"I would still need help. I know nothing about building. That isn't why I came to see you."
"Then why did you come to see me?"
"Because my brother Denevik retains his title of Prince," Glinda said. "Although he works as a liaison with the Reth and Campiaan Security Details, he keeps his status as a Prince of Kifirin."
"You don't want him to have it?" Jayd stared at Glinda. She loved her brother. He'd married the humanoid woman who'd birthed Reah's mother, following Breszca Loffus' divorce from her politician husband. Now they lived on Tulgalan. Denevik was hoping for another child with Breszca, but so far, his hope bore no fruit. Breszca was aging, too, and would be past childbearing in ten years.
"No. That isn't what I meant," Glinda huffed. "What I meant is that if things hadn't happened as they did, Denny's daughter and granddaughter would have the title of Princesses of the Realm. Through my father, the former King."
"And Reah's daughters as well." Jayd sighed.
"That would give all of them votes on the Council. I don't like it," Garde said.
"Once they reached maturity," Glinda agreed. "Dara and Sara aren't old enough."
"And certainly not mature enough." Garde blew a bit of smoke.
"It was just a suggestion," Glinda said. "I see that I'm outnumbered once again by High Demon males. How many female High Demons are there, husband?" Glinda glared at Jayd.
"Seventeen," Jayd unwillingly muttered.
"And six of those are Reah's daughters."
"Yes."
"And how have we been paying off our debts after Tarevik emptied the treasury and Rorevik had no idea how to build it up again?"
"With gishi fruit," Jayd said. "I'm planning to send four High Demon guards with the next shipments, in case pirates attack."
"Reah says that she's not releasing the date of the shipment for some reason," Garde said. "I asked her how she was going to book a ship. She said to let her worry about that."
"Garde, why don't you want Reah to have a vote on the Council? Tory is your son and a King's nephew. And he's the son of a Queen. His title is a matter of record here in the archives. Aren't his daughters entitled that way? Admit it, Garde. You have something against Reah. You think it was her fault that Tory went off like he did."
"Do you think that?" Garde stared at Glinda.
"Careful how you answer, Garde. Glinda and I are both Gulis. And Reah is as well, unless I miss my guess," Jayd said softly.
"I don't know. Do I have something against Reah?" Garde rose from his seat, confusion in his voice.
"Not intentionally," Kifirin appeared inside Jayd's office. "We have larger problems at the moment. Torevik will indeed come looking for Reah tomorrow night. I intend to give her to him. He will cause a great deal of damage otherwise."
"Lissa, he'll destroy the groves if we leave Reah where she is. He'll go through anything in front of him if he can't get his hands on her easily. Even if we force her, she'll fight him." Garde was trying to explain things to his mate while Kifirin silently stood by.
"Kifirin, if I could go back in time and kick your ass for making High Demons the way they are," Lissa glared at her most powerful mate. "Just how do you propose to get Reah within his reach, if she refuses to go willingly?"
"Healing sleep," Kifirin blew smoke with the answer.
"You're just going to dump her unconscious body in front of him? Is that what you plan to do? Like tossing a piece of meat to an angry dog?"
"Lissa, our son is not an angry dog," Garde was blowing smoke now.
"No? How angry do you think his Thifilathi will be, after not changing for twenty-five years? Connegar and Reemagar spent some time with him today. They say it could take a month or two, because they have to move slowly."
"What are they doing?" Garde asked.
"Slowly taking him through the passage of time."">
"Reconstructing his memories?"
"No. Not that much. He doesn't want to recall Darletta. What he does remember of her makes him furious. I couldn't see for the cloud of smoke after Gavin mentioned her name. His appetite is good, though. Ilvan is feeding him anything he wants."
"I thought he looked a little thinner when he came home," Garde sighed.
"Mom?" Tory's voice came through to her office, where she'd met with Garde and Kifirin.
"We're in here, honey." Tory walked in. "Sit down," Lissa said. "Do you want something to drink? We're just discussing the full moon tonight."
"Where can I make the turn?" Tory asked. "I don't remember doing it the last time."
"Honey, don't worry about that, it'll come. Karzac says that things have been somewhat traumatic for you. We'll get you what you need. Where should he go?" Lissa quirked an eyebrow at Garde and Kifirin.
"The high fields on Kifirin," Garde said. Kifirin nodded silently. "I'll be here later to take you there. You can breathe the free air on Kifirin, son."
"All right, Dad. I missed you and Mom while I was gone." Tory rose and wandered out of the room.
"He's like that all the time," Lissa muttered, dropping her head into her hands. "Tell me you'll protect Reah if she needs protecting," Lissa lifted her gaze to Kifirin.
"I will be there," the god of the Dark Realm replied.
"The fruit will be ready in two days." Hifil, my crew supervisor, handed me a gishi fruit that he'd cut in half. I sniffed it, agreeing with him. "Are the repairs done on the trucks?" I asked.
"Tomorrow," Hifil nodded. He was as old as I—fifty-one. Only Hifil came from one of the shorter-lived races. His kind tended to live around ninety turns or so, and Hifil had gray in his hair. He thought I was young. I wasn't. At times, I felt as old as the ground beneath my feet.
"Reah." Kifirin was suddenly there before me, standing in the space between rows of gishi trees, their deep green, oval leaves sighing in the late afternoon breeze and fruit hanging heavy on their branches.
"Hifil, I'll handle this," I sent my supervisor on his way. No need to involve him in anything Kifirin wanted. "What do you want, Kifirin?" My arms were crossed tightly over my chest. "You said the last time that I wouldn't be pregnant again by Tory without my consent. I haven't consented."
"And you're not pregnant by Tory. This has nothing to do with pregnancy."