Daemon just looked at Jaenelle, his heart too full to say anything. Besides, words seemed so inadequate at the moment. He brushed a thumb across her cheek, kissed her gently. Then he took a deep breath. “The game begins at midnight.”

“And at midnight, seventy-two hours later, you’re going to be riding the Winds back to the Keep in Terreille. No stops, no delays.” She paused, waited for him to nod agreement, then added, “Don’t ride any Wind darker than the Red. The others will be unstable.”

It took effort to keep his jaw from dropping. A strong witch storm could create a disturbance on part of the psychic roadways through the Darkness, could even throw someone off the Web to be lost in the Darkness, but “unstable” sounded much, much worse.

“All right,” he finally said. “We’ll stay on the Red.”

“Daemon,” Jaenelle said softly, “I want you to promise me something.”

“Anything.”

Her eyes filled with tears. It took her a moment to regain control. “Thirteen years ago, you gave everything you had in order to help me.”

“And I’ll give you everything again,” he replied just as softly.

She shook her head fiercely. “No. No more sacrifices, Daemon. Not from you. That’s what I want you to promise me.” She swallowed hard. “The Keep is going to be the only safe place. I want your promise that, at the appointed hour, you’ll be on your way there. No matter who you have to walk away from, no matter who you have to leave behind, you must get to the Keep before dawn. Promise me, Daemon.” She gripped his arm hard enough to hurt. “I have to know you’ll be safe. Promise me.”

Gently, he removed her hand, then raised it to place a kiss in her palm—and smiled. “I’m not going to do anything that will make me late for my own wedding.”

Pain flashed in her eyes, making him wonder if she really wanted to marry him. No. He wouldn’t begin to doubt, couldn’t afford to doubt. “I’ll come back to you,” he said. “I swear it.”

She gave him a brief, fierce kiss. “See that you do.”

She looked pale and exhausted. There were dark smudges under her eyes. She had never looked more beautiful to him.

“I’ll see you in a few days.”

“Good-bye, Daemon. I love you.”

As he approached the Dark Altar that was a Gate between the Realms, he didn’t find Jaenelle’s last words reassuring.

22 / Kaeleer