They walked for several minutes before they came to a path that led to a sheltered cove. A large tent was set up well back from the waterline. The colored fabric would keep out most of the sun but seemed loosely woven enough to let in air.

Closer to the water were several poorly made sand castles. Watching Kaelas trying to pack sand with one of those huge paws made him smile.

The front flaps of the tent were pulled back, revealing the woman sleeping inside. She wore a long skirt of swirling colors. The amethyst-colored shirt was unbuttoned and had slid to her sides, displaying her from the waist up.

Daemon took one look at her and bolted away from the tent.

He stopped a few yards away and just tried to draw a normal breath while his stomach twisted wildly.

The kindred had done their very best. They had given months of focused, single-minded devotion to produce this much healing. He never ever wanted to know what she had looked like when they had brought her here.

He felt Ladvarian come up behind him. Since the Sceltie had seen what she had looked like, the dog probably couldn’t understand his reaction. “Ladvarian…”

*She rose from the healing webs too soon,* Ladvarian said in a voice that was bitter and accusing. *Because of you.*

Daemon turned slowly, his heart bleeding from the verbal wound.

*We tried to tell her you weren’t hurt. We tried to tell her that she had to stay down in the healing webs longer. We tried to tell her that the Stra—that Tersa would tell you that she was coming back, that the High Lord would take care of his pup. But she kept saying that you were hurting and that she had promised. She stayed in the webs long enough for her insides to heal and then she rose. But when she saw…*

Daemon closed his eyes. No. Sweet Darkness, no. She would have been in pain, would have suffered. And she wouldn’t have if she’d stayed down in the healing webs.

“Tersa did tell me,” he said in a broken voice. “Over and over again. But…all I knew for certain was that Jaenelle had promised to marry me and then had left me, and…” He couldn’t go on.

*Maybe we could have told you,* Ladvarian said reluctantly after a long silence. *We didn’t think humans would believe that she could heal—at least, wouldn’t believe enough. But, maybe, if we had told you about all the webs, you could have believed.*

Not likely. No matter how much he would have wanted to believe, the doubts would have crept in—and might have destroyed everything he wanted to save. “Tersa told me it would be all right. I didn’t listen.”

More silence. Then, *It is hard to listen when your paw is caught in a trap.*