The room was a reversed L. The long side contained a comfortable sitting area with tables, chairs, and a black leather couch. The walls held a variety of pictures, ranging from dramatic oil paintings to whimsical charcoal sketches. Intrigued by those choices, she turned toward the alcove.

Dark-red velvet covered the side walls. The back wall contained floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. A blackwood desk filled the center of the space. Two candle-lights lit its surface and the man sitting behind it.

At first glance, she thought Daemon was playing some kind of trick on her. Then she looked closer.

His face was similar to Daemon’s, but handsome rather than beautiful. He was definitely older, and his thick black hair was heavily silvered at the temples. He wore half-moon glasses, which made him look like a benevolent clerk. But the elegant hands had long, black-tinted nails like Daemon’s. On his left hand, he wore a Steward’s ring. On his right, a Black-Jeweled ring.

“Why don’t you sit down,” he said as he continued making notes on the paper in front of him. “This will take a minute.”

Surreal sidled over to the chair in front of the desk and gingerly sat down. His voice had the same deep timbre as Daemon’s, had the same ability to reach a woman’s bones and make her itchy. At least the sensual heat that poured out of Daemon even when he kept it tightly leashed was muted in the High Lord. Maybe that was just age.

Then he tucked the pen in its holder, laid the glasses on the desk, leaned back in his chair, and steepled his fingers, resting them against his chin.

Her breath clogged in her throat. She’d seen Daemon sit exactly that way whenever a conversation was “formal.” Hell’s fire, what was the connection between Sadi and the High Lord?

“So,” he said quietly. “You’re Surreal. Titian’s daughter.”

A shiver went through her. “You knew my mother?”

He smiled dryly. “I still do. And since I am kin to her kin, she considers me a tolerable friend, despite my being male.”

The words that had been rankling inside her all through the journey here burst out. “My mother is not a Harpy.”

Saetan gave her a considering look. “A Harpy is a witch who died violently by a male’s hand. I’d say that describes Titian, wouldn’t you? Besides,” he added, “being the Harpy Queen is hardly an insult.”

“Oh.” Surreal hooked her hair behind her ears. He made it sound so matter-of-fact, and there was no mistaking the respect in his voice.

“Would you like to see her?” Saetan asked.

“But…if she’s demon-dead…”

“A meeting could be arranged here at the Hall. I could ask her if she would be willing.”

“Since you’re the High Lord, I’m surprised you wouldn’t just order her to come,” Surreal said a bit tartly.