The Inquisitor's Mark by Dianne K. Salerni Page A

his hair out of his face and looked him in the eyes. “Did those people take good care of you?”
    â€œYeah, I’m fine.” Jax pulled out of her hands. Dorian was impressed. Not many people got away from Mom that easily. By now, Billy was seated on the sofa again with the game controller, perfectly at ease.
    â€œLesley, have you said hello to Jax?” Mom prompted.
    Lesley glanced up from the game she was playing with Billy. “Hello, Jax.”
    Dorian saw the exact moment when Jax noticed what was different about Lesley. His eyebrows came together, and he opened his mouth to say something.
    Not here. Not now , Dorian begged silently. Please don’t embarrass her .
    Then Jax clamped his lips shut and went back to looking around in disbelief at the apartment and the view of Central Park from the picture windows.
    â€œI hope you’re hungry,” Mom went on. “I may have gone a little overboard, but it’s not every day we celebrate a family reunion. Your grandparents will be here any minute.”
    Panic crossed Jax’s face, and Dorian couldn’t stand it anymore. “You know, Mom, we kinda forced Jax into this. Maybe we should stop acting like everything is normal and give him a break. Do Gran and Gramps have to come right away?”
    Jax shot Dorian a look of gratitude while everyone else responded at the same time.
    â€œYa think?” That was Lesley, agreeing with him.
    â€œDorian . . .” A low growl from Dad.
    From Mom with hands on her hips: “Do you want to call your grandparents and tell them to stay home?”
    Billy put down the game controller and looked up at Jax, mortified. “Does he mean you only came because of me ? I was trying to help. Don’t you remember how many times you told me you wanted to be with a family? Well, this is your family.”
    That was when the grandparents burst in, Gramps yelling, “Is he here? Is the boy here?”
    Gran wore her pearls. And her diamonds. And a pressed linen suit. She’d had her hair permed for the occasion. “Dear heavens!” she exclaimed. “Wait until I tell Ursula. He looks just like Rayne!” She reached for Jax with both hands, intending to hug or kiss him.
    Jax scrambled behind Lesley’s armchair. “You’re the one who’s a Dulac, right? You’re not touching me.”
    An awkward silence fell over the room, and Dorian cringed.
    Gran straightened her shoulders with dignity. “Now I know he’s Rayne’s son. He needs a haircut,” she said in an aside to Mom, who nodded vigorously. Then she turned back to Jax. “Young man, I don’t know what you’ve been told, but Dulacs do not use our talent on everyone we meet and certainly not on family members!”
    Dorian stared at the floor. That was a lie. A big, fat lie.
    â€œDid Pendragon come with him?” Gramps shouted. Hemust have had his hearing aid turned off again. The volume of his voice wiped out the charm of his high-class British accent.
    â€œHe came alone,” Dad answered in an equally loud voice. “But we’ll get the custody worked out, don’t worry.”
    â€œWhoa.” Jax put up his hands defensively. “I’m here for a visit . If you send Billy home tomorrow morning, I’ll agree to stay a couple days. That’s it.”
    â€œI’m not going home tomorrow,” Billy protested. “I want to stay for the eighth day!”
    â€œYou can’t get into the eighth day,” Jax said.
    Dad cleared his throat. “Actually, there’s a way to bring him . . .”
    â€œI know how to do it,” Jax interrupted. “But I don’t want my friend in danger. Bad things happen on the eighth day.”
    There was another moment of silence, and then everyone burst out laughing.
    â€œBad things?” Gramps hollered. “What’s he mean— bad things ?”
    â€œWell, I’ve occasionally made bad