"I'm thankful he can't reach us here," Nidris agreed. "The Alliance doesn't know to hunt us—we should be safe."
* * *
I wasn't about to tell Teeg how shaky I felt when we landed on Xordthe. A meeting with Gavril would be mine if I could get through this. I only hoped that I'd have enough strength to give Chash a hug when the meeting did come. I was desperate to feel better so I could, in Teeg's words, "heal the planet" the following day.
"Baby, if there was any other way," Teeg pulled me against him that night. He hadn't attempted to have sex—I was too drained and weary and he was too worried about something. Several mornings I'd wakened to his touch—he'd stroke my cheek as if he could coax color into it, somehow. The few times I'd bothered to look in a mirror, I'd appeared washed out and worn, so I stopped looking. I only dressed in the comfortable fleece outfits Teeg had purchased for me, wrapping up in an extra jacket or blanket whenever I could. I constantly felt cold, even in warm places.
"You said that before," I mumbled a response to Teeg's statement, closing my eyes. His arms were warm and tight around me as he kissed the spot behind my ear—the one that in better times would nearly send me into a climax.
"Reah, if things were different, you have no idea what I'd do," he whispered gently. I fell asleep with his breath tickling my ear.
* * *
"I think this is the place where the tapping occurred—Astralan and I want to see if it will be easier to do this at that precise location," Teeg said as he led me to another clearing. This one hadn't been cleared until recently—a house and surrounding courtyard had been destroyed so I could sit on the bare patch of ground and pull star energy to Xordthe. Piles of rock, lumber and most of a roof surrounded me as I began removing my clothing, barely listening to what Teeg had to say. Lenden took my clothes just as before, but Jes was hovering. Farzi and Nenzi were trying to keep him back while I undressed and turned.
"Reah," Teeg stood below me as I settled into a cross-legged position in full Thifilatha. I turned my attention to what he had to say. "Reah," he repeated, "please don't hurt yourself. Or—well. Just don't hurt yourself. All right?"
"Teeg, move away," I sighed. "Let's get this over with." I turned my head toward the night sky and selected a star.
* * *
"We should have thought of this before," Teeg raked a hand through his hair. Reah woke in half the time it had previously taken. She'd been ill again, true, but not nearly as long. A direct route to the tapped core had turned out to be the best solution. Reah slept now—Lenden, Jes and Jusef had managed to get something into her stomach after settling her in bed. Farzi and Nenzi had slid onto the bed on either side as lion snakes. They were worried about Reah too, they just weren't vocal about it. Lenden had been casting questioning looks at Teeg for several days now. He didn't like it any more than Teeg did.
"We have three days," Teeg said. "Three days to get Reah on her feet as well as we can. We'll be traveling after that. Jes, you'll go to Campiaa and work with Dee. The warlocks, Farzi, his brothers, Lenden and Jusef are coming with me."
"Where are you going?" Jes didn't like the idea that he wasn't included in the trip. "Who will take care of Reah?"
"Jes, you have to trust me. I have someone in mind where we're going who will watch over her until we can come back to Campiaa. All right? I don't know how long this trip will take, but I'll keep Dee informed. You can get updates from him. In the meantime, take some time off and relax a little. You've been working too hard."
Jes still didn't like it and he walked away muttering. "You need to watch him," Lenden said quietly.
"He's my physician and devoted to me and mine. Don't question me," Teeg snapped. Lenden turned away so Teeg wouldn't see the curl of smoke escaping his nostrils. It didn't happen often with Lenden—he could control it most of the time. It still escaped now and then, showing anyone who might know just what he was. Farzi was watching the entire exchange with a worried frown. He sided with Lenden on this, but there wasn't any way he could say that to Teeg.
* * *
"Baby, today's the day. We're traveling and you'll see Gavril when we get where we're going," Teeg threw open the curtains that faced our bed. I was blinking stupidly at him—he hadn't said a word the past two days about Gavril and I thought he'd lied to me about the whole thing. I'd been more depressed than usual as a result.
"Where?" I sat up, rubbing my eyes. I was still exhausted and only my will to get up and around had gotten me out of bed since I'd healed Xordthe.
"No, you know better than to ask that question, baby," Teeg was in a good mood for the first time in a long time. "Get up and I'll have Farzi and Nenzi help you in the shower." He knew I couldn't stand long enough to bathe myself.
The last two days I'd soaked in a tub while someone washed me. Farzi and Nenzi had done it the first day. Jes had elbowed everyone else aside the day before and done it. I hadn't appreciated the way his hands lingered here and there while he washed. Teeg had gone off on some errand with Astralan and hadn't gotten back until late the night before. Now, he was up early and getting me up as well.
"I don't want Jes' help," I muttered, causing Teeg to turn around quickly.
"I've already sent him to Campiaa. He saved your life after the explosion, so don't badmouth him to me, Reah. I know you don't feel good and you're grumpy because of it. Farzi and Nenzi will come and help you." He stalked out of the bedroom. I wanted to stick my tongue out at his retreating back, just like any angry six-year-old. Farzi and Nenzi came in moments later, helping me bathe and dress.
* * *
Teeg was dressed nicely in an expensive suit, as were the warlocks—all four of them. Farzi, Nenzi and their six brothers were also dressed very well, only a bit more comfortably than Teeg and the others. Lenden wore what he usually wore—comfortable slacks and a nice shirt. Jusef wore the traditional garb any Amterean might wear—short trousers, boots with socks and a short tunic with a vest. I leaned down just a little to kiss Jusef's cheek. He smiled when I did it. Teeg had selected a high-waisted dress for me; Farzi and Nenzi had gotten me into the deep blue, long-sleeved thing and then slipped low-heeled shoes on my feet. My hair was combed out and left loose about my shoulders.
"Lenden, you stand behind Reah. Make sure she doesn't get too tired," Teeg nodded to the bodyguard as Astralan and Stellan made preparations to fold us and our luggage to some unnamed destination. I was hoping that Chash would be waiting for me when we arrived. I only wanted to fling my arms around him and cry happy tears.