Daughter of the Blood

tight. "Listen, my Lady Witch. I lied to you, and I'm sorry. So very sorry. But I lied because I love you. I hope you'll understand that one day."
    She sagged against him, saying nothing.
    "Listen to me," he said softly. "We're going to take your body away from here. We'll keep it safe. Is there some landmark in the misty place that you can always find?"
    She nodded wearily.
    "There's a tether around your leg. Take it off and tie it around that landmark. That way, when you're ready, it'll show you the way back." It took him a moment to say the rest. "Please, Jaenelle, please repair the chalice. Find the shards and put it back together. Return to the body when the Priest tells you it's safe. Grow up and have a rich life. We need you, Lady. Come back and walk among those who love you, those who have longed for you." He let her go.
    She hesitated a moment before leaping away from him. When there was enough distance between them, she turned around.
    Daemon swallowed hard. "Try to remember that I love you. And if you can, please forgive me."
    He felt her lightly touch his mind, felt her dark power reform the thin skin that held him together. She closed her sapphire eyes. He watched her shape change.
    When she opened her eyes, Jaenelle stood before him, not quite a woman but no longer a child. "Daemon," she said, her voice a soft, sighing caress. Then she dove into the abyss, and his heart shattered. He made the ascent for the last time and tumbled into his body.
    He heard angry male voices coming from the outer rooms. He heard shrieks of pain. Heard stone exploding. Heard the sizzle of power meeting power.
    He didn't move. Didn't try. He laid his head on Jaenelle's chest and wept silently, bitterly.
    "Daemon." Saetan brushed against his mind and pulled back. "Daemon, what have you done?"
    "I let her go," Daemon cried. "I told her you'd tell her when it was safe to come back. I told her about the tether. I let her go, Priest. Sweet Darkness, I let her go."
    "What have you done to yourself?"
    "I shattered the chalice. I lied to her. I seduced her into trusting me and I lied to her. "
    A brief touch, gentle and hesitant. "She'll understand, namesake. In time, she'll understand." Saetan faded, came back. "I can't hold the link anymore. Cassandra will open the Gate and take you—" Saetan was gone.
    Daemon wiped his face with his sleeve. A little longer. He had to hold on a little longer. But he felt so empty, so terribly alone.
    The sounds of fighting got closer. Closer.
    Cassandra burst into the room. "There's no time left."
    Daemon slid from the Altar and collapsed.
    Ignoring him, Cassandra rushed over to the Altar and brushed her hand over Jaenelle's head. "You didn't bring her back."
    Her anger sliced through the thin skin of power holding the chalice together, leaving weak spots.
    "The body is healing," Daemon said hoarsely. "If you keep it safe, it will mend. And—"
    Cassandra made a sharp, dismissive gesture.
    Daemon cringed. The Altar room blurred. Sounds became muffled. He struggled to focus. Struggled to stand up.
    By the time he was braced against the Altar, the bloody sheet was lying on the floor, Jaenelle was wrapped in a clean blanket, the black candles were lit, and the wall behind the Altar was turning to mist.
    "How much time do you need?" Daemon asked.
    Cassandra cradled Jaenelle in her arms and glanced at the mist. "Aren't you coming through the Gate?"
    He wanted to go with them. Sweet Darkness, how he needed to go with them. But there was Surreal, who would keep fighting until he gave her a signal or she was destroyed.
    And there was Lucivar.
    Daemon shook his head. "Go," he whispered as tears filled his eyes. "Go."
    "Count to ten," Cassandra said. "Then get rid of the candles. They won't be able to open the Gate without them." Holding Jaenelle tightly, she stepped into the mist and disappeared.
    A male voice shouted, "There's a light!"
    Surreal rushed into the Altar room. "I threw up a couple of shields to slow them down, but nothing short of blowing this place apart is going to hold them."
    . . . four, five, six . . .
    The Sanctuary rocked as the combined power of several Jewels blasted through one of the shields.
    "Sadi, where . . ."
    Another blast of power.
    "Damn," Surreal hissed, pulling her knife from its sheath.
    The angry voices came closer.
    . . . eight, nine, ten.
    Daemon tried to vanish the black candles. Not even that much power left. "Vanish the candles, Surreal. Hurry."
    Surreal vanished