Lord of the Abyss - By Nalini Singh Page 0,58

Jissa would not be lonely, he was almost in a good mood for an instant. Until he remembered that Liliana hadn't been waiting warm and naked in his bed as she should have been. She was his, after all. Didn't she know the rules? He was scowling again by the time he entered the stone garden, following the scent of her sorcery to the grassy area beside the long reflecting pool that was a favorite with birds.

She'd drawn a blood circle and though he could've crossed it as this was his domain, he didn't. To disturb such magic could cause harm to rebound on her. Instead, he took a seat on an overturned sculpture and watched as she knelt on the cold, hard earth dressed in nothing but her old brown dress and a black jacket.

At least the jacket was his, he thought, mollified.

A tickle at his leg announced one of the Bitterness. Looking down, he saw it was, in fact, four of the creatures. Carrying a cup of chocolate dusted with cinnamon. "My thanks." He took it, was almost expecting the group that came along with a plate of bread heaped with butter and honey. "Jissa is working you hard."

They all but leaped in joy before running back to their new mistress. That was what no one understood about the Bitterness. They had been created to eat bad magic, and that was how they got their name - for it was said they became bitter with the eating of it. That, however, was not true. When the Bitterness ate bad magic, it lost its badness and became inert. The Bitterness, on their own, were loyal creatures, full of happiness and a desire to help. If not for their unfortunate propensity to raid farmers' stores, they would be much loved.

Eating a piece of the bread, Micah decided to keep one aside for Liliana. He wasn't pleased with her for depriving him of a chance to touch and kiss her naked body, but he didn't like her looking weak. After spilling that much blood - from a wound in her arm, he saw - she'd need sustenance.

Her lips moved, her fingers lifting to make graceful flowing patterns in the air that glowed with light. It was blood sorcery, beautiful and arcane and of Liliana. He watched, enthralled, his own power resonating with hers, as if it was as enamored of it as he was of the woman who wielded it.

"See," she whispered.

A minute later, her hands fell, the glowing patterns disappearing into the ether. "I wasn't wrong, Micah," she said, her eyes flicking open. "He has sent the Arachdem."

Her words were a chill wind. From what he'd heard pass the lips of the condemned, the Arachdem were fed the worst of the dark magics and, as such, were nightmares given form. It was said they could cross the Great Divide, traverse the ice mountains, lava-filled pools and other obstacles that protected this realm. "When?"

"Soon. Within hours."

"Break the circle, Liliana."

"What? Oh." Standing, she ignited a match and dropped it on the circle. It opened with a "pop" of sound, the magic dissipating. "Is that for me?"

He held out the bread. "I will not share my chocolate." But when she smiled at him, he gave it to her.

A small, quiet moment passed with her sitting beside him, warm and smelling of nothing but Liliana. Then the sun's rays hit the broken circle, caressing the dark ruby stain of her blood. "How many?" he asked.

"I think...an army."

Bard took care of evacuating the people of the village to the safety of the Black Castle - which had, according to legend, never fallen. The villagers came in huddled and scared, not simply of the threat of which they had been warned, but of the castle and its inhabitants.

Jissa, shy and afraid of strangers, came out with the Bitterness holding cups of sweet tea and cakes for the little ones. At first, people stared and whispered, but the sight of the Bitterness chittering and obeying Jissa soon charmed them into smiles. Before long, the Black Castle was filled with the sounds of children's laughter as they attempted to catch the Bitterness - who were delighted at the attention, but never wavered from their devotion to Jissa.

"I think," Micah said to Liliana in a rare moment of quiet on the castle roof, "that the Bitterness are here to stay."

"Them, I welcome." She touched her fingers to his arm. "He has sent the monsters for me, you must know