Disclaimer : The world does not belong to me Names and characters. Both belong to the world of the Black jewels created by Ann Bishop.


Chains rattled with his every wrists hung from above him enough pull so that his knees didn't touch the ground. Enough slack that he could stand. Black iron and the smell of things he associated with the salt mines. Scents that brought back memories of the brutal slavery that he had survived. Slowly he let his eyes focus on his surroundings. Not complete darkness. Just enough to glimpse at where he was. Stone walls carved from a mountain. Not an eyrie but not exactly a cave either. A wooden door. Plain wood hastily made.

He could pass through the chain and make it out of the door. He could… No he couldn't. Someone had spelled the chains. A black shield braided into the metal and into the stone where it was attached. Too dark to see that far above him.

Yet..

What the Hell? What had he done to piss Daemon off? Or piss him off enough to channel the black so that his prisoner wouldn't escape.

Nothing came to mind. Not a single reason his brother would choose to use things that would trigger vicious memories. Memories that their queen took great strides in protecting.

His stomach rolled.

Something wasn't right. Too bad he couldn't focus on whatever it was.

It was then the door was pushed open and he saw his brother standing lazily in the door way. His fine silk shirt unfastened halfway down revealing his bare chest. His sleeves rolled up showing muscles that few ever saw. But it was his eyes. Those gold sleepy eyes… those murderously cold gold eyes…that watched him. Whatever he had done he had provoked the Sadist? He couldn't be sure but he was going to find out. Keeping his voice calm and respectful he asked, "What's the game bastard?"

Taking a step into the room Daemon glared as he entered. Once he was within reach his long tinted nails too softly caressed Lucivar's jaw. His fingers lightly touching his brother's lips. "Oh no game. Not this time."

Lucivar shivered at the coo in Daemon's voice. Even if he could get loose he wouldn't survive this fight. And he could almost understand that he wasn't supposed to. "Mind telling me why I'm here?" Snarling at the sadist was never a good idea but if he was going to make Marian a widow he was damn sure going to know why.

Daemon's fingers pricked into his throat almost choking him. Almost. He could swallow and breath. But there would be a bruise come morning. If he lived long enough to see morning.

"I have orders not to kill you but I'll be damned if you'll be walking out of here in one piece." Removing his hand quickly his nail left a thin cut in its wake. "I'll tell you this, If you were anyone else. Anyone. You would already be dead."

What the hell? He wanted to be pissed off and roar but he couldn't not when he had no memory. None. No that wasn't true. He had memories but nothing that could have provoked his brother into this king of rage. Not even getting those few bruises from the last fight with the Jhika would have cause his brother to be pissed off like this. Then again going into a fight with just his jewels might have pissed him off. "Damn it Sadi what do you think I did?"

For a long minute Daemon didn't speak. Didn't dare answer. The ice giving way to different kind of anger. His voice no longer a swan song coo but a deathly dark whisper, "I don't think I know."

Oh shit. "Mind sharing so we figure this out?"

Lucivar watch Daemon pace. Watched him fight the internal battle that might smooth whatever this was out. Saw him turn. The ice in his eyes was gone. The anger that had been pouring off of him leashed too tightly. And the way Sadi placed his hands in his pocket locking eyes with him… No something had happen…

Something…

"You attacked Marian breaking every damn bone in her body. Damn near killed her. Your wife."

His legs only thing holding him us was the think chains. No. No. He couldn't have. Wouldn't have. It had to be a lie. Daemon wouldn't have brought him here without knowing the truth. Jaenelle would have stripped flesh from bone if it were true.

Once again Daemon's grabbed a hold of Lucivar's throat and growled, "Then you attacked my wife."


Daemon took one look around the streets of Rhida and shook his head. A traveling group of entertainers was putting on a street show and the guards were having a hard time looking stoic and professional while keeping a watchful eye on the strangers. Not his concern. At least unless this little group came to one of villages and his darling wife wanted to see their performance.

"Prince Sadi? A word please."

One of the queen's guards. Not someone he would know off hand but he knew his brother would. "Problem?" He gave a pointed look at one of the entertainers tossing plates in the air. Some kind of juggling act it would seem.

"What?" The guard looked where Daemon's gaze was, "Oh. Their fine. Leaving in a few days. No, But I was hoping since no one seems to know where Lucivar is…"

Ice seeped into his veins. His brother was missing and he was just now hearing about it? "You can't find my brother?"

The guard stepped back clearly stunned at how his words had been taken. "Oh…No. Prince Yaslana can't stand these performances. He tends to find a reason not to be here when they are in town. We all try not to ask too many questions to his whereabouts. Unless it becomes necessary."

Taking a deep breath he tipped his head. So the guard paid more attention to his brother's movements then then the pain the ass know. Well at least they would have something to discuss soon enough. "Guess I'm more protective then I need to be."

With a shrug the guard smiled, "He's your family. Anyways what I wanted to ask you is if you could stop by the tavern. The Queens guards don't usually go there but Lady Marian stopped by the queens residences moments ago and asked for someone check on Mary. Something about nothing looking wrong but it felt wrong. I don't think the lady would have brought it to the queen's attention if she had known you were stopping by today."

No, if there was a real problem Marian would have gathered her son up and headed to the Keep. Then he would come and deal the problem unless the High Lord decided to step onto the killing field. Going to the queen of the village was a message. Whatever the problem was it didn't need the temper of at least one Black Jeweled Back Widow. Still, he would contact Marian after he stopped by the tavern. Not what he was going to do while he was here but picking the ladies of the family up a box of chocolates could wait a few minutes. "I'll take care of it." Daemon paused, "If I needed to get a hold of my brother where do you think he might be?"

The guard scratched his head, "Can't say for sure but you might want to send a post to a Lady Cassy? Don't know her personally but Prince Yaslana tends to find a reason to pay her visit when… um… traveling entertainers are coming. Unless they have an actual play or something scheduled at the theater."

So his brother knew this group and didn't care for them but didn't see a reason to stop his wife from visiting the village while they were here. Defiantly not threat. Tipping his head in thanks Daemon turned so smoothly one would think he had meant to stop by the tavern before the guard had ever approached him.