Surreal stiffened. "What you are talking about?"
His voice dropped to a whisper. "Maybe I'm no longer what Jaenelle wants."
"Wait," she snapped. "Just wait." She studied the misery in his eyes. "You really believe that."
"She isn't comfortable being around me anymore."
Surreal shook her head. "I agree something isn't right between you, but, Daemon, I'm sure it isn't that."
"You were only at the Hall a few days."
"Which was long enough to know you're going down the wrong path if you think Jaenelle doesn't love you anymore."
He closed his eyes, shutting her out, but not before she saw the pain and desperation he was choking back.
She reached across the table and took his hand. Worry spiked through her when his fingers curled around hers in a fierce hold, a sure sign he was looking for reassurance.
"She won't talk to me," he said. "I don't know what to do."
"I do."
He opened his eyes, disbelief warring with hope.
"I'm willing to wager a year's income that her feelings haven't changed," Surreal said. "And I know yours haven't changed. So maybe the reason she can't talk to you is because you have a cock."
"I've always had a cock," he said dryly.
"Right. And there are things you might admit to another man you'd never admit to a woman. And there are things a woman might say to another woman that she would never say to a man…especially a man she loves."
"And your point is?"
"You're going to be in Amdarh a few more days, right?"
"I do have some things to take care of."
"Fine. You go tend to things, and I'll go back to the Hall and have a little chat with Jaenelle."
"What makes you think she'll talk to you?"
I'm not going to give her a choice. Which wasn't something she intended to ever tell Daemon, so she gave him a sassy smile. "Because I know the opening line to this little play." She eased her fingers out of his grip and patted his hand. "Trust me. And signal the server to bring over the dessert tray."
"Did you see the way he fed her that bite of lobster?" Roxie said, sighing. "That's like something from a love story. He's sooo romantic."
Tavey frowned. "If you wanted to taste some of my dinner, why didn't you say so?"
Watching Daemon, Lektra wanted to smash all the plates and glasses on the table. How could he betray her like that? How could he sit there, in public, and fawn over a whore. She was the one who was working to free him from that useless cripple, Jaenelle. He shouldn't be playing with another woman. He shouldn't even be thinking of another woman. It was so… sluttish. When he was hers, she'd make sure he severed all association with that bitch, Surreal.
Her hands curled into fists as she watched Surreal take his hand.
How could he be so lost to propriety that he'd let a woman touch him like that? He might as well stand on the table and announce he was going to drop his pants for his "cousin" as soon as they got behind closed doors.
If they even waited that long.
Selfish bastard.
Well, she'd still have him because she loved him. Besides, he was beautiful and was, no doubt, magnificent in bed. But he was obviously more ripe to belong to another woman than she'd realized, so she was going to have to fan the flames and ruin his reputation faster, and more thoroughly, than she'd intended if she wanted to be sure he didn't accept another offer from a woman who just wanted to use him.
Yes, she had to save him before he tumbled into any other bed but hers.
Six
The next morning, rumors seeped through Amdarh's marketplace as the servants who worked in aristo households gathered to take care of the day's shopping. Arguments broke out between those who declared they weren't surprised by the news that Daemon Sadi had abandoned the pose of still being the faithful, devoted lover of the former Queen of Ebon Askavi and those who hotly denied there could be any truth to Prince Sadi taking a lover, let alone escorting her to such a public place as a theater.
But they all took those rumors back to their respective houses to chew over with their fellow servants.
By midday, the stories trickled through the shopping district. Some merchants worried that the aristo Blood, especially those who served in Lady Zhara's court, would take their business away from any shop that was patronized by Prince Sadi. Other merchants, who counted several members of the SaDiablo family as regular customers, paled at the news…and wondered how much of Amdarh would be left if Lucivar Yaslana found out about his brother's supposed betrayal of the Queen they'd both served.
By evening, the rumors had reached the ears of the aristo Blood and were the main topic during the evening meals. Some defended Prince Sadi, saying he would never insult Jaenelle Angelline by taking a lover while she was still living with him at the Hall. Some defended him by insisting he wasn't breaking any vows by taking a lover, that Jaenelle was now nothing more than a family member who required care, and no matter what their relationship had been, it was no longer of a nature that demanded celibacy from a Warlord Prince. Others argued that, even if taking a lover could be excused under the circumstances, holding hands with her in a dining house was hardly discreet.
No matter what anyone thought of Daemon Sadi's behavior, they all pitied Jaenelle Angelline, who had sacrificed her body and her Jewels in order to save Kaeleer and was now being abandoned by the only man she'd ever cared for enough to take as a lover.
Seven
Surreal walked into Jaenelle's sitting room and came to an abrupt stop when she saw the shoes scattered around the room. Jaenelle stood in the middle of the room, holding a pair of soft leather house shoes. Color brightened her face, and her eyes sparkled.
"Look," Jaenelle said excitedly. "I can call in my shoes."
Pity squeezed Surreal's heart, but she smiled as she walked over to Jaenelle. "Well, that's… wonderful." Or would be if Jaenelle was a child learning basic Craft.
"Isn't it?" Jaenelle dropped the shoes, then held out her hands. A moment later, a pair of boots hovered in the air. She took the boots and grinned. "I decided it was time to find out what I can do with Twilight's Dawn."
A year ago you could do things the rest of the Blood couldn't even dream ofdoing, Surreal thought sadly as she looked at the shoes. And now you'reexcited about being able to do basic Craft. Ah, sugar.
Trying to think of something to say that would be encouraging, she looked into Jaenelle's eyes. It took everything in her not to stumble back a step or two.
No delight in those sapphire eyes now. There was strength there, power there. Those eyes were cold, feral, and filled with deadly anger.
Then Ladvarian trotted into the room, and Jaenelle looked away.
Witch, Surreal thought as she fought to hide a shiver of fear. She hadn't expected to see that look in Jaenelle's eyes ever again…and wasn't sure what to think about seeing it now.
Ladvarian sniffed the shoes on the floor, then looked at Jaenelle. *Why is Surreal calling in your shoes?*
"She didn't," Jaenelle said quietly, dropping the boots. "I did."
*You called in your shoes?*
Jaenelle shrugged, a quiet sadness draining the color from her face, leaving her looking ill and frail.
*You called in your shoes!* Ladvarian's tail wagged madly while he danced in place. *You could never do that before!*
Jaenelle smiled reluctantly. "No, I never could."
That admission startled Surreal. Ladvarian was right. Jaenelle never could call in her own shoes. It was a standing joke in the family and the First Circle that Jaenelle could move an entire library of leather-bound books without any effort at all but couldn't call in something to put on her feet.