“Jorval also says that, while he’s been assured that the illness is not contagious, it does seem to afflict only males. And since he doesn’t want any harm to come to the males of your court—”

This time Andulvar snorted.

“—he has offered to provide you with an escort while you’re in Little Terreille.”

“NO!” Lucivar exploded into movement, pacing furiously. “You are not going into Little Terreille to do a healing without a full escort of your own males. Not again. Never again. If this person wants to see you so badly, why doesn’t he come here?”

“I can think of a few reasons,” Jaenelle said with dry amusement as she watched Lucivar.

Daemon’s blood sang when her eyes met his for a moment. Then it chilled when he glanced at Saetan and saw something flicker at the back of those golden eyes. What was the High Lord trying to hide behind that deliberately blank gaze—and what would happen if the leash holding it back snapped?

“Did Jorval mention where this person is from? Or anything else that might be useful?” Jaenelle asked, turning back to Saetan while Lucivar paced and swore.

“Only that the short-lived races seem most affected,” Saetan said.

Jaenelle’s lips softened in a hint of a dreamy smile that was malevolent enough to make Daemon shiver. “The races from the western part of Terreille?” she asked in her midnight voice.

“He didn’t say, Lady.”

Jaenelle nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll think about it.”

“There’s nothing to think about,” Lucivar snarled. “You’re not going. You may not remember much of what happened seven years ago, but I do. We’re not going through that again, especially you.”

Daemon studied Lucivar. Behind the fury was fear bordering on panic. He suppressed a sigh, not happy that his first official act as the Consort might be opposing his Queen. But anything that spooked Lucivar so badly wasn’t something Daemon was going to easily agree to.

Then he noticed Jaenelle’s face as she turned toward Lucivar—and wondered how any man would dare oppose Witch now that she had reached maturity and had come into her full power.

Lucivar froze in midstride as those sapphire eyes fixed on him. His body trembled, but he met her gaze, and his voice was steady as he said quietly, “The only way you’re going into Little Terreille is by going through me.”

Then he walked out of the study.

Jaenelle’s shoulders slumped for a moment, then straightened again as she turned to face Daemon. “Please go with him.”

“Why?” Daemon asked too softly.

The Queen stare melted a little into exasperation. “Because you’re strong enough to hold him back, and I don’t want him getting the boyos riled about something I haven’t even decided to do yet.”