The Hall was flooded with patients, some of whom had traveled a very long way to see him. Seanan stared down at the man on the table. He had passed from Coughing Syndrome a day or two ago.

"Can you help us? They say you're the Miracle Healer, and that you can bring back the dead with the powers from above." The widow caught his attention with that, and he glanced over at her to see her hands clasped pleadingly at her bosom.

He looked back down at the man on the table. "I can help, but not here." He waved for Eikal and Iftar, another of his healers, to come assist him with the patient.

They hurried over. Iftar bowed as was his custom, and Eikal just stood awaiting instructions.

"I need some help with this one," Seanan told them.

"He's dead," Iftar noted. "What do you need us to do?"

Seanan glanced at the widow, who was wringing her hands and weeping now. "I know that, Iftar. Can you two please help me move him into the private treatment room?"

"Of course." Eikal jumped to help, shooting a glare at Iftar for his insensitive behavior.

Iftar shrugged and lumbered over to help Eikal pick the dead man up. The two trudged through the rows of sick beds to the private rooms at the back of the hall. Seanan followed, and the man's grieving widow rushed to catch up. Tears slid down her pale cheeks, and Seanan exhaled slowly, eyeing the sick man and the weeping woman. She's exhausted, and she doesn't need to be in here to see this. "Mistress Tyl, I can help him, but I'm going to have to ask you to stay out here while I work. Please, take some time to rest yourself, and don't fret yourself about him. He'll be fine; I promise."

Mistress Tyl nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. Seanan patted her arm and gave her a warm smile. "He'll pull through fine," he repeated.

The words seemed to reach her this time, and she wiped away the tears with a watery smile. "Thank you, Healer. With you working with him, I know he will."

"Your faith in me is admirable, ma'am." He caught Eikal's eye as the young healer exited the private room. "Eikal?"

Eikal smiled at the widow. "If you like, Mistress Tyl, I can show you to a seating area. You could rest, and I could have a cup of tea brought if you would like some."

Mistress Tyl dabbed at her damp eyes. "That would be greatly appreciated, young man. I could use some rest."

She let Eikal lead her away to the sitting room while Seanan went into the room where they'd settled the patient. The corners of his lips curved upward. She would be in good hands. Turning his focus back to the task at hand, he entered the room and found Iftar standing beside the dead man's bedside.

"Iftar?"

Iftar turned, bowing. "Yes, Master Seanan?"

"Do you realize the impact your words had on that woman?"

Iftar's large shoulders slumped as Seanan settled on the stool beside the man's bed. "Yes, Master."

Seanan inclined his head and stared down at the man. "Very well. I expect you know what you need to do?"

Iftar dipped his head. "I do, Master. Shall I go now?"

He nodded. "I will stay here and pray over this man."

A twinkle entered Iftar's eyes. "You could just tell him to wake up. It's not as if you haven't before."

Seanan chuckled. "Well met. But if I did so immediately, that worn out woman would get no rest. Better she has some time to rest under the assurance that I will heal her husband. I think a fifteen- minute nap would do the trick, don't you?"

Iftar shook his head with a laugh. "She looks like she needs an entire day's rest, but then, she also seems to be getting along in years, so she probably needs more rest than she allows herself."

Seanan coughed and raised a brow. "Be that as it may, you should encourage her to make sure she takes proper care of herself. Find out if she needs anything while I take care of this situation."

"Of course, Master Seanan." With a hearty chuckle, Iftar headed out the door.

***

Layt marched into the brothel, scanning about the foyer for Master Seit. The girl at the counter stared wide-eyed as he stormed past her. "Where is Master Seit?" He whipped around to look at her.

"I-in his office." The girl's fingers trembled on the papers that littered the desk. "Did you need one of the girls, Master? I'm sure I can—"

"No. I'll be back about that later." He whirled about and strode deeper into the brothel.

Perfume lay heavy in the air. Vanilla and jasmine mingled with a fruity scent, and Layt took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Somewhere deeper in, someone was playing the Adola, the lilting and seductive music flowing off the strings under skilled fingers. He let the music soothe his frustration, and when he finally reached Seit's office, his temper had cooled. He rapped his knuckles against the heavy door and waited.

Footsteps echoed in the room beyond, and the door swung open moments later. A pudgy, short man with greying, thinning hair hovered in the doorway, a tight-lipped smile stretching his lumpy cheeks. "Master Layt, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I need you to ask your more talented girls to do something." Layt glanced around the hallway. "Can we talk about this in private? You of all people should understand the need for discretion, Seit."

Seit shrugged his hefty shoulders and stepped aside, waving his swollen, sausage-like fingers at the room behind them. "Of course, of course. Come in." His voice took on a sickly sweet, ingratiating tone, and his smile twisted further.

Layt rolled his eyes once he'd passed the unsightly man. He waited for Seit to settle himself in the overstuffed leather chair behind the desk and then perched on the edge of the wooden chair in front of the desk.

"Well, what do you need this time?" Seit drummed his fingers on the desk and stared at Layt with his rheumy blue eyes.

"I need you to have your girls spread something through Ashteft for me."

"Like what?" Seit's gaze narrowed. "It better not do anything to harm my business, or the answer's no, with all due respect."

With all due respect? Layt held in a snort. "It won't harm your business because no one will know they have anything. Besides, Ashteft is the next town over, so you wouldn't lose business close to home anyway."

Seit's eyes glinted. "How much do I get paid, and what do I have to do?"

"I want them to spread the Shalt to the men from Ashteft."

"Just the men?" Seit returned to drumming his fingers on desk.

"If the men have it, they'll spread it to the rest of Ashteft. After all, get to the head of the household, and you've got the entire house." Layt crossed his arms. "So just the men."

"And the pay?"

"I'll pay you five hundred linars."

Blood suffused the pudgy man's face. "That's next to nothing for what you're asking."

"Stuff it, Seit. It's not as if you're losing the two-hundred linar fee per visit, so my offer is generous. If you have a problem with it, take it to my master. See how that goes over." Layt stared at the man, keeping his facial muscles slack to avoid expressions.

Seit's fingers curled into fists, making his hands look like giant balls on the end of his wrists. Layt held back his smirk. The man's face reddened a shade more, but he finally nodded. "Fine. Five hundred linars. How do you plan to give them the Shalt?"

Layt did allow himself a smirk then. "The obvious way. I'll just infect them. They're greedy, Seit. You know that full well. I can corrupt them easily. Then they'll spread the darkness to others."

Seit blinked. "If you say so."

"Look, never mind how it works, Seit. Just give me access to the women you have here off hours. I'm sure they'll be happy to give up their free time for what I'm going to offer."

"What are you going to offer?" Seit leaned forward, his eyes lighting with curiosity.

Layt chuckled. "Well, I'll just tell them that if they please me enough and offer me their soul in exchange, I'll choose them to take home permanently instead of one of the other girls."

Seit's brows jumped upward. "You don't really think they'll buy that, do you? No one has the ability to make a soul transaction nowadays."

A sinister smile crept onto Layt's lips. "No? Then how do you think the Shalt works?"

The blood drained from Seit's face. "What do you mean?"

"It just requires a little seed; a little willingness to give in to the darkness in your soul. Then the Shalt can grow like a weed, and soon enough your soul belongs to the one who controls the Shalt." Layt examined his fingernails. "It's quite simple, Seit."

If it were possible, the fat old man's face paled further. "B-but they won't believe you can."

"They don't need to believe me. They just have to say yes, and the Shalt will do the rest."

"Will this make them violent? I've heard stories."

Layt tapped his foot on the wooden floorboards. "No, but it'll probably make them more promiscuous than ever. The Shalt feeds off what's already there. Everyone has a small bit of the Shalt; I just want to give them a concentrated dose to—" He cleared his throat. "Encourage them to spread the open immorality."

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" The folds of skin around Seit's neck jiggled as he swallowed.

"As my master says..." Layt grinned. "You always have a choice. But you don't get to choose the consequences."

Seit came to his feet surprisingly quickly for such a heavy man. "Fine." He bared smoke-stained teeth. "Pay the secretary and do whatever you will with the women, icareth. Curse you and your kind!"

A smirk crept onto Layt's lips. "Why, thank you. I'm not actually the devil, but I'm sure my master will be happy to hear you're so cooperative."

The skin around Seit's eyes crinkled, and his rheumy eyes spit threats from across the desk. "Icareth take you! Get out!" He pointed with a trembling finger toward the door.

Layt shrugged. "Have it your way. Just know that your defiance won't go unpunished." Wheeling about, he left the office.

The girl at the front desk stood in the hallway, eyes wide when she realized he'd caught her eavesdropping. Her pupils were so dilated Layt had to wonder if he'd given her a stroke or if she was excited about what she'd overheard. Though, if he was being honest, he doubted it was either. Layt gave her a lopsided grin. "We go way back. Now, I believe he said I should pay you the price we agreed on."

She nodded, turning to lead him back to the front desk.

Her heart's going to beat out of her chest at that rate. He held back a snicker. Maybe I'll take her first. She seems innocent compared to the others. Is this why Prince Aamon wanted that raven-haired vixen so badly? He had to admit, the scent of innocence on an individual was a narcotic like nothing else. "So... What's your name? I'm Layt."

She motioned for him to sign his name to the payment record. "I'm Raeylin."

"You seem fairly curious, Raeylin. How much did you hear? I'm impressed you managed to avoid detection. I was listening closely for intruders." He leaned on the wooden receptionist's desk with a disarming smile.

She averted her eyes, her cheeks blushing a dusky rose. "I heard enough."

"Enough meaning?" He dug in his pockets, pulling out the two bags that contained the five-hundred linars he'd promised Seit.

The young woman took them from him and deposited them in the safe beneath the podium-like desk. She perched on the edge of her seat, unconsciously moving closer to him. "Enough to know you want to corrupt the women here." She bit her lip. "Which, by the way," she blurted out. "Is a ridiculous notion. I mean, the women here are as corrupt as they get. Seit won't hire any girl who isn't either as dirty-minded as they come or desperate enough to ask him how high when he says jump. Those last ones become as corrupt as the rest by the time he's done with them."

"And what about you?" He let his gaze run over her frame and was rewarded with her sharp intake of breath, which was accompanied by a flutter in her pulse. This is so ridiculously easy. Shades below, I should've taken her when I came to ask Seit for a favor last time. Not like Seit could say no. Though, I bet he would've tried. He could smell the connection between them, though it seemed entirely innocent. They're related somehow, and I doubt he wants men putting their hands all over her.

"Me?" She looked away, her fingers toying with the hem of her tunic.

"Has he managed to corrupt you too?" Layt leaned even closer, brushing a loose, wavy strand of her copper hair behind her ear.

"W-why don't you a-answer that yourself, my lord?" Her gaze snapped up to meet his, and despite her hammering heartbeat, Layt gave her credit for bravely holding her own.

He chuckled. "I say he hasn't because if he had, we wouldn't still be having this conversation."

Her gaze fixated on his. "He won't let me work like the other girls."

Well, no surprise there. "Won't let you?"

"He says no daughter of his should be cheapened like that. I'm his only child, so I have to marry a respectable man, or I'll end up like my mother. He told me just to make sure the customers pay and get matched with the right girl." Her lips pursed.

His daughter? Well, that explains it. "And you don't like that?" Layt moved around the desk's side to stand right next to her.

A tremor ran through her, but she still held her ground.

He leaned on the desk to put her at ease, and the tension bled out of her in a soft sigh. "You can talk to me, you know? I've nowhere better to be at the moment."

A bald-faced lie, but that was his specialty, and he felt the sharp pang of desire with every word this naïve girl spoke. Seit never should've been so rude. He would have to be taught a lesson, and his only daughter was the perfect way to get to him.

"W-well, he's so protective. I want to live a little..." She lowered her gaze to the desk's polished surface, biting her lip. "There's not much in the towns nearby. The men from the next town over come here. But Peyston is the most boring town I can think of. Even Ashteft has to be more interesting!"

You have no idea, Layt thought. "That sounds awful. So, he keeps you from enjoying life, then?"

She wrapped her arms around herself with a small nod. "The women here all make fun of me because I'm twenty and I've never been touched. I hate it. I'm an outcast even though I'm the daughter of the house's master! I just want them all to respect me and stop treating me like a child." Her gaze flickered up to meet his.

"Go on," he encouraged. "I'm listening."

"You have influence with Father. You could persuade him to let me have a little more freedom, couldn't you?"

Desperate, much? She'll ask a complete stranger to speak with her father just to be allowed out of this prison. Well, that just makes her a better target. "I can do better than that," he drawled, draping an arm across her shoulders.

She sucked in a breath, looking up at him with her crystalline green eyes. "Better?"

He almost laughed at the hopefulness in her voice. No reason Prince Aamon should be the only one to take a woman captive and toy with her as he wills. He took a long, slow breath, savoring the sensation. It's been too long since I've felt the thrill of ensnaring an innocent. "Yes, better. I'll take you with me to see the world. I'll make him let you go with me, and I'll induct you into the little club he's been so desperate to bar you from. How does that sound?"

Her cheeks flamed as his meaning sunk in. "Y-you would bed someone l-like me?"

"Why not?" He spun strands of her silky hair around his fingers. "You're perfect." And so terribly, terribly stupid.

"You mean that? You'd free me from this place?" Her hands clasped pleadingly in her lap, and her innocent gaze beseeched him to say yes.

"Naturally. Know where we should start?"

She shivered as his breath fanned over her ear. "Where?"

"We should start with your initiation into the very club he was trying to keep you out of. You know the best places for privacy, right?" He brushed his lips along the rim of her ear.

Her breath hitched. "Y-yes. You'll speak to him after?"

"If you'll give me your soul and yourself, I'll take you with me regardless of what he says." Layt captured her lips with his. You really are so blissfully ignorant, silly woman. But you won't be when I'm through with you. A shiver of pleasure ran down his spine. I hope you realize when I'm done that your father was just doing the only good thing he has in his life: protecting you from all the darkness this world has to offer.

Her arms slipped uncertainly around his neck, and he released her lips just to tease a reaction from her. She whimpered.

"You know a place we can go?" He prompted an answer from her again.

She nodded. "Down the hall. Take the stairs to your left..."

He caught her up in his arms, eliciting a soft gasp from her. "The stairs to my left?"

"Y-yes. At the bottom, take the hall. Third door down. M-my bedroom locks from the inside only. F-father insisted in case I ever needed to protect myself."

Did he? Doesn't work very well if you lock yourself in with the danger. Layt smirked. "I'll have to thank him for that later."

She buried her face in his shirt, her small hands clutching his shoulders. Her heart was pounding again, but it was accompanied by the scent of uncertainty and fear.

"What's the matter?" He lowered his voice as he carried her down the basement stairs.

Her small body shivered against his, and he bit back a moan. This was definitely a good idea. Fate couldn't have given me a better place to start with to corrupt that thrice-cursed village.

"You can tell me." His voice held more gravel to it than he would've liked, and he forced his body to calm down so that he could ensure she was safely fooled and besotted before he bedded her and passed along the Shalt.

"I just... The other women said I wouldn't be able to bear the pain. They said I'm too w-weak." She sniffled.

On second thought, I'm not sure dealing with the tears is worth it. He rolled his eyes. "I won't lie and say it won't hurt you at all. But I'm told it's worth it, and for what it's worth, I'll be as gentle as I can."

That one was the worst of the lies he'd told her. Gentle wasn't in his vocabulary. Even if he had the capacity to be sensitive, he wouldn't be. He'd initiate her alright. Still, he didn't intend to inflict any sort of lasting damage. He was rough, but he didn't abuse the women he took either.

"I'm a bit nervous." Her forehead dropped against his shoulder.

He kicked the door to her room open and took in the little room where she stayed. "That's normal, love."

"It is?" Her grip on his shoulders loosened.

He slipped one arm more firmly under her thighs, letting her steady herself while he locked the door. In a fluid stride, he crossed the quaint little room and deposited her on the bed. "Of course. You don't know what to expect. You barely know me, which doesn't help."

The light from the small storm hatches that allowed an emergency escape from the basement filtered through the windows beside the bed. Although the light was wan, it still lit her flame-red hair, which fanned out over the lace-trimmed pillow. It almost looked like blood against the stark white of her comforter and pillow case. Ironic that white symbolizes purity and she's about to lose that. Does she have an inkling of what she's giving up?

She remained still under his gaze, her wide green eyes roaming over his face in the dim light. Her chest rose and fell shallowly, and her heart beat steadied. It was still fast, but it was due to desire now, not fear. "I know enough to know you'll treat me like a woman, not a child."

Ah, yes. I most certainly will, but that doesn't change the fact that you're still a child. A woman would know better than to do what you are. Layt's lips curved into a smile. "Well, of course. You aren't a child, so why should I treat you like one?"

They stared quietly at each other for a few moments. The basement's cool air sent a shiver through her as he sat on the bed beside her.

"Cold?"

She bit her lip. "Yes. But I won't be for long, will I?"

He raised a brow. "No, you won't. If you promise me what I asked, anyway."

She sat up. "Whatever you ask."

He pulled her into his lap, and she stilled as his hands roamed her frame. "Your soul, heart, and body?" He showered brief, teasing kisses down her neck.

"Yes."

"Very well, then. I will give you what you asked for." And much, much more you didn't, he added.

***

She cried when he was finished with her.

He let her retreat to her bathroom, knowing it was only temporary. She was too desperate to run now. Seit would never take her back. Not after she'd thrown his protection in his face. As she'd said, no daughter of Seit's would be made the harlot. But that's what he had made her, so Seit would never want her now.

Perhaps she knew that. Perhaps it had occurred to her that in doing what she had, she had willingly ended any chance of staying here. But her sense of adventure would win out. That and the rebellion she'd fostered for years before he came along to ignite it into a flame.

He stretched and then got up, tugging on his pants and going to speak to her.

Knocking on the bathroom's flimsy door, he waited for her to respond. When she didn't, he pushed the door open and sauntered in. Raeylin turned, red creeping into her cheeks as he stared at her unabashed. She snatched a towel from the rack behind her and wrapped it around herself, her fingers trembling as she tried to fasten the front securely.

He crossed the bathroom in a few strides, taking the towel's edges from her shaking fingers and tucking it neatly in. I don't know why it matters to her. I've already seen everything she's trying to hide. Heat sparked between them as he brushed his thumb across her cheek, stroking the tears off her skin. "Why the tears, love?"

Her hands pressed against her chest, unconsciously holding the towel as if it were a lifeline that could ward him off. "I j-just realized that my father will kick me out for this."

Called it. Layt kept the smirk off his lips. "You'll have a home with me."

"It's just, what will I do for my living? I couldn't just stay and do nothing." Her bottom lip trembled, and tears welled in her eyes again.

"Is that the only thing bothering you?" He pressed his body flush with hers, resting his forearms against the wall behind her. "Raey, what did you promise me before I agreed to bed you?"

"That I'm yours..." Her breath hiccupped into a sob.

"Exactly. I protect what's mine, and that includes you now." He tugged her into a hug. "Now, what's really bothering you?"

"N-nothing."

"That's always a lie when a woman says it." He snickered.

She smacked his chest weakly. "Don't be cruel."

"I can't always help it. What's really wrong? I won't ask again, Raeylin." The playful attitude disappeared in a heartbeat like the illusion it was.

She tensed in his arms. "Y-you weren't gentle like you promised."

"I was as gentle as I could be. That's all I promised I would do." Layt threaded his fingers through her hair.

Raeylin tried to pull out of his embrace, but he refused to let her go yet. She struggled, her body twisting against his. He felt his pulse quicken as her actions heated his blood and made him want to tame her like he had last night. "Careful, or I might take you back to bed."

She stilled against him like a stone. "Who are you really?"

"The man who owns your soul now." He murmured in her ear as he proceeded to press soft kisses down her jawline closer to where her hands clutched defensively at the towel. "Does that frighten you?"

She whimpered. "Will it always be like earlier?"

He chuckled against her skin. "Maybe. But I'm not abusive, if you're wondering. My master though... He tends to be, so if I were you—" He straightened to drop a kiss on her rosy lips. "I'd stick close if you don't want a bedfellow who's not afraid to do serious damage."

"Duly noted," she whispered.

Already gaining a bit more confidence, are we? Sadder but wiser, I suppose. Well, she'll get a lot wiser in the worldly sense. Still, I like this girl, so I think I'll keep her around. "Besides," Layt mumbled between kisses. "I really hate sharing what's mine."

He quit talking then as he took her back to the bed and lay beside her. She looked fragile in the warm glow of the lamplight. Her resistance to him was already fading, but unfortunately, she wasn't up to further advances after what he'd done tonight. The fear still trickled off her, and he was both disgusted and excited by it.

The sensations she incited in him made him frown, but then, he knew her fear would fade. I might be a hard man sometimes, but she'll never want for anything. As long as she stays in my bed, she can do whatever she wants. Exactly what she asked for. Of course, she wasn't getting it the way she'd intended to, but she'd have to live with that.

"Layt?" Her voice held tones of sleep, and her eyes fluttered shut.

"What?"

"You took advantage of my foolishness." Her tiny fist rested against his bare chest.

Her hand was freezing. He let the cold radiating from her slender frame cool the fire she'd incited in him earlier. After all, if he had his way with her now when she was so vulnerable, he'd break her. And he really didn't want to do that.

"And you let yourself be taken advantage of," he retorted. "We can always choose our path, but we can't always choose the consequences of the path."

She was quiet for a long while, and her breathing was even. He thought she'd fallen asleep until she mumbled, "You're not a good man, Layt."

"Whatever made you think that?" Laughter vibrated through him, and he ran his fingers slowly through her hair.

She sighed. "It could've been much worse, couldn't it?"

He blinked and looked down at the firebrand-haired girl in his arms. "What makes you say that?"

"I figured out why the other women sometimes had such awful bruising and scars." Her voice shook, and she opened her eyes, revealing green irises that sparkled with tears.

He snorted and looked away. "What of it?"

"My point is, it could've been worse. You could've hurt me far more."

For once, he chose to be completely honest. "Yes."

He glanced down at her to find her cheeks devoid of color and tears leaking into her copper curls.

"Why didn't you?"

"I don't like breaking what's mine." His fingers trailed down her back.

She shivered through the thin towel, closing her eyes.

"I..." Her eyes lazily fluttered open then shut.

Her heart rate slowed even more, and her breathing evened out. This time, he was sure she was on the verge of sleep. Hardly surprising. As she'd noted, he could've been much crueler, but he also hadn't been gentle with her.

"You what?"

"What have I gotten myself into?" Her voice ghosted past her lips, and a tear trailed down her cheek as she drifted off.

Layt watched her sleep for a few moments before he slipped free of her. Rising, he threw on his shirt and stared down at the sleeping woman. The tears still glinted on her cheeks. He smirked. I don't even think I need to do anything to corrupt the other women. This is vengeance enough for Seit's foolish behavior, and I think she just might have ruined any desire I have for the others. He shrugged his cloak on and strode softly to the door. The others just aren't as much fun as this one.

The doorknob was cool under his fingers as he unlocked the door and headed for the stairs. Time to break the news to Seit. The marriage-wrecker would never cross them again after this. Prince Aamon would be pleased. But maybe not as pleased when he discovers that minx ruined me for other women for a while. Oh, well... I'll just let Wyrcrest do the job we were sent for. He'll be thrilled, and Prince Aamon could care less how it's achieved.