Better that she play with the dead than become one of them, he thought bitterly. She wasn’t strong enough right now to fight him. He would keep her here for a few days and let her heal. Then he would bring that bastard of a father to his knees and force him to relinquish all paternal rights. He would—

“I can’t leave them, Saetan.” Jaenelle looked up at him.

The tears sliding down her bruised face twisted his heart, but his face was stone-carved, and he waited in silence.

“There’s no one else. Don’t you see?”

“No, I don’t see.” His voice, although controlled and quiet, rumbled through the room. “Or perhaps I do.” His cold glance raked her shaking body. “You prefer enduring this and remaining with your family to living with me and what I have to offer.”

Jaenelle blinked in surprise. Her eyes lost some of their haunted look, and she became thoughtful. “Live with you? Do you mean it?”

Saetan watched her, puzzled.

Slowly, regretfully, she shook her head. “I can’t. I’d like to, but I can’t. Not yet. Rose can’t do it by herself.”

Saetan dropped to one knee and took her frail, almost transparent hands in his. She flinched at his touch but didn’t pull away. “It wouldn’t have to be in Hell, witch-child,” he said soothingly. “I’ve opened the Hall in Kaeleer. You could live there, maybe attend the same school as your friends.”

Jaenelle giggled, her eyes momentarily dancing with amusement. “Schools, High Lord. They live in many places.”

He smiled tenderly and bowed his head. “Schools, then. Or private tutors. Anything you wish. I can arrange it, witch-child.”

Jaenelle’s eyes filled with tears as she shook her head. “It would be lovely, it truly would, but…not yet. I can’t leave them yet.”

Saetan bit back the arguments and sighed. She had come to him for comfort, not a fight. And since he couldn’t officially serve her until she established a court, he had no right to stand between her and her family, no matter what he felt. “All right. But please remember, you have a place to come to. You don’t have to stay with them. But…I’d be willing to make the appropriate arrangements for your family to visit or live with you, under my supervision, if that’s what you wish.”

Jaenelle’s eyes widened. “Under your supervision?” she said weakly. She let out a gurgle of laughter and then tried to look stern. “You wouldn’t make my sister learn sticks with Prothvar, would you?”

Saetan’s voice shook with amusement and unshed tears. “No, I wouldn’t make her learn sticks with Prothvar.” He carefully drew her into his arms and hugged her frail body. Tears spilled from his closed eyes when her arms circled his neck and tightened. He held her, warmed her, comforted her. When she finally pulled away from him, he stood quickly, wiping the tears from his face.

Jaenelle looked away. “I’ll come back as soon as I can.”