“Was Ulla known to be clairvoyant? Or was this some mischief of Usi’s?” Kaliq wondered aloud. “And Vilia was descended from Ulla’s daughter, and the chosen one in her generation. Still she loved Jonah, and would have done nothing to harm him.”

“Perhaps she was threatened,” Lothair said thoughtfully. “She was happy with both her husband and the son she bore Jonah. The only thing that irritated her was that despite the strides the women of Hetar have made Jonah would not give her the title of consort. What if some dark being wished to bring Jonah down so that the Hierarch could arise, and take power here in Hetar? Despite her bloodline Vilia was not truly touched by the darkness. She was greedy and ambitious, it is true, but she was loyal to those loyal to her. If she was approached to help destroy her husband she would have refused. So they reached out to harm her son in an effort to force her to their will.”

“But instead Vilia warned Jonah of what was coming, and chose an important bride for him that his stature be increased among the people of Hetar.” Kaliq took up the thread of Lothair’s idea. “And then using her own small powers healed her child with her own life force. I must admit to admiring such a bold tactic. It was both clever and brave.”

“Still,” Lothair said, “it was the Darkling who brought Zagiri across the Dream Plain. If the Darkling is the one who threatened Vilia in the first place why would she help her? There is more to this, brother.”

“The Darkling’s name is Ciarda,” Kaliq said.

“The word itself means dark,” Lothair remarked. “Is she beautiful?”

“Very,” Kaliq replied. “I should have enjoyed taking pleasures with her but that she is an enemy. Her aura is violet, and it shimmers around her. She told me that her sisters had given her their powers, and then she was gone.” He sighed. “I need to know more of this creature. I can scent wickedness in the very air, Lothair. It has penetrated even here to Shunnar. Gather those of our brothers who are strongest now, and go forth to seek any who would call himself the Hierarch. It is not like us to be caught off guard. Something evil is brewing, and I would know what it is.”

“Agreed,” Lothair said. Then he was gone from Kaliq’s presence.

The great Shadow Prince sat for some time considering his next move. He could sense that this was the most dangerous game he had played in some time. He drew his cloak tightly about him and in the silent language of magic he spoke the spell. Take me to where the Darkling lies. Reveal me not before her eyes. He found himself in a small room. Ciarda sat brushing her long dark hair. Her beautiful coloring reminded him of Lara’s youngest daughter, Marzina. And suddenly Kaliq knew. Ciarda was either a daughter or a sister of Kol, the imprisoned Twilight Lord.

Ciarda laid the hairbrush aside. She shrugged her diaphanous lavender robe aside, and said aloud, “Rolf, Rolf, hear my plea. Cease all else, and come to me.”

And a young Wolfyn appeared before Ciarda. Yanking her into his arms, he kissed her greedily while his paw hand kneaded at one of her breasts. “Prepare for me!” he growled, and when she fell upon her hands and knees he quickly mounted her, thrusting into the Darkling, leaning forward to bite her neck. Ciarda moaned with open pleasure.

Hidden in the shadows, Kaliq watched impassively. Wolfyn were more animal than anything else. The creature would not be long, and then perhaps Kaliq would overhear something of interest. The Darkling continued to whimper, her cries finally rising with her needy satisfaction, and finally the Wolfyn howled his satisfaction before releasing Ciarda. He was young, Kaliq noted, and handsome for his kind.

“How are my brothers?” Ciarda asked her lover.

“Their factions cannot keep from quarrelling and causing trouble,” Rolf replied. “You will have to return to the Dark Land, Ciarda, and correct this. Old Alfrigg has his hands full, and he just isn’t up to the job. Did you get the princess for the Lord High Ruler? Remember you promised me I might have her when we destroy Hetar.”

Ciarda drew on her robe again. “You will have her, Rolf,” she promised. “And yes, he has made her his wife. Zagiri is Lord Jonah’s weakness. He actually loves her. As for the girl, she is besotted by him, and so eager to please. She studies with two rather delicious sex slaves so she may give him the finest pleasures.”

Rolf licked his lips with his long tongue. “I shall look forward to having her one day,” he growled. “Let me see her, Ciarda! Please!”

Ciarda laughed, but she reached up and took down a small crystal globe from a shelf, handing it to him. “Gaze into it, and behold,” she said.

Rolf looked down into the ball cradled in his hands. He could see the beautiful golden princess as she made love to, and was given pleasures in return by, Lord Jonah. He licked his lips again several times imagining the softness of her skin, the scent of her. His male member twitched eagerly.

Seeing it, Ciarda snatched the crystal globe away from the young Wolfyn. She was in no mood to be plundered by him again tonight. “Tell Alfrigg that I want a meeting with my brothers, Rolf. The sooner the better. It is almost time for me to bring the Hierarch out into the open. It will cause a war between his followers, and those who follow Jonah. And then we will take Hetar with virtually no loss to ourselves. They will not triumph over the darkness this time.”

“Your father would be proud of you, Ciarda,” Rolf said.

“My father had no real use for any of his daughters,” she replied. “Only the birth of the next Twilight Lord was of interest to him. Then that damned faerie woman he insisted upon mating with caused us chaos by birthing twin sons. And when she escaped him he would not let it go. He had to invade her consciousness upon the Dream Plain. We all know how that turned out,” Ciarda said bitterly. “We are unable to release him, Rolf. The Shadow Princes have made it impossible. But I will complete what he began. The conquest of first Hetar, and then Terah.”

“I tell you again, Ciarda, that your father would be very pleased with you. It is unfortunate that you are a female. You would make a great ruler,” Rolf said.

She smiled at him. “Thank you,” she said, and with a wave of her hand she sent him back to his own time and place.

Kaliq had heard enough. He willed himself back to his palace in Shunnar. So the Darkling was the daughter of Kol. Kaliq chuckled to himself. He had seen the quick look on Ciarda’s face when the young Wolfyn had said she would be a great ruler. There was no doubt in the Shadow Prince’s mind that that was exactly what the girl meant to do. She would use her twin brothers’ forces to take Hetar after they had been weakened by their own civil war. The brothers would perish before it was all over, and the beautiful Darkling would attempt a coup. She would probably succeed, too. Kaliq chuckled again. Ciarda was worthy of his admiration. It was a very clever plan. The trick, of course, would be to keep Ciarda bottled up in the Dark Lands.

Oddly her observation about Jonah and Zagiri was, he considered, good news. Lara might not think it so, but the fact that the Lord High Ruler of Hetar, an ambitious and ruthless scoundrel, loved Zagiri was encouraging. Not that Kaliq believed that the girl’s love for Jonah would change him. It wouldn’t. But unless Zagiri grew disillusioned with her husband and rebelled against him, she would be safe, for Jonah would protect her. He would attempt to convince Lara of that fact, but his beloved faerie woman retained a mortal’s emotions where her children were concerned. She had lost her firstborn to Belmair, her second to the New Outlands.

To lose the first of the children she had borne Magnus Hauk so soon after the other two was difficult for her, especially as she had promised Marzina that she might go to her grandmother in the Forest Kingdom when the Icy Season came. Now she would not want to allow Marzina to leave, Kaliq knew, but he must convince her otherwise. Marzina, like her mother, was extraordinarily magically talented, and, like her mother, would certainly have a destiny to live out. As the Shadow Prince had anticipated, Lara was not happy with the news he brought her.

“How can she be happy with that man, Kaliq? How? Jonah is a vicious snake!” Lara’s beautiful gilt-colored hair swirled about her as she paced back and forth.

“I cannot disagree with you regarding Jonah’s character,” Kaliq said quietly. “But Zagiri has fallen madly in love with him, and he is utterly besotted by her. There is no enchantment here. Hetar suits your daughter. She appears to adore the many luxuries it offers her, and Lady Farah has seen her trained to both give and receive pleasures. Her passions, like yours, my love, run very deep. She is content, and she is safe.”

“For now,” Lara answered him. “What else have you learned, my lord?”

Kaliq told her about Ciarda, and the plans she had.

“Indeed,” Lara said softly. “So Kol sired a daughter before his sons.”

“Several, it would appear, though how many I do not know. I would have thought him more prudent,” the Shadow Prince observed.

“And so he may have been,” Lara responded. “Ciarda probably lied to you, but then again there might be others. And this Darkling would kill Kol’s sons, would she? Interesting, my lord. Is it possible that we can alert Alfrigg to her plotting?”

“Not yet, my love,” Kaliq said. “I am not certain if he sides with one of the twins, or if he has decided to support Ciarda.”

“Alfrigg is a man who believes strongly in the traditions of the Dark Lands,” Lara told Kaliq. “I do not think he would favor Kol’s daughter over one of his sons. He probably has not chosen a side at all. He will remain neutral until one of Kol’s sons triumphs over the other. Then he will declare his loyalty to the victor.”