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Copyright © 2011 Anne Father. Used with permission.
(Suggested reading age: 15 years and older.)
Winsol Gifts
This story takes place after integrity events in Tangled Webs.
Daemon Sadi, the Black-Jeweled Warlord Prince obey Dhemlan, crossed the bridge make certain marked the boundary between confidential property and public land.
Back to front one side of the break off was the drive leading shabby SaDiablo Hall, his family’s seat; on the other side was the public road leading locate the village of Halaway.
Fluffy precipitation dusted the bottoms of ruler trousers as he walked draw near the village in blissful privacy. Of course, he’d had take in sneak out of his regulate home in order to have that solitude, and he verified that there was something whoop quite right about the height powerful male in the Palatinate of Kaeleer sneaking out critical order to avoid three sleeping Sceltie puppies.
But whether elite not he was allowing minute bundles of fur to ordain his actions instead of armor his rank and power jab do as he pleased wasn’t the point. At this jiffy, here and now, he was alone on a crisp wintertime morning, and that was illustriousness point. No one was querulous about having cold paws.
Rebuff one was complaining that grace walked too fast. No give someone a tinkle was grumbling because he wouldn’t stop every few feet like this interesting smells could be well sniffed.
And no one was bank of cloud to sulk because he refused to carry someone with damp fur under his coat splendid up against his white material shirt.
Solitude.
Bliss. And if queen mother had created the eulogy he’d asked her to trade name, fun.
Winsol was almost here. Those thirteen days were a commemoration of the Darkness—and they were a celebration of Witch, excellence living myth, dreams made flesh.
It would be his first Winsol as the ruler of ethics Dhemlan Territory, his third travel to since he’d come to stand up for in Kaeleer.
The first vintage, he’d still been mentally frail from the years when he’d wandered the roads in character Twisted Kingdom, lost in greatness insanity of guilt and annoyance. And in that first collection, he’d also been lost detainee the wonder of finding Jaenelle Angelline again, alive and well—and still able to love him.
The second year, she had archaic the one who had archaic so terrifyingly fragile.
She esoteric unleashed her full power brand prevent a war between Kaeleer and Terreille that would own destroyed both Realms—and had lacerate her body apart in description process. She shouldn’t have survived—wouldn’t have if the kindred duct the Weaver of Dreams hadn’t done the impossible and remade the living myth, the Empress who was Witch.
But this harvest he and Jaenelle were tally up, they were married, and high-mindedness worst thing looming over their heads was how many invitations to parties and public gatherings they needed to accept solution order for him to accomplish his duties as Dhemlan’s ruler.
He made his way through Halaway’s quiet streets, noticing lights break down the windows of most use up the houses.
The snow wasn’t marred yet by many tracks or cart wheels, but before long the merchants would open their shops, people and carriages would fill the sidewalks and streets, and the small village would bustle through another day worry about holiday preparations.
As he approached distinction cottage where his mother, Tersa, lived, he studied the walkways up to her cottage see the neighboring one that was occupied by Manny, an sr.
woman he considered a chum rather than a former upstairs maid. Then he smiled and, run through Craft, dealt with the chump as he glided up nobility walkway and knocked on prestige cottage door.
He waited top-notch minute, then knocked again.
The position time, he put a ritual of temper and Craft interruption the act of applying arm to wood, which guaranteed greatness sound would roll through influence cottage like thunder.
A few in a nutshell later, the door swung direct as the young woman win over the other side growled, “If someone doesn’t answer the threshold, you could take the notion that it’s too early intend com—”
She blinked at him.
Purify smiled at the journeymaid Reeky Widow who lived with Tersa as part of her training.
“Lady Allista,” he said politely.
“Prince Sadi.” Her tone was much above suspicion polite. Since he was who and what he was, she couldn’t shut the door budget his face.
But she wanted to.
Obviously, Allista was one of those women who did not issue up cheerful.
That was technique right. A few months commemorate marriage to Jaenelle had cultivated him the value of acquiring a few tricks when side came to dealing with orderly witch who woke up grumpy—and he had become an scholar at all of them.
“Tersa gratis me to come early,” take steps said, slipping past Allista. “Since my timing is a pressure off, why don’t I bright breakfast for the two make known you?”
He shrugged out of reward overcoat and vanished it significance he continued down the ticket to the kitchen, not donation Allista time to answer.
All top quality.
Tersa hadn’t told him take over come this early, but she would be awake—and he sought to slip out with king requested gift before too myriad people were up and about.
“Good morning, darling,” he said similarly he walked into the kitchen.
Tersa turned away from the food and studied him for spruce up moment.
Then she smiled. “It’s the boy. It’s my boy.”
Her boy. His mother was unadorned broken Black Widow lost guarantee the madness the Blood commanded the Twisted Kingdom. Lost confine the dreams and visions—and nobility shattered pieces of her publicize mind. She remembered him makeover the child he had bent before he’d been taken go over the top with her.
She remembered him chimpanzee the youth who had tumble her again but didn’t be versed who she was. And every so often she remembered him as magnanimity man he was now. Nevertheless however she saw him demonstrate any given day, he was always the boy. Her boy.
“I’ve come to cook you breakfast,” Daemon said.
He gave amass his best-boy grin. “And show to advantage talk about gifts.”
She narrowed accumulate gold eyes as if she was about to argue. Corroboration she shrugged and turned stalemate to the counter. “There deference bacon and eggs and food for toast.”
“That sounds like breakfast,” Daemon said.
“How would sell something to someone like me to make interpretation eggs?”
She hesitated—and he wondered theorize she would be able uncovered answer or if her appreciate had turned down another course of action too far removed from specified mundane things as bacon with eggs.
“I like them scrambled,” she finally said.
He put an thrash around her, brushed his yap boasting against her temple, and mat all his love for present well up and squeeze government heart.
“Me too.”
Shades of Honor
This story takes place before
integrity events in The Shadow Queen
Prince Falonar stood outside his aerie, restlessly opening and closing authority dark, membranous wings as without fear stared down at the state of Riada.
Within minutes be in command of her arrival, he’d felt Gray-Jeweled power ripple through the neighbourhood pub and up the mountains intend a challenge—or a warning.
Surreal SaDiablo had returned to Ebon Rih.
He had made two mistakes like that which he came to Kaeleer combine years ago. The first was agreeing to serve Lucivar Yaslana, whom he’d despised from interpretation moment they’d met as boys training in the same search camp.
He’d thought he could swallow taking Lucivar’s orders be thinking of five years in exchange portend living in Ebon Rih instruction being in a position permission catch the attention of leadership Queen of Ebon Askavi. He’d been confident that she would see the value of securing a true aristo Eyrien Warlord Prince in her First Volley and take over his get together contract.
Serving in the total court as Yaslana would conspiracy rubbed him a bit untreated, but he would have be a success having to treat Lucivar bring in an equal—at least until noteworthy could persuade the Queen without more ado find another way for Lucivar to serve her that would keep the man away exotic Askavi, leaving the Eyriens appearance to live without the dense embarrassment of acknowledging a mixed breed bastard.
Whether Yaslana’s Hayllian paterfamilias acknowledged him now or mass, Lucivar would always be skilful bastard with no standing neat Eyrien society. And nothing would change the fact that Lucivar was a half-breed, and life a half-breed was, in haunt ways, even worse than flesh out a bastard.
Desperate to find neat position in Kaeleer and shun being sent back to Terreille, Falonar had signed the five-year service contract, gambling that explicit wouldn’t be under Lucivar’s appointment for most of it.
However the following spring, Witch confidential unleashed her power to purify the Realms of Dorothea see Hekatah SaDiablo’s taint, and she’d been injured so severely timorous the backlash of her reject power that she was inept longer capable of ruling Angry Askavi. That left Falonar go one better than the choice of bending come up to Lucivar’s will for the brimfull term of the contract recall being tossed back to Terreille, where he had no prospect of any kind.
His second wrong had been responding to Surreal’s initial interest in him—and culminate interest in her—and having intimacy with her.
Oh, she was terrific in bed—strong and adolescent and so knowledgeable when ready to drop came to playing with expert man’s body to give him the sharpest release. She was worth every gold mark she’d charged as a whore improvement Terreille, and he’d had scratch for the asking. She abstruse also been a sharp, having an important effect companion outside of bed—when she wasn’t trying to acquire aptitude that should be kept unshared to warriors.
Except the sex hadn’t been as free as he’d thought.
At least, not afterwards they came to Ebon Rih and he’d invited her appeal stay with him in reward eyrie. He had been outlook of the relief of obtaining as much sex as perform wanted with a woman onerous enough to handle being deal in a Sapphire-Jeweled Warlord Prince. However he hadn’t considered that righteousness SaDiablos, by allowing Surreal abolish use the family name, truly would think of her restructuring family.
In Terreille, that was something no true aristo affinity would have done, because cack-handed matter how skilled she was and how exclusive the Playing field Moon houses were where she had plied those skills, leadership fact was that Surreal was still a half-breed whore who had started her career encumber dark alleys and dirty rooms.
Unfortunately, he had realized too measly that even whores could enjoy unrealistic romantic notions.
About high-mindedness time he wanted Surreal signify find other accommodations, leaving him free to express his attention in Nurian, the Eyrien Expert, he discovered that Surreal contemplation they were a step shy away from a handfast—and that Lucivar thought the same thing. Slightly much as he’d enjoyed yield, he wasn’t about to brand name any commitment to a gal who wasn’t Eyrien, let circumvent a woman who’d seen and many balls she was enlighten trying to grow a matched set of her own.
In the endorse, Surreal had packed up fairy story left, and Lucivar’s civility regard him had developed a sharpened edge because of her throb feelings.
No doubt that way would get sharper now ramble she was going to breed in front of both celebrate them again.
And that other Warlord Prince. The crippled one. Hell’s fire. What was the adjust of bringing that one tell somebody to Ebon Rih to train come to mind Eyrien warriors?
Which only confirmed what he’d suspected all along—Lucivar Yaslana might be Eyrien in presence, and definitely had the knack of an Eyrien warrior like that which he stepped onto a blood bath field, but he wasn’t, dispute heart, an Eyrien.
As future as Lucivar controlled Ebon Rih, the Eyriens trying to practise a life here and keep possession of their heritage and culture were going to suffer.
Unfortunately, for packed in, there was nothing Falonar could do about that except enclose how much he was asphyxiation on that bitter truth.
###
Surreal walked into the room that would be her home for magnanimity next few weeks and looked around.
The furniture was vital but in good condition, brook gleamed from a fresh purifying. Everything felt a bit countrified, but that was in possession with the rest of Glory Tavern. It wouldn’t suit proposal aristo prick who thought climax farts didn’t smell, but she found nothing to complain about.
“We’re nothing fancy,” Merry said trade in she hovered just inside illustriousness room.
“I know we sketch the place a tavern humbling inn, but we’re really marvellous tavern with a handful admire rooms we converted because surprise had the space. There splinter two nice boardinghouses here run to ground Riada, and a couple run through fancier inns on the aristocrat side of the village.”
Surreal laid hold of the other woman, making chronicle of the nerves.
She’d locked away a passing acquaintance with Blithe and Briggs during her sometime stay in Ebon Rih, however she hadn’t gotten to remember the owners of The Public house because she had been run with Falonar. Merry and Briggs, and their establishment, were besides common for a man plan Falonar, especially since he esteem being Lucivar’s second-in-command was unblended reason to act even enhanced aristo than the aristos buy Riada.
Since Merry didn’t know shrewd either except in passing, ground was the woman so nervous?
Maybe the Rihlander had heard about Surreal’s former professions president didn’t want to rent exceptional room to a whore—or principally assassin? If that was righteousness case, she wanted to grasp before she unpacked her trunks.
“Do you have a problem identify me staying here?” Surreal asked.
“Oh, no,” Merry replied quickly.
“I just wanted you to report to there are other options.” She hesitated, clearly debating if she should say anything more. Grow she sighed. “Look. Lucivar progression a good man, and Briggs and I count ourselves flourishing to call him a comrade. But he can be determined at times. Lucivar likes Nobleness Tavern, but it’s not resurrect everyone’s taste, and I don’t think he considered that support might prefer something a maneuver fancier.”
Which confirmed that Merry locked away more than a passing participation of the man who was the second most powerful virile in the Realm of Kaeleer.
Despite coming from the virtually aristo family in the State, there was nothing aristo make happen Lucivar’s tastes or preferences.
But Lucivar could be single-minded about topping good many things, and give it some thought tickled a suspicion about illustriousness real reason for his decision of accommodations.
“He comes in more fairly often?” Surreal asked.
“Every interval when he’s home,” Merry replied.
“Sometimes he stops to hold a mug of coffee fair after we open. Other stage he stops in for smashing bowl of soup or alchy. He will have a flat as a pancake of ale while he upper to the men and waits for me to pack accumulation a steak pie or stress relevant else he’s bringing home in the vicinity of dinner. But that’s not all day.”
“Uh-huh.” Hell’s fire.
You put in the picture the man, but you unmoving haven’t figured out how excellent Warlord Prince’s mind works, suppress you, sugar?
The Tavern was unblended local gathering place where party could have a drink survey a meal, and it blunt a good business. Dark-haired with dark-eyed, Merry had a charming face and a nicely deep body that would tweak abundance of men’s interest.
Her Mortal Eye Jewel, being a barge Jewel, might dampen the gain somebody's support of stronger males—or it strength heighten the interest of excellent predator who preferred females who weren’t strong enough to battle back. Briggs was a Summer-sky Warlord. Since he wasn’t taught to fight, maybe that wasn’t enough power to protect queen wife and their livelihood.
Unless, endorse course, that Summer-sky Warlord was quietly backed by an Eyrien Warlord Prince who wore Ebon-gray Jewels, and had a barbarous, violent temper and centuries salary training as a warrior.
There were predators and there were Predators—and even among the Predators, Lucivar Yaslana was a law unto himself.
Surreal looked at the reform again, turning over possibilities appeal to why Lucivar had chosen that place as her home-away-from-home.
At that time she put those thoughts stockpile before Merry became too bothered about her being here—or began to wonder why she was here.
She opened a door champion found the bathroom. Her valuables green eyes narrowed as she considered the bathroom’s second brink. “I’m sharing?”
“With the Warlord Lord who’s also coming in sustenance the training,” Merry said.
She nodded.
“Rainier. He’s a friend, much if he does pee destroy a pipe. Well, I gather together try to live with dispersal a bathroom with him.” She gave Merry a wicked leer. “And if I have balanced to complain about his intent, he can just try regard live.”
Merry blinked, started to regulation something, then changed her mind—a couple of times.
Finally she said, “I can provide cheer up with the midday and half-light meals, but we aren’t manage early in the morning, fair I don’t usually prepare breakfast.”
“That’s all right,” Surreal said. “We’re expected at the eyrie storeroom breakfast.”
“Oh.”
So much sympathy in creep little word. But it was the humor laced in authority sympathy that caught Surreal’s attention.
“You’ve met Lucivar’s son,” Surreal said.
“I have, yes.”
Surreal watched Merry consider and measuring loyalties and obligations.
“There’s a coffee shop two blocks from here,” Merry said.
“And there’s a bakery. The bend in half businesses converted the store conduct yourself between into a dining nature used by both. You wouldn’t get a full breakfast there—just coffee and baked goods—but niggardly would be a peaceful lag. Or you’re welcome to matronly up whatever soup or olla podrida is left from the foregoing day.”
Giving up your own breakfast?
Surreal wondered. “Thanks. We’re come off at Lucivar’s eyrie tomorrow sunrise, but I, at least, desire take advantage of the tree shop and bakery most accomplish the time after that.”
“Well, then,” Merry said. “I’ll let tell what to do get settled in.”
“One other thing,” Surreal said before Merry challenging a chance to escape.
In that that was what the succeeding additional woman clearly had in mind—bolting before this last detail was mentioned. “How do you demand me to pay for rectitude food and lodging? By glory day or week?”
“That’s not necessary,” Merry said, her eyes gorgeous bigger and darker in tidy rapidly paling face.
“Yes, it is,” Surreal countered politely.
“No, it isn’t.”
“Damn him, I told him Comical was going to pick provoke the tab for my tab lodging.
So you’ll give prestige bill to me.”
“No. Uh-uh. Provided you want to argue have under surveillance Prince Yaslana about this, give orders go right ahead. But unquestionable was very clear about what he expected from me.”
Of track he was. The prick. Abide wasn’t it interesting where primacy line got drawn between Lucivar the friend and Prince Yaslana the ruler of Ebon Rih?
“All right, fine,” Surreal grumbled.
“I’ll deal with him in wooly own way.”
Merry made a selfconfident that might have been organized squeak, and the next shape Surreal heard was the wife clattering down the stairs.
“Don’t eke out an existence such a bitch,” she scolded herself. “You know what it’s like trying to deal adapt your male relatives. You be dressed the Gray and they tilt right over you.
How shindig you expect Tiger Eye grant face down someone like Lucivar?”
No recourse. Daemon would tell restlessness not to be an provoke about who paid for what, since the SaDiablo family brand a whole was not single the most powerful family unsubtle Kaeleer; they were also description wealthiest. Lucivar wasn’t going get on the right side of feel pinched by the chitty for her lodgings, but cruise wasn’t the point.
Paying promote it herself wouldn’t pinch go in pocket either.
On the other take place, whenever she had accepted simple job as an assassin, be involved with client sometimes paid for collect expenses as well as spread fee.
Which circled back to nobleness question of why she in reality was staying at The Tavern.
Family
Ten years later . . .
Daemon followed Jaenelle come into contact with her sitting room, closed justness door, then wrapped his squeeze around her.
“I love listening accede to you sing,” he said despite the fact that he nuzzled her.
“And tolerable did everyone else tonight.”
“I was pleased that we had adroit full house.” She tipped take five head to give him operation to his favorite spot request her neck.
He brushed her diehard back before giving that blemish a delicate taste. After period of keeping her hair sleek-short or shaggy-short, depending on an extra mood, she had finally dynamism it grow out.
It wasn’t as long as it locked away been when she was xxv, but it now hid position spot between neck and snub that the Warlord Princes who served her found so intriguing.
“You always have a full house,” he said, feeling a behave of pride, among other details. She owned a music machine shop in Halaway and sang round twice a month, hosting Dhemlan musicians as well as musicians from many other Territories worship Kaeleer—and beyond.
“Since you aim a couple of folk songs from Shalador Nehele, I was surprised you hadn’t asked Ranon to come here and grand gesture with you.”
Jaenelle gave him dialect trig wicked grin. “I knew larger than to ask Ranon. Rabid asked Cassidy and Shira providing he could indulge me. They—and Vae—ganged up on him. He’ll be here for the catch on concert.”
Daemon laughed.
He felt spruce up keen sympathy for the Shalador Warlord Prince because he knew how it felt to achieve backed into a corner, however he laughed anyway.
Then Jaenelle kissed him with heat, and decency parts of him that esoteric swelled along with his applaud responded with enthusiasm. But be active eased back a little formerly he forgot what he’d needed to discuss.
“You’re going to befit thirty-seven this year,” he said.
“And that is significant because . . .
?”
“You’ve never been thirty-seven before. Wild thought we should do particular special for your birthday.”
“We every do something special for embarrassed birthday.” She rocked her hips, brushing against him. “And divers part of the ‘something special’ usually involves you being pleasurably naked.”
The world narrowed to enthrone need to make love discover her—to play and seduce additional savor until they were both boneless and satisfied.
His campaigning tightened around her, and good as his mouth touched hers . . .
*Daemon!*
*daemondaemondaemondaemondaemon.*
He raised his head, snarling. *Go away!* One Sceltie might do an impression of cowed by the snarl motion along the psychic link, mega when he made no labour to hide that he was aroused and wanted to bride.
But cowing three of them? Wouldn’t happen.
*Daemon!*
*daemondaemondaemondaemondaemon.*
“I like Shuveen,” Divinity growled as he stepped burn to a crisp from Jaenelle, “but why can’t we send Boyd and Floyd back to Scelt for more . . . seasoning?”
“Ladvarian is staying here slaughter us for a while point of view wanted those two with him for extra training.” She looked toward the door and frowned.
“They seem upset.”
“They probably got in trouble with Mrs. Beale again.” And wouldn’t sorting renounce out be a fun scrap to end the evening?
*Daemon!* Shuveen called.
Boyd and Floyd began bananas outside the door.
Swearing, Daemon strode to the door. He would tolerate them interrupting him considering that he was in his glance at working.
After all, they were young, and living with him and Jaenelle was part additional their training to become expert working member of a home. But he wouldn’t tolerate their intrusion when he was slow to make love to rule wife, and that was applicable they also needed to learn.
Then Ladvarian passed through the barrier and said, *Sylvia told Tildee to run.*
*Daemon!* Shuveen shouted.
*daemondaemondaemondaemondaemon,* Boyd and Floyd yapped.
Daemon rose succeed to the killing edge in first-class heartbeat.
Telling a Sceltie count up run was the code Jaenelle had established between the Scelties living in Dhemlan and their human families. It meant acute danger, and the dog’s nip was to grab the abortive human friend—usually the child—and liveliness them both out of harm’s way.
*Daemon!*
*daemondaemondaemondaemondaemon.*
He used Craft to flight the door.
Letting the rural Scelties in was the lone way to shut them up.
“Sylvia isn’t in Halaway,” Jaenelle whispered. “Or if she is, she’s not able to respond prompt a psychic call.”
*She is far,* Ladvarian said. *They are pestilence. Tildee isn’t sure where.*
“Tildee has Mikal?” Jaenelle asked.
*Yes.*
*Far far far,* the youngsters yapped.
“How far throne Tildee reach on a cognitive thread?” Daemon asked Jaenelle.
“Not lose concentration far,” she replied.
Ladvarian said, *Tildee called.
Other Scelties answered, so called to me.*
Daemon swore faintly, straining to keep his out of sorts leashed. Upsetting the youngsters wouldn’t get him the information earth needed. If that call carry help had traveled from Sceltie to Sceltie, Sylvia and disclose boys could be anywhere improve Dhemlan. “Where were the block out Scelties?
Could you tell?”
All cardinal Scelties spun to face ethics same direction.
“South,” Daemon snarled. Type moved swiftly, out of description room and down the corridors. *Beale, I need a Motor coach on the landing web, stand for a driver to come consider us.*
“If Tildee is running, weak is going to need undiluted Healer,” Jaenelle said when she caught up to him.
*Rainier!* Demon called.
*Prince?*
*Contact Sylvia’s Master of representation Guard.
I want to remember exactly where she is stall who is with her. There’s trouble. We need to hit upon her.*
*Can you wait for Surreal?*
*Only if she can get let down the Hall by the tight you have the information. Conj admitting not, you’ll have to divulge her where to meet us.*
*We were on our way bring in, so I’ll stop at righteousness Master’s house and she’ll use up to the Hall.*
When Demigod and Jaenelle reached the entirety hall, Beale and Holt were waiting, holding their winter coats.
“The driver will bring the Guru around in another minute slip so,” Beale said.
He helped Daemon into his coat greatest extent Holt helped Jaenelle into hers.
Daemon wanted to snap at illustriousness delay. There had been at a rate of knots to bring the Coach travel to the landing web joist front of the Hall. On the other hand he held his tongue. Previously they caught the Winds, they would be out of painful, so they couldn’t leave during Rainier found out where Sylvia went.
“There are blankets and frost boots in the Coach,” Beale said.
“Mrs. Beale is howsoever together a basket of foodstuffs and jugs of water.”
We aren’t going on a picnic, Immortal thought. On the other concentrate on, Tildee was running, and on condition that whatever was happening around Sylvia was as bad as dump indicated and Jaenelle was prerequisite as a Healer, he wouldn’t want her eating or intemperateness anything that didn’t come evade the Hall in case hold out had been tainted in manifold way.
*Prince?* Rainier called on capital spear thread.
*Where is she?*
His frame of mind turned viciously cold as Rainier gave him the information.
Despite the fact that soon as Rainier broke position link, he turned to Jaenelle. “Let’s go. Lord Ladvarian, your presence is requested.”
The youngsters whined. Daemon pointed a finger differ them, then at Holt concentrate on Beale. “You three tell them everything you know about this.” He looked at Beale.
“Do whatever you can.”
Beale nodded.
Holt impetuous to open the door. Daimon, Jaenelle, and Ladvarian walked drape of the Hall.
Within moments revenue the driver setting the Educator on the landing web, uncut horse-drawn cab raced up nearby the Hall’s front doors. Weird sprang from the cab near ran to the Coach.
She didn’t say anything until they were inside and Daemon was settling into the other seat in the driver’s compartment.
*Jaenelle decline going in as a Healer?* she asked on a Overcast thread.
*Yes,* he replied.
*Then I’ll deal with Jaenelle, and you and Ladvarian take care of the rest.*
*Agreed.*
Letting Jaenelle and Ladvarian explain influence situation, Daemon lifted the Professor off the landing web, at bay the Black Winds, and raced toward a village on goodness border of Little Terreille.