* * *
"Don't hurt him!" Veris shouted as Breth and another comesula grabbed Niff's arms, forcing him to a nearby stump. Niff was frightened and struggling in their grasp. Veris was beginning to think the haircut a bad idea, but he'd already given permission. Niff was resisting and he hadn't expected that. At other times, Niff had cooperated when asked to do something.
"Get shackles!" Breth commanded and another comesula came running with the requested chain bracelets. Niff was still fighting Breth and Weld, so the third comesula locked the shackles on the small common's wrists, tightening them. The chain between the bracelets was very short—only a few links—and still the little common had to be held down on the stump. Breth accepted the shears from someone else.
Niff's eyes were wide and tears came when Breth made the first cut. Reddish-blond curls dropped to the ground.
"Cut it well or you'll be chained," Veris growled at Breth. The little common was weeping as Breth kept snipping.
* * *
"What happened?" Gardevik demanded as his little common rushed past, weeping and wiping his face on a sleeve. Veris had followed along in case an explanation was needed.
"Breth pointed out that he needed a haircut," Veris stood before Gardevik.
"And did Niff agree to this?" Garde asked.
"He didn't want it," Veris replied, wondering if he shouldn't have thought this through before granting permission.
"And he sat there and let you do it anyway?"
"Well, we did have to shackle him and hold him down," Veris didn't like where the conversation was going.
"You shackled my cook to force him to get a haircut?" Garde didn't like Veris's explanation.
"He didn't present the proper image as your personal servant," Veris mumbled, repeating Breth's words to him.
"Don't you think I should decide what my personal servant's proper image should be?" Smoke curled from Garde's nostrils. Veris recognized that as a warning sign. Any High Demon blowing smoke was angry, and an angry High Demon was never far from their Thifilathi.
"My apologies, High Lord. We made a mistake."
"Do not lay your hands on Niff again without my permission," Garde snarled.
"Yes, High Lord." Veris wanted to run to get away from Gardevik, but he walked away instead, in an effort to retain his dignity.
* * *
They'd cut my hair. They'd cut my fucking hair. Just snipped it right off while I was chained and held down. If they'd known I could have snapped those chains with a flick of my wrist, they might not have put them on me in the first place. I was learning my lesson—not all comesuli were kind. They were just like any other people, I guess. I wiped tears off my face and went to find Garde's mirror—he kept one to groom his hair.
The image that stared back at me made me want to weep again. That asshole had butchered my hair. It was an inch in length now, and looked horribly uneven. I wanted to mist the jackass away and drop him in the nearest lake, harboring hope that it might contain crocodiles or large, comesula-eating fish. No way could I fix this. I was stuck with the worst haircut imaginable. I could have done a better job if I'd cut it myself. Fuck. Fuck to the twelfth power.Gardevik climbed into the wagon later; I took his clothes and boots from him, as I always did. Tearstains still showed on my cheeks, but Garde never looked at me anyway. He could compete with Gavin in looks—dark-brown hair, darker eyes and a handsome enough face, and all that was matched with a body most men on Earth would kill to get. High Demons seemed to have it naturally. I'm sure Kifirin the asshole had seen to that when he'd made them, all those years ago. Kifirin. If he was here now, I'd slap him into next week, I was so mad. Griffin too. They both had a lot to answer for. Maybe that's why they hadn't gone looking for me; I'd served my purpose and now they had no desire to listen to the vampire whine.
Perhaps I was supposed to be bigger than that and understand how I'd had a higher calling or something—that I was supposed to be one of those long-suffering heroines the books all praised. I wasn't anything like that. I'd been birthed for a specific reason—to keep the peace between werewolves and vampires, destroy Xenides and then save High Demon and comesuli ass. One of those comesuli had just chopped off my hair and chained me up to do it. My head looked like someone had taken a weed trimmer to it. I sure hoped his ass didn't need saving again, because I might have second thoughts.
* * *
"Griffin nearly went crazy when he learned that Lissa's memorial wasn't planned for another year," Kiarra was as tactful as possible while speaking with Jayd.
"But we have no idea how this news will affect the commons; they're only now climbing out of the rubble from the attack," Jayd defended his and Garde's decision. "If we tell them the hope they've prayed and waited for is now dead, who knows what will happen?"
"You mean they might stop serving your dinner for a day or two?" Griffin appeared and he was angry. "My daughter died defending this planet and this is the thanks you give her?" Pheligar folded in, as Griffin might have to be restrained.
"We had no idea that's what happened until after the fact," Jayd snapped, his Thifilathi becoming angry as well. Smoke poured from Jayd's nostrils as he glared at Griffin.
"So now that it's over and your posterior and your planet have survived, she is of no consequence?" Griffin shouted in disbelief.
"I didn't say that," Jayd held out a hand, attempting to calm himself. "I am merely working to keep things running smoothly on the planet your daughter saved for us. Do you want it thrown into chaos? We have refugees from the Southern Continent because the volcano erupted for days. The crops we normally get from those farms will not be delivered. We are facing shortages as a result. What do you think I should do?"
"Not a fucking thing!" Griffin shouted and folded away.
"Lord Demon," Pheligar addressed Jayd quietly, "if one of your daughters sacrificed herself to save your planet, you would be wailing to the heavens over it. I will withdraw my protection around the stockade, as will my son Renegar. You are on your own." Pheligar folded away.
"You heard my Larentii mate," Kiarra said. "I wouldn't look to the Saa Thalarr for help in the future." She also disappeared. Jayd cursed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Jaydevik, why did you not consult with me before making this decision?" Glinda's voice was soft and angry. She stood in the doorway to the King's private study, where the meeting with Kiarra had taken place. Griffin and Pheligar's appearance had come unexpectedly. Now, Jayd knew Glinda had somehow escaped her suite and heard the entire conversation.
"Garde and I thought it would be for the best," Jayd attempted to defend himself.
"You have cut us off, that is what you have done," Glinda's voice was louder now. "I am helpless, because I am pregnant. Saa Thalarr cannot use their power in this condition—it will harm the children. We could have asked for supplies to be brought in; Kiarra would not let the planet starve. Yet you have alienated her and the rest of them as a result. Are you truly so coldhearted, Jaydevik? You disappoint me." Glinda whirled and walked away from him, slamming the study door forcefully.
* * *
Larevik reached out to touch my hair while I cooked breakfast the following morning. I ducked away from his hand so fast it startled him. I was still so pissed I couldn't see straight. Larevik didn't reach for me again. Garde didn't say anything; he merely ignored me as usual, ate like there was no tomorrow and then went to get his horse while I cleaned dishes and loaded them into the wagon. Neither Breth nor Veris were anywhere around when I'd picked up the food for breakfast earlier, and that was a good thing. I had their scent and from now on, I was staying as far away from them as I could get.
We stopped for three days at the next city on our itinerary—Raona Belarok. It was named after the current Raona's mother. I was getting better at the language and wanted to ask someone for Belarok's story, but talking or attempting to talk now would probably give all of them the shivers. I remained silent, instead. A large house was provided for Garde and the other High Demons in Raona Belarok; it had plenty of space, with servants' quarters and a large stable. I heard the name Croth spoken; the home had belonged to rogue High Demons. Dead rogue High Demons, unless I missed my guess.
"I wonder what this is called?" Gardevik was eating his second slice of custard pie. I could have told him it was my mother's recipe, if I'd been so inclined. I just set the pan with the last slice in front of him instead and he grinned.
Later, Corin went with me to the local market. Garde had given him money and orders to buy food for the next two days to feed him and the other High Demons. The comesuli troops had their own cooks and helpers among them and they were going off to do the same. Corin enlisted one of the other drivers to help, and we brought back a load of fresh vegetables and meats. I made sure Corin and the other driver, Foss, got dinner and dessert later. They were more than happy with what they were served; I made stuffed pork chops, sautéed snap beans and squash. I'd also found preserved peaches at the market and while it wasn't as good as fresh, they all loved the peach cobbler.
The other thing that went well, I suppose, was that I was gaining a little weight back. When I'd first come back to myself, I was skin and bones. No wonder they couldn't tell the difference between me and any other comesula. Now, though, my shape was coming back and I didn't look quite as gaunt. My hair still looked like crap, though, and I grumbled every time I saw my reflection.
Breth was still taunting me every chance he had, when nobody was watching or listening. I heard plenty of difik whispered in my direction, some af te Jufaleh, which in High Demon meant go to hell—or their equivalent of hell, anyway. Stupid, dimwitted, malformed and stunted was also aimed at me. At least he had an adequate vocabulary and I was learning new words. No idea why he felt obligated to target me in this way; I couldn't figure him out at all. He didn't put his hands on me again, though, and I figured Gardevik had said something to Veris.