wouldn’t have dared not to"

They both laughed

The parting ard Saetan wanted to embrace him, but Daemon became tense, almost skittish Saetan wondered if, after all those years in Dorothea’s court, Dae touched

And there was Lucivar He had wanted to ask about Lucivar, but Daemon’s haunted expression at the mention of his brother’s name eliminated that possibility Since he wanted to know his sons, he would have to have the patience to let them approach when they were ready

2--Terreille

Jaenelle returned a teeth-grinding day and a half later

After a hectic afternoon of social calls with Alexandra, Daeet soirls coarden

"But you must remember how funny it was," Wilhelmina said as he approached She looked bewildered "It only happened yesterday"

"Did it?" Jaenelle replied absently "Oh, yes, I reerated bow "Ladies"

Wilhelled Jaenelle raised her eyes to meet his