As soon as she walked out of the room, Daemon dismissed the footman who had served them at dinner.

For a few minutes, the two men simply drank wine—he finishing up the bottle of red, while Saetan drank yarbarah, the blood wine.

“You didn’t tell me Sylvia cut her hair,” Saetan said quietly.

“I wasn’t sure you wanted to know about her personal life,” Daemon replied.

“I don’t. Can’t. But . . . Is it that unattractive?”

“Not at all. It’s sassy. It suits her.”

“Then Grayhaven’s an ass.”

Daemon shrugged. “What he wants for his people shouldn’t be dismissed. And it took balls to come here.”

“Yes, it did.” Saetan swirled the yarbarah in the ravenglass goblet. “He doesn’t fit. His Jewels are dark enough and his personality is strong enough, but he doesn’t fit in with us.”

“He looks into Jaenelle’s eyes and doesn’t see who she is,” Daemon said.

Saetan nodded. “Yes. That was always the test when it came to accepting someone into the Dark Court, even for an apprenticeship. If the person couldn’t look into her eyes and know, he would rub the entire First Circle the wrong way and their tempers would start sharpening for an attack.”

“Fortunately, Theran won’t have to deal often with anyone who served in the Dark Court.”

“Except his new Queen,” Saetan said.

Daemon blew out a breath. “Except the new Queen.”

“You and Jaenelle. Will you be all right this evening?”

“We’ll be all right.”

“Will you be all right?”

He smiled. “Yes, Father, I’ll be all right.”

“In that case, I’ll return to the Keep and see Theran back to Terreille.”

They found Jaenelle—and Vae—waiting for them in the great hall. Theran joined them a minute later.

“Thank you for your help and your hospitality,” Theran said.

The words were properly spoken, but Daemon had the impression that Theran would have said anything if it got him out of the Hall.

“Witch-child,” Saetan said, kissing Jaenelle’s cheek.

Daemon felt more than saw a flash of understanding between them before Saetan shifted to him and put a hand against his face.

A different kind of understanding, an acknowledgment that the darkest feelings that lived inside him were not unique. He’d done something with those feelings no other male had done, but he knew now that he could temper those feelings when he chose to, could soften them to be an enticement rather than a weapon.

*Massage, not sex tonight,* Saetan said.

Right.

A pat on the shoulder and his father walked out the door with Grayhaven.

*Bye, Theran!* Vae said, bouncing in some kind of tail-wagging happy dance. *Bye!*

As soon as Beale closed the door,Vae looked at both of them. *He is male and foolish. He needs me. When he comes for the Queen, I will go live with him.*