He would talk to Saetan, give back the ring, see if there was a remote court somewhere in the Realm where he could serve out the required time in order to remain in Kaeleer. He would…

A door opened. Jaenelle stepped into the corridor. Her face turned pale at the sight of him.

He stopped walking. He might have to give up everything else, but he wouldn’t give up loving her.

“Um. Daemon,” Jaenelle said in an odd voice. “Do you have a minute?”

“Of course.” It cost him, but he gave her a warm, reassuring smile and followed her into the room.

Standing out of reach, she stared at the floor, looking uneasy and intense—as if she was trying to find the right way to break bad news.

She’s going to ask me to return the Consort’s ring. As soon as that thought formed, Daemon ruthlessly buried any ideas about noble sacrifices. He wasn’t going to give up that easily. And he wasn’t going to return the Consort’s ring without a fight.

“How hard can it be?” Jaenelle muttered.

Daemon just waited.

Letting out a big sigh, Jaenelle walked up to him, braced her hands on his shoulders, rose up on her toes a little, mashed her lips against his, then scampered back out of reach and eyed him warily.

Daemon wasn’t sure what to say about this unexpected move. As a kiss, it left a lot to be desired. As a kiss from Jaenelle…

It took effort not to lick his lips.

“Are you nervous?” Jaenelle asked, still eyeing him warily.

He was going to have a little chat with Surreal about the uselessness of cryptic advice. But at least he had some idea what the right answer should be.

“Actually, I’m terrified that I may say or do something stupid and you won’t want to kiss me again.”

Maybe that was too much of the right answer. Now she looked worried. Then she threw up her hands in a gesture of exasperated helplessness.

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” she almost wailed. And then added under her breath, “Surreal should have let me take notes.”

Daemon clamped his tongue between his teeth. Yes, he really needed to have a little chat with Surreal.

Jaenelle began pacing. “It always sounds so easy in love stories.”

“Kissing isn’t difficult,” Daemon said carefully.

She glared at him as she paced past him. “Lucivar said the same thing about cooking,” she growled. “The wolves didn’t even wait for it to come out of the oven before they were digging the hole to bury it.”

That sounded like an interesting story. He’d have a little chat with Lucivar, too.

“Kissing isn’t difficult,” Daemon said firmly. “You just kissed me.”

“Not very well,” she grumbled.