"She'll come around," Gavril muttered, heading for the counter and his first taste of Niff's ice cream in more than fifty years.
* * *
"Farzi, this is my home. I don't come here often and it isn't much," I pressed my thumb against the scanner so the door would open. The reptanoids followed me inside and I closed the door behind Perzi who was the last to troop into the house.
"Reah lives here?"
"I used to. I can again until Aurelius comes home. I'll ask him to take us to the light side so we can see the sun." Wearily I flopped onto a chair in the reception area. This couldn't compete with Lissa's palace or Teeg's home on Campiaa. I had most of my salary in a bank on Le-Ath Veronis—I could support myself and perhaps buy a small restaurant. People would come if the location was right and the food was good. I didn't need Teeg or Tory.
Lendill and Wylend had disappeared. Figuring it was because I was unexpectedly pregnant with Tory's child, I covered my eyes with a hand. "Farzi, you know where the bus stop is—why don't you go find Teeg. That's where you belong—with him. I need to sort out some things by myself." I dropped my hand so he could see that I meant what I'd said.
"Reah? You not feel good?" Nenzi was there, kneeling beside my chair.
"Nenzi, I haven't felt good for a while, sweet man. Leave me alone for a while—I have to think about what to do with my future. I get out of the ASD in two months. Maybe they'll let me go early since I'm pregnant."
"Reah not be with Teeg?" Nenzi sounded lost.
"Nenzi, I don't know how I can. Go on, now. Take the bus back to the palace. I need some time alone."
* * *
"I'm telling you, she can fix any core you damaged," Jes informed Yebri Hammal, the rogue Karathian witch. "I watched her heal the one on Xordthe. I got the idea that she pulls the energy from a star or something."
"Why are you coming to me with this information?" Yebri looked suspiciously at Teeg San Gerxon's hired physician.
"Because Teeg has something I want. And Teeg is what my new partner wants," Jes nodded toward the woman who stood next to him. Yebri almost laughed. She couldn't imagine many men wanting that one, especially one as wealthy and powerful as Teeg San Gerxon. She didn't say it, though. If Jes Wurfl was correct about the female High Demon, then Yebri couldn't pass up this opportunity. Nidris would be more than grateful for this information—he'd opened the core on Tulgalan before realizing exactly what damage he'd done. He'd contacted Yebri, telling her his family was quite upset over his mistake. If they could get their hands on the one Jes spoke of, they could repair the damage and no one would be the wiser. Plus, if they kept the female, they could dip into the power of any planet, arranging for their captive to correct it afterward. The prospect was almost too good to be believed.
"Name your price," Yebri said. "I must confer with my partner, but we might come to some sort of arrangement."
"I want the woman after two repairs," Jes said right away.
"And I want Teeg San Gerxon. I want him given to me, as a willing husband. Can you do that for me?" Ardalin Nathil smiled at Yebri.
* * *
"I can't believe they came back without her," Tory was about to go Thifilathi. All eight reptanoids had gotten back to the palace after Gavril, Tory and Ry had returned. Minus Reah. Farzi told Gavril that Reah wanted to be alone at her home. Gavril and his brothers had gone straight there, only to learn that Reah had left again.
"Where do you think she is?" Ry was trying to calm Tory, making him think of other things instead of letting his emotions get the better of him and allowing his Thifilathi free rein.
"She might have gone to the light side—Nenzi said she mentioned that," Gavril's anger was rising. He had other things on his mind and didn't need to be chasing after Reah.
"Bro, if you hadn't deactivated her mindspeech," Ry whispered.
She's with me, came mindspeech from Aurelius. And Gavril, if you ever worry us like that again, we will have words.
Not to worry, grandfather, Gavril blew out a mental and physical sigh.
* * *
"So, Norian, are you just going to drop this bomb on her now?" Lissa glared at the Director of the ASD.
"We only have two months of service left. We have to move quickly on this."
"Don't you think you ought to go hunting the ass**le who drained the core? He may still be there and if so, he could tap right back into it after Reah does the repairs." Lissa seldom got information regarding ASD business anymore, though she was mated to Norian.
"We're already on that, Lissa. Do you think I'm stupid?"
"Not stupid. Just blind, sometimes." Lissa turned away from him and stared at the painting behind her desk, not really seeing the beautiful landscape painted by Corot. Merrill had given it to her not long after she'd become Queen of Le-Ath Veronis. To make up for past mistakes, he'd said. Both knew it was a peace offering between them. Lissa had accepted.
* * *
"Reah, Norian Keef is on his way," Aurelius said gently. I'd fallen asleep, leaning against his shoulder as we sat on the balcony of his home on the light side. Overlooking the Western Ocean, the location was peaceful most of the time, with waves washing ashore instead of pounding it as the Eastern Ocean did at times.
"What does he want?" I rubbed my eyes to wake up. Had Teeg deactivated the implant, I might have received the mindspeech myself. Now, that wasn't an option as long as he held the control.
"To talk to you," Aurelius helped me off the wide, comfortable swing. He'd installed it himself, just so we could sit quietly and watch the ocean when we were together.
"I hope he'll tell me I'm getting discharged early," I grumped. Thankfully, Aurelius didn't have a problem with my unplanned pregnancy and he'd sat beside me, rubbing my slightly protruding belly gently until I'd fallen asleep next to him.
"I hope that too, for your sake and the baby's," Aurelius agreed. "Reah, have you made any plans with Tory? Where will you stay when the baby comes? I think she will need some sunlight, don't you?"
"Auri, is that an invitation?" I smiled up at him. The one mate I had who seemed glad to see me. I couldn't explain any of it.
"If you want it to be." He leaned down to kiss me gently, just as Norian and Lendill folded in. Well, Lendill wasn't high on my current list. I wanted to tell him to go away. Except I couldn't—he was still my boss, just as Norian was.
"Reah, we want to speak with you about your remaining service time," Norian said. "Is there somewhere we can sit?"