Damen, for his part, was quite placid in his chair as he countered without hesitation. The sunset might not be quite so kind to his beastly form, but there were fewer shadows here, and more butterflies that hovered nearby for distractions of beauty, and there was a sweet fragrance lingering in the air that could only be the fresh new scent of blossoms recently opened.

He considered Laurent speculatively. How much to tell him? How much could Laurent handle. "Magic, of course," Damen said, the tips of his fangs showing as he half-grinned, well knowing that answer would be less than satisfactory. "I like to know where your curiosity takes you. It took me years to fully explore these realms. But... those roses, I have a special interest in watching. As you might guess, they have a greater portion of magic in them than nearly anywhere else here."

It was all he could say, under the terms of the curse, but Laurent was smart, he would know they were important, given that his father's life was forfeit for just one of them.