Saetan finally looked up from the sheet of paper lying in the middle of his desk. “I received a letter from Lord Jorval, informing me that Lord Magstrom was brutally killed last night.”

Daemon let his breath out slowly while Lucivar swore. “I met Magstrom briefly at the service fair. He seemed to be a decent man.”

“He was,” Saetan replied. “And he was the only member of the Dark Council Jaenelle was willing to deal with.”

“How did he die?” Lucivar asked bluntly.

Saetan hesitated. “He was found in an alleyway in the Goth slums. The body was so torn up that speculation is running wild that Magstrom was killed by kindred.”

Daemon said, “Why would they suspect the kindred?” at the same time Lucivar snarled, “It was a full death?”

“Yes, it was a full death,” Saetan said grimly, answering Lucivar’s question first. “So there’s not even a chance of Magstrom being a ghost in the Dark Realm long enough to tell someone what really happened to him. There are feral dog packs, and they can be a danger, but a Craft shield would have protected Magstrom from them. Only a pack of kindred, or one who wore darker Jewels than Magstrom, could have drained his psychic power to finish the kill.”

“Is that likely?” Daemon asked.

“If an unknown human wanders into one of the kindred Territories, it’s almost a given. But in Goth? No.”

“So he was mutilated in order to hide the real death wounds.”

“So it would seem.”

“Does Jorval want to postpone the healing?” Lucivar asked.

Saetan shook his head. “The meeting is still set for late this afternoon. Is everything ready?”

Lucivar nodded. “We’ll be leaving within the hour.”

“The place you’re taking Jaenelle to is secure?” Saetan asked.

“It’s a guardhouse in Dea al Mon,” Lucivar said. “Chaosti will come with us, and the Dea al Mon guards will supply the added physical protection. Cat said she has a few errands to run in Amdarh, so we’ll go directly there afterward, and probably stay for a day or two. Chaosti will return here and report.”

With effort, Daemon caged the jealousy that was chewing him up inside. There was no reason for Lucivar to think twice about making plans to spend a couple of days with Jaenelle, despite the Eyriens still waiting to be settled in Askavi before winter set in, despite his having a wife and child. Jaenelle was not only his sister but his Queen. There was no question that he would go with her whenever or wherever she needed him.