"Then it may interest you to know," I said, flinging off Connegar's disguise, "that I am removing the rule of the Dark Realm from the High Demons." I held out my arms and Pulled Power to me. It answered so readily to my call, prepared to do anything I asked of it. Light formed around me as I gathered energy, but I ignored it. My Inner Circle was pulling in to surround me, and I was only peripherally aware. More Power came and my light grew brighter. Many of the Ra'Ak were now turning their heads—their eyes were the most sensitive and vulnerable thing about them. I'd learned that the first time I'd fought them.
"Who are you?" The Bright Queen demanded. Winds were picking up now, whipping and swirling around me. I'd left my hair loose intentionally. The Elemaiya knew I wasn't the Ka'Mirai—had known for several seconds. The Bright Queen and Dark King both recalled seeing me before, with Kifirin. They were afraid to approach me. I pulled the last of the Power to me that I needed, holding it to me. I was shining as brightly as a star by that time. Connegar or someone shielded the eyes of my Inner Circle—they stood straight and strong, unblinking, behind me.
"You wish to know who I am?" My voice was thunder, echoing across the city of Veshtul. "I am Justice!" I roared and every Elemaiya, Bright and Dark, dropped to their knees.
"Take her!" The Ra'Ak Prince shouted, and I laughed. When several Ra'Ak attempted to fold in next to me, they discovered they were held back. I could do it—with only a thought. The planet now retained a shield around it for those attempting to flee. All who stood before me were rendered powerless.
"I will pass sentence first upon the High Demons who think to kill their brothers," I announced. "You are reduced to your humanoid status," I said, and all of them turned from their Thifilathi form, shrinking and screaming. "You will no longer be High Demon," I announced. "Your power is removed and your lifespan is reduced to two hundred years. The remaining High Demons will determine your fate from now on." I heard shrieks and cries among the crowd—a few High Demons were being eaten by Ra'Ak. I ignored it.
"Now, for the Elemaiya." They were still on their knees and some were flat on the ground. "There are only a few of you who had no desire to participate in this takeover," I informed them, the power of my voice forcing them to cower. "Those I will send away with these words: You will never again be capable of gating between worlds—that ability is removed. You will also never reproduce with any others except yourselves. The days of procreating with humanoids are over. Be careful how you treat the others on the planet to which I send you. I will watch you carefully from this point forward." Only sixteen Bright Elemaiya disappeared.
"Now, for the rest of you," I proclaimed. "You are also confined to a humanoid existence and will spend your days here, serving the High Demons. Your lifespan is reduced to two hundred years and you will only reproduce with your own kind. Your days of mistreating your quarter-blood children are over. It is my suggestion that you learn the laws of the High Demons swiftly, as they deal justice quickly if those laws are violated."
"You cannot do this; you do not have the power!" The Dark King shouted, rising up.
"Test me," I thundered. Black clouds boiled over our heads, and lightning split darkening skies. "Try your own power—I know you can shapeshift." He did try. And failed. He began to curse. "Silence," I waved a hand and he dropped to the ground.
"Now, to the Copper Ra'Ak," I turned my attention to the Ra'Ak Prince.
"You cannot do anything to us—we balance the Larentii. Kill us and they die, too." He was so sure. So smug in his beliefs.
"That was true," I agreed. "Before."
"You cannot change that," the Ra'Ak Prince spat.
"I am changing it," I announced. "Your Black Ra'Ak cousins now hold the balance for the Larentii. They did not defy Kifirin as you did. Had you taken the rule, it would have been a hollow victory. You would have been Prince over the Dark Realm of dead worlds. Dead as you made them to die. You, also, are now reduced to the humanoids you were before becoming Ra'Ak. I decree this." I blew my power and light outward, just as I often blew my mist outward. Each mote of light was charged with purpose and leapt to do my bidding. Ra'Ak screamed and writhed as they were flung on the ground and forced to change. The Elemaiya were also screaming and crying as they scattered to flee the chaos. I still stood before them, no longer surrounded by light and power as they began to rise from the ground—human, frightened and unsure.
* * *
Jaydevik and his brother Gardevik now flanked me as I surveyed the thousands of powerless humanoids before me. "These are your replacements for the comesuli," I grumbled. "I don't think many of them know much about anything. You have a long road before you." I looked up at Jayd. "If you want a safe place for Glindarok while she's pregnant, she's welcome on Le-Ath Veronis." I turned to walk up the steps to the palace. My Inner Circle pulled in and walked up with me.
* * *
"Where is the balance now—and the rule of the Dark Realms?" Garde asked me later. He, Jayd, a few High Demons, the Saa Thalarr, Spawn Hunters, healers, Kifirin and I were all in the meeting hall. The other High Demons were out herding former Ra'Ak, High Demons and Elemaiya around.
"It rests with my Lissa upon Le-Ath Veronis," Kifirin announced. "I made a promise not to interfere when I made the Dark Realms. That turned out to be a terrible mistake. My mate is now what I am and she made no such promise. You will all answer to her."
"You're one of the Nameless Ones?" Kiarra gasped.
"A sister to the Nameless Ones," I nodded. "Mate to Kifirin and Queen of Le-Ath Veronis," I replied. I was weary, too, but I wasn't going to show them that. I'd had a decision to make and once it was made—to accept what I had become—it was something that I couldn't forget or lay aside. It was forever. The one who'd charged every particle of my mist with power and enabled it to come back together, had also allowed me time and the final decision. Time to work through the anger and betrayal, and then time to make the decision whether to accept what was offered or not. The situation had been such that if I hadn't accepted, the worlds would now be dying while the Copper Ra'Ak danced their fatal victory upon the streets of Veshtul. I sighed.
"We can bring in artists, cooks and craftsmen to teach the rabble you now have," I offered. "Do not be lenient with them. They had no leniency for others." Jayd and Garde both agreed with me. Gilfraith came forward and knelt before me.
"Hey, don't ever do that," I said, pulling him up as gently as I could. Kneeling and bowing were just—embarrassing.
"I want to thank you," he said, looking into my eyes. "The Ra'Ak was always there inside me, and I had to control it every minute. It is now gone and I have not felt so happy since before I was turned."
"Then I'm happy with you," I said. Gilfraith smiled at me and backed away.
We spent the afternoon hammering out a few details, and I was wiped when we finished. "My Raona is tired," Roff announced as we left the meeting hall.
"Honey, you don't have to announce it to everybody," I whispered, putting my arm around him and leaning against his shoulder.
"If I am to be your mate and a member of your Inner Circle, it is my duty to make such announcements," he said, squeezing me tightly.
"Where are we going?" I asked. I was hungry, too, but I sure didn't intend to let that out.
"Le-Ath Veronis," Kifirin said, as if I should have taken that information from his mind. I could have, but that would be rude. I was in mid-yawn when we were all folded away, and the yawn turned to a squeak at what waited for me when we hit the ground on the vampire planet. Well, ground wasn't the proper choice of words. We landed on marble floors, surrounded by marble walls with huge marble columns evenly spaced down a long marble hall.
"Tybus designed this palace as well; I only had to recreate it," Kifirin explained as I stared in awe. "He made the High Demon palace as a lesser version of this." He swept out an arm to indicate the Queen's Palace on Le-Ath Veronis. Lights were everywhere, and the whole thing looked to be from a fairy tale.
"All solar-powered," Kifirin explained. "The power lines run from the light hemisphere. There are farms near the light half of the planet and the comesuli are already there and working them. Others are tending the flocks and herds and two cities of vampires are already here, avilepha. Gabron's vampires from Refizan are here in the southwestern part of this city—but there are only three thousand of them. The other city is twenty miles away. Do you wish for Earth's vampires to reside in the capital city with you?"
I was holding my breath as I looked around me. Gavin and Tony were nodding; Tony enthusiastically, Gavin's nod a bit more sedate. Drake and Drew were grinning; Karzac sent his agreement in mindspeech. Shadow shrugged, but it was Roff who made my decision for me.
"Giff will like it very much if Rolfe comes." I nodded and smiled wearily at Roff's statement.
"You're too tired to see your palace right now," Kifirin pointed out, once the decision was made. "Healer." Karzac came forward and I was out as soon as his fingers reached my forehead.
* * *
"I am King and Chief Advisor. The rest of you may sort everything else out," Kifirin waved an arm. He was sitting on the top step where Lissa's throne sat. He knew she wasn't going to appreciate having a throne, but it was expected.
"We will preside over security; both hers and that of the palace," Gavin pointed to himself and Tony.
"We will command the army," Drake and Drew grinned.
"I'll handle planning, construction, and the laws governing the infrastructure and utilities of the cities," Shadow said. "I have engineering degrees, after all. I want to inspect the water treatment facilities right away, and the desalination pipelines from the ocean."