"Food may be served now." Kifirin appeared and sat at the end of the table opposite Lissa. He was the self-proclaimed King of Le-Ath Veronis, although he didn't show up often, according to Teeg and the others. I'd seen too much of him, in my opinion. And every time I saw him, it brought something new and nasty in my direction. Delicate bowls of soup were served by a bevy of servants. I fumed a little and felt queasy at the same time. I wasn't sure I could eat without losing whatever I'd eaten quickly.
"I'd like to propose a toast," Willem stood and raised his glass at the table. All eyes were on him, now. "I want to toast Reah, for throwing most of the known universes into total chaos," he said, holding his glass toward me. If he wanted to embarrass me, he'd succeeded. I'm sure many crimes were committed during the blackout. I just hadn't known what else to do to stop the Schuuls and their partners from controlling everything. And I wanted to skip away in the worst way possible. Is that why I was there? So people could point out the many flaws in my hastily formed plan? Ry gripped my fingers under the table.
"I'm not done, Reah," Willem went on. "If you hadn't done exactly what you did, we'd all be under the yoke of a few people who had nothing less on their minds than complete domination of everything. The worlds would have died, Reah. Just as another world with the same technology died long ago. The controllers could command war and anger. They could not control love. Their numbers became smaller and smaller, and the population became angrier and angrier until they killed each other or themselves. A day or three of chaos is worth the resulting command over our lives again. I honor you, Reah. You kept the Alliances alive, although you suffered to make it so. To Reah," he drank from his glass. Everyone else at the table did so as well. I wished the floor would open up and swallow me.
"I also have an announcement," Ildevar stood when Willem sat down. "I have approval from the Grand Alliance Council, and it has been duly recorded in the Alliance records that Thiskil now is the sole property of Reah Desh Nilvas. Thiskil has been granted membership in the Reth Alliance and is currently a member in good standing, with taxes paid for the next one hundred turns. Reah's name has been written in the records as Queen of Thiskil, and she may allot citizenship as she sees fit." Ildevar gave me a glowing smile. It wasn't anything close to what Ry could do but I gaped anyway.
"Uh, thank you," I said as politely as I could. Great. I was Queeatwn wen of a nearly dead planet. I'd seen it myself not that long ago. Perhaps five years or so. It took a long while for a planet to come back from the dead, it seems. And I didn't have sufficient funds to do anything to said planet, even if there was anything there to work with. Ildevar took his seat.
"And I have a confession to make," Kifirin stood.
"And I wish to hear it," another being appeared, clothed in light so bright it hurt my eyes. I blinked as he dampened the light, appearing humanoid although he still glowed. "Go ahead, child, tell them. I am waiting."
"Of course, Father," Kifirin bowed respectfully to the other. I blinked again. Kifirin had a parent? Where had he been all this time? "I made a promise long ago that I wouldn't interfere with the Dark Realm," Kifirin sighed. "Only I have broken that promise time and again during Reah's lifetime. Mostly I meddled with her life only, but the promise was broken. So many things I did not intend occurred while I slept for many thousands of years. And, in an effort to bring those things back in line with the master plan without direct interference, I placed the burden upon one. She came through for me every time, although she should have walked away long ago. The daughter of my heart flung a few insults in my direction from time to time, but it was much less than I deserved. She then went to perform the duties I needed her to perform anyway, and never asked anything from me in exchange. But that is not the announcement I wished to make. I meddled in the worst way possible with her life, to get everything I wanted from her. I made her pregnant twice, without the benefit of lying with her mate. I did this to keep a promise I made to another. And then I did the worst thing of all." Kifirin hung his head.
"Tell her. She deserves to know," Kifirin's parent coaxed softly.
"I arranged to hand Reah's daughters to Jayd and Glinda, so they might save the High Demon race. I also muted the love and affection in all her mates," Kifirin muttered, "to keep her on Kifirin. I kept them away from her as much as I could. Made it seem as if that were the proper thing to do and the right way to treat her. I came today to take it back." Kifirin lifted dark eyes to me, and they were filled with stars. "I cannot control your fate from now on, little one. My precious one. You are taken away from me. I have been forbidden from interfering with you from this point forward. You will only speak with me if you desire it." Light formed around Kifirin then and blew outward toward all of us seated at the table.
"Thanks," I said, as every one of my mates now stared at me in shock, as if they were seeing me for the first time in a very long time. As I suppose they were. "I'm leaving now." I skipped away as Ry reached out to stop me.
Gishi trees lined the dark soil on either side of a long row as I walked toward the small house I'd lived in for more than twenty years. Many of my things were still there—small things. Little gifts from my daughters when they were young, a few bits and pieces of jewelry and all my rings from my mates had been left behind when I'd gone on assignment.
I wasn't sure any of those rings would be worn after today, but that remained to be seen. I walked through the back door into the cooler interior of the house, getting quite a shock. A strange woman stood at the kitchen sink, preparing a meal with my dishes and tools. Those were the things I hadn't skimped on. They were the best I could afford, especially the knives. This one was using a filleting knife to slice gishi fruit.
"Can I help you?" she asked, not sounding friendly.
"I came to get my things," I said.
"What things? This house came furnished. Everything in it is mine to use."
"What about my clothing and jewelry?" A curl of smoke escaped my nostrils.
"The clothing and the rest of the junk is out on the trash heap," she pointed the knife at me. "I found no jewelry."
"There was jewelry here. Did Garde take it?" I knew she was lying; I just wasn't prepared to point it out yet.
"I have no idea who Garde is. I suggest you take this up with his majesty, King Jayd. There's nothing here that belongs to you."