The truth had terrified her, but, Hell’s fire, it had been exciting too. The problem was, if she managed to break that barrier, could she survive the man now contained behind it?
Her feelings were conflicted. Daemon’s feelings were not. In bed and out, he maintained that careful distance between them in order to keep her safe, and he did it out of courtesy, out of respect, out of kindness.
Out of love.
FORTY-FIVE
They stood in front of the gate of a sprawling patchwork house.
Jillian had never seen the ocean, was already fascinated by the fishing boats that were heading out. Would any of those fish find their way to Riada? Would she have the opportunity to learn how to catch one?
Her first apprenticeship in a real court. What would her duties be? What . . . ?
Lucivar sighed.
She looked up at him. “You’re going to have to do this three more times.”
“Don’t remind me.”
He sounded unhappy. He sounded like a father who wanted to keep his girl close to his own wings but knew he had to let her soar on her own. Had the other steps he’d let her take been as hard for him, or was this a bigger leap?
Nurian and Marian had both given her spending money as a farewell gift, after learning that she’d given all her savings to Dillon. The first thing she would look for once she got settled in was some nice stationery that might reflect the sea or this village so that Lucivar would know she had bought it in order to write to him.
She saw the homely woman walking toward them, talking to two men who were escorting her away from the Queen’s home. She wore skirts and shawls and so many jangly bracelets, she could be heard down the street.
“It’s kind of the Queen to grant an audience to the village rag lady,” she said, trying to sound grown-up.
Lucivar choked on a laugh. “That’s not a rag lady, witchling. That’s Perzha, the Queen of Little Weeble.”
Her jaw dropped as the woman smiled at them and waved.
“Another thing,” Lucivar said. “Perzha has an allergy to sunlight and rests during the day. Some members of my family had a similar allergy.”
Jillian blinked. “You mean she—”
“Has an allergy to sunlight and has to drink a special tonic.” His gold eyes held two parts warning and one part amusement.
“Right. Allergy to sunlight. Special tonic.”
“Come in, come in.” Perzha waved her hand. “Don’t just stand at the gate.”
The other member of their little party didn’t require a further invitation. He trotted over to the gate and wagged his tail.
٭I am Khary. I am a Sceltie. I am Jillian’s special friend.٭
“Oh, my.” Perzha patted her chest. “How delightful. Welcome, Lord Khary.”
“Should have warned her,” Lucivar muttered.
“It’s been a long time since one of your people came to our village, but I remember when Lord Ladvarian used to accompany the Queen when she came for a visit. You know he was the Lady’s special friend.”
Khary seemed stunned into momentary silence.
“Last thing, witchling,” Lucivar said quietly. “Perzha wears a Red Jewel and comes from one of the oldest aristo Rihlander families in Askavi. And she and the Queen of Ebon Askavi were good friends.”
The rag lady Queen wore a Red Jewel? Was aristo? Had been a friend of Witch?
Baffled and dazzled, Jillian followed the adults to a table on a terrace overlooking a garden.
“Do you know anything about plants?” Perzha asked. “I so enjoy spending a little time in my garden, but I’m afraid I never get to all the weeding.” She held out a hand and smiled. “I’m Perzha, in case Prince Yaslana forgot to tell you. And you must be Jillian. Such a pretty girl. Do you like fish? We have a lot of fish here.”
٭Do I like fish?٭ Khary asked Jillian. ٭Do fish like Scelties?٭
“I’ve heard that you should stick a fork in the pancakes and not eat any that sprout tentacles and run away,” Lucivar said dryly.
Perzha laughed. “Did Prince Sadi tell you the rest?”
“There’s more?”
Instead of replying, Perzha looked at Jillian. “Little Weeble is a small village and everyone looks out for one another, but I’d still like you to have an escort at least for the first few days.” She looked at Khary. “An additional escort.”
“Yes, Lady.”
“Did anyone mention that I have an allergy to sunlight?”
Jillian didn’t dare look at Lucivar. “Yes, Lady.”
“And you know what that means?”
“I think so, Lady.”
“Good.” Perzha studied Lucivar. “Are you staying for breakfast?”
“No.”
She shook her head. “I wouldn’t have thought you and your brother would be so squeamish.”
“We’re not squeamish. We just don’t like having our food run away after it’s on the plate.”
“Well, Prince Sadi certainly wasn’t going to eat the little creature, so what difference did it make as long as it got out of the way?” Perzha patted her chest. “Besides, Carleton brought him a fresh plate of food after the incident.”
None of the Rihlanders Jillian knew would have spoken to Yaslana or Sadi that way.
٭You sure about this, witchling?٭ Lucivar asked on a psychic thread.
٭Oh, yes.٭
He grunted. “If either of you has a problem, let me know. Otherwise . . .”
“Go,” Perzha said. It was gently said, but there was no doubt that it was a dismissal. “They’ll both be fine.”
Lucivar slanted a glance at Khary, then at Perzha. “Will you?”
Perzha smiled at him—and Lucivar Yaslana walked away.
“This is one of the hardest things he’s ever done,” Perzha said. “You know that, don’t you?”
Jillian blinked away sentimental tears. “I know.”
“Good. Then let’s get you both settled in your room so that you can begin.”
Far enough away from home, but not too far. She and Khary would learn new things and have adventures—and she would remember every day that Lucivar had given her the chance to have those things, just as he’d been giving her chances to learn and grow since the day he brought her and Nurian to Ebon Rih.
“Yes,” Jillian said, smiling. “We’re ready to begin.” She looked at her special friend. ٭Are you ready?٭
٭Yes,٭ Khary replied. ٭There are many interesting smells here, and many humans we can help.٭
Swallowing a laugh, Jillian followed Perzha into the house.
About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop is a winner of the William L. Crawford Memorial Fantasy Award, presented by the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, for The Black Jewels Trilogy. She is also the author of the Ephemera series, the Tir Alainn trilogy, the Novels of the Others, and the World of the Others novels--including Wild Country and Lake Silence. She lives in upstate New York.