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"I have to, Daeling in his hair

"Why?" Dae "I know you care for your family--"

"Fah "My family lives in Hell, Prince"

"Then on’t you go? If you don’t think the Priest will take you, at least go to Cassandra A Sanctuary offers some protection"

"No"

"Why?"

Jaenelle backed away from him, troubled "Saetan asked me to live with him, and I promised him I would, but I can’t yet"

Daemon leaned back on his heels This was brutal, and it was black him any choice "I know about Briarwood"

Jaenelle shuddered "Then you knohy I can’t go yet"

Dae force and shook her "No, I don’t knohy If I tell hie and horrified "Please don’t tell him, Daemon," she whispered "Please"

"Why?" he snapped "He won’t turn on you because of what’s been done Do you really think he’ll stop caring for you if he finds out?"

"He ht"

Daemon leaned back, stunned Since it made no difference to him, except that it made him want to protect her more, he’d assumed Saetan would feel the same Would it make a difference?

"Daemon," Jaenelle pleaded, "if he finds out I’ve beensickif he thinks I’h to teach the Craft to"

"What do you mean, ’sick’?" But he knew A hospital for "emotionally disturbed" children A child who told stories about unicorns and dragons, who visited friends no one else saw because, wherever they existed, it wasn’t in Terreille A child whose sense of reality had been twisted in Briarwood for so many years she didn’t knohat to believe or whom she could trust

Dae her hair He felt her tears on his neck and his heart bled She was only twelve For all her Craft, for all her th, she was still only twelve She believed all the lies they’d told her Even though she struggled against theh she tried to doubt the words they’d pounded into her for so many years, she believed their lies And because she believed, she washerher life

He kissed her cheek "If I proo--and not come back?"

"I can’t," Jaenelle whispered

"Why?" Dae precious time

Jaenelle leaned back and looked at him with her ancient, haunted eyes "Wilhel, Daeh to wear the Sapphire if she isn’t broken I have to help her until she er than most of the males here, and they won’t be able to break her Then I’ll go live with the Priest"

Daemon looked away It would be at least four years before Wilhel Jaenelle, if she stayed in Beldon Mor, would be long dead by then

A sharp rap on the door startled theht in there,partners for the dance"

Daeot to his feet He felt old, beaten But if he could keep her safe until toht have ht shield around himself, he opened the door and slipped out behind Jaenelle The wo outside, took a firm hold of Jaenelle’s arm and steered her back into the ballrooe of the roo to stop a heart, to reach in and nick an artery Was there anyhimself? No, not when the ice whispered in his veins, not when the double-edged sas unsheathed He slipped up behind his cousin and heard Kartane say, "That one? She’s a whey-faced little bitch The sister’s prettier"

Daeht hand reached out toward Kartane’s shoulder For a rip, he felt Kartane lean against hi nails Daee to shivery fear as his nails pierced Kartane’s jacket and shirt

"Cousin," Daemon whispered in his ear "Come out to the terrace with rowled out of the corner of hisoff Daemon’s hand "I’ve business here"

Daemon continued to smile Foolish of the boy to try to bluff when he could smell the fear "You’ve business withKartane with hi toward the terrace to keep froed there

"By birth and by tereed with amiable coldness

When they were out on the terrace, Daeht shield Compared to the fiery cold he felt inside himself, the air see at the garden and face him, he absently brushed the branches of a small potted bush He s the bush until the whole thing was coated Then, with a shrug, he took his gold case froarette, and waited He was between Kartane and the door His cousin wasn’t going to leave before he was ready to let hi violently, Kartane turned

"The whey-faced little bitch," Daeed his head