chapter 3
Phelpas, Drennen and all three assistants came along in a hovercar while Keedan, Crofford, Edward and I directed grove employees to dig up the burned trees and haul them away.
"This is the third time in three moon turns," Phelpas pointed out, but stepped back and remained silent when Edward glared at him. The boss didn't need the reminder, it seems.
"How many has he lost so far?" I asked Keedan.
"Nearly a hundred trees the first time. We had a better watch the second time, so we only lost about thirty. This time we cut it to eleven. We worry that they'll attack during the night, but every time it has been in full daylight."
"Round up the employees and we'll ask questions," Edward directed. That's how we spent our afternoon, with Keedan making sure I had something to eat and drink between questioning. Three employees weren't being truthful. Somehow, Edward pulled the same three out and let the others go.
"Now," he said, as all three sat in front of him, "tell me everything you know about this."
I was thankful Edward's office was large enough for plenty of seating to be brought in; we were at the questioning until night fell. Keedan asked me twice to communicate orders via comp-vid and I did so, telling Garthe to get the employees to do their best and make sure their quotas were filled for the day. He contacted me around sunset, saying that they'd accomplished just that. He also asked about the fire, but I told him we'd have information when we saw him the following day.
It turned out that two detainees had committed theft and the other had damaged a tree without reporting it. None knew anything about the fires. All three were terminated and escorted to the front gate so they could take a bus to Adrixx.
"Let's get something to eat," Edward said. He'd ordered the kitchen crew to go to bed earlier, since we'd been at the questioning for hours on end and now it was very late. We followed him into the kitchens, assistants and all. Edward rummaged through the fridge.
"Let Reah see what she can do," Keedan suggested. Edward's head jerked up and he looked at me. Stepping aside, he gestured grandly toward the open fridge. I went to see what was inside.
"I can't believe this," Phelpas sighed. They'd gotten pasta with chicken and a mushroom sauce that could be put together quickly. I'd found a long loaf of bread, sliced it lengthwise, buttered it and sprinkled it with herbs. It was toasted and served with the meal. Then I cut up fresh redberries and served them with sweet cream for dessert.
"You could get your Master Cook's license," Crofford sighed, finishing off his dessert.
"I have one," I said. "Will someone else clean up? I'm tired."
"You have a Master Cook's license, and you're here?" Drennen looked skeptical.
"I do. I own Dee's Restaurant in Targis on Tulgalan. I told Keedan that I'm here because I need peace and quiet."
"What were you doing on Kifirin, working in their groves?" Crofford stared at me. The three assistants were sitting beside their supervisors, waiting for this story to unfold, I'm sure.
"I started those groves," I said. "King Jayd laughed at me when I suggested that we try gishi fruit as a money crop on the Southern Continent. He's not laughing now."
"You're a member of the Royal Family on Kifirin, aren't you?" Edward looked surprised.
"Not that they've noticed, but yes," I agreed. And since nobody else made any move to do so, I began to clean the dishes.
"And she's the wife of the founding member of the Campiaan Alliance," Teeg appeared in Edward's kitchen, making me wince.
"Master San Gerxon," Edward bowed politely to Teeg.
"Don't bow to him. The rat," I said.
"You're calling me a rat?"
"I could call you worse."
"Please don't. Reah, you need to come back with me. Nefrigar says you're still fragile, and we have to think about the baby."
"Oh, now that it's your baby, I'm fragile," I huffed.
"Reah, you know what I'm talking about," Teeg grumbled. He was right; I'd just been able to shove most of that aside for the past three eight-days or so, in favor of picking gishi fruit. The trees got my attention. My thoughts and problems didn't.
"Where's Astralan?" I asked. "I'd like for him to look at a spot where somebody burned gishi fruit trees earlier today."
"Will you come home with me if I call him?" Teeg's nearly-black eyes were begging.
"I'll come," I muttered. "I don't think I can stay here, now, since they know we're married and all."
"Reah, every mate you have is worried to death about you."
"Must be a new experience for them," I snapped.
"How many do you have?" Keedan asked.
"Nine," Teeg answered for me. "Reah is extremely rare. Only seventeen females exist in her race."
"No kidding?" Keedan turned his eyes to me.
"Six of those are my daughters," I blushed and hung my head.
"There's our girl," Astralan appeared at Teeg's elbow. "What do you need, baby?"
"I want you to look at a spot where a fire started in the groves today," I said. "I think a warlock or power holder of some sort started it."
"Then we'll take a look," Astralan smiled. "As long as you come home with us."
"I already said I would," I grumped.
"Good. Let's go."
"I'm coming along," Edward insisted.
"Then we'll all go," Teeg agreed amiably, and Astralan and Teeg folded everyone in the kitchen to the burned trees.
"Definitely a power wielder," Astralan nodded after examining the burned spots. "If I'm correct, not a powerful one. Used the sun as a heat source, just turned it up some to dry out the wood and start the fire."
"Can you locate him or her?" I asked.
"Not a problem," Astralan grinned and disappeared. He came back, hauling Landor with him. Teeg took over then, ordering him with compulsion to explain what happened.
"He's a member of the Dondl family?" Edward stared at Landor. Dondl was one of Edward's rival grove owners. Landor's uncle owned the groves, but the moment he learned that Landor had a bit of power, he'd recruited the boy to his purposes.
"What shall we do with him?" Keedan asked. "I hesitate to turn him over to the authorities; Dondl will retaliate somehow."
"I'll remove his power," Astralan grinned. "And Teeg will remove the memory that I removed it. You'll make a fine employee, won't you?" Astralan pounded Landor on the back. Edward stared in amazement as Astralan did remove Landor's power, and then Teeg placed compulsion, telling Landor that he wouldn't remember. That, of course, resulted in even more compulsion—Teeg didn't want Edward or his supervisors to remember that part, either. I shivered when it was all over.
"Go back to your barracks," Keedan ordered. Landor trotted off obediently.
"Now, we go home. Mr. Pendley, will you be so kind as to send her things to my palace?" Teeg asked.
"I'll have them shipped tomorrow," Edward sighed. "But I have a request."
"Yes?"
"I'd like to visit the palace after the harvest is in."
"Feel free. You've been invited several times. I thought you weren't interested."
"I am, now." Edward stared at me. Teeg gripped my arm and Astralan folded us away.
* * *
"No. Absolutely not," I snapped, the moment Kevis Halivar appeared inside my room. I was tired, out of sorts and a little angry. Somehow, Teeg had tracked me down. I was perfectly happy in the gishi fruit groves on Avendor. I'd even gotten a promotion. Now, I was right back in therapy with the one whose nurses had sold me to the Alliance and made me a laughing stock.
"Reah, I've taken a leave of absence from Sea Winds so I can work with you exclusively," Dr. Halivar said.
"Work with me? You want to peel potatoes or something? That kind of working with me?"
"No. You know very well what I mean."
"Where's nurse nasty?" I asked belligerently.
"Ceerah's under house arrest," Lendill appeared. Teeg was still inside the bedroom, and now it was getting crowded. I was feeling dizzy, too.
"She's going down," Kevis Halivar shouted from somewhere far away. Everything went black after that.
* * *
"Obviously she feels more comfortable in those surroundings," Kevis pushed his point. "If you take her to the plantation and allow her to work freely among the citrus groves while you visit and I work with her, perhaps it will turn out best for all involved."
"Farzi, is there enough room for us?" Gavril looked to the reptanoid for answers. Farzi and Nenzi were both very much in favor of having Reah come to them. Their plantation was more than large enough, with plenty of room inside the main house and more guesthouses located nearby.
"Yes. More than enough," Farzi nodded.
"Bring Reah soon," Nenzi agreed.
"How is she?" Rylend Morphis appeared, accompanied by Corolan and Erland.
"Sleeping. She overextended today," Kevis sighed. "I've been chewed out by Dad already for not checking her when they brought her in, so don't start."
"Wasn't thinking about it," Ry smiled. "I'm just glad to know where she is and that's she safe."
"We're thinking about moving her to the plantation, since she went straight to Avendor to work in the gishi fruit groves," Gavril said.
"Can I see her?" Tory arrived with Lok and Aurelius. "And we're prepared to move in, bro, so be warned."
"Move into the plantation house, I think we're taking her there," Gavril sighed. "Dee, make arrangements."
"I will." Dee wore a slight smile but said no more on the subject.
* * *
Reah, my love? I'm here, sweetheart. Are you all right?
Was I dreaming? I thought I was dreaming. But the voice sounded real. Huh? I sent sleepy mindspeech.
No, love, I can feel your weariness. Go back to sleep. Sleep now. You have no idea how long I've searched for you. The words were sent with the gentlest of touches. I wanted to tuck myself against that touch. Let it soothe away what troubled me. Something did trouble me. It frightened me at times and woke me, gasping for breath, on most mornings. Sleep, the voice came again. I allowed it to unravel my thoughts and carry them away.
* * *
"Reah, it's your Auri." I was curled in a ball on a bed somewhere. It was a good bed—a soft bed. A bed that pillowed and fluffed around me, cradling my body like a womb. I didn't want to leave it. Didn't want to wake. Wanted to allow it to hold me a little longer. "Reah, it's time for breakfast. Wake and come with me." I answered by huddling tighter beneath the blankets.
"No, my love." I was lifted from the bed, moaning out my protest. "Shhh," Aurelius carried me easily somewhere. I recalled, still half-asleep, that he'd been vampire and had the strength of that race. He could likely toss my body halfway across the gishi fruit groves on Kifirin.
"She's still asleep," Tory said. I knew that voice. My eyes popped open. Aurelius settled me onto a chair at a table. I blinked, looking around at the informal dining area. Farzi and Nenzi watched me, expressions of hope on their faces. Tory appeared worried. Teeg, too, wore a deep frown. Ry had come with Corolan. What was Cory doing here? I thought he'd gone off with Wylend. Lok studied me with his usual, inscrutable scowl. Lendill rubbed his forehead and sighed. Kevis Halivar was sitting next to Tory, watching all of us, I think. Nefrigar was the only one missing among my mates.
"Reah and the baby are fine this morning," Aurelius sat on the chair next to mine; I was seated between him and Teeg. I knew where I was, now—the reptanoids' plantation. I'd only visited it once before, but the kitchen and dining area hadn't changed much.
"Farzi, Nenzi, your new table is very nice," I touched the wood of the table with a finger. The piece was beautiful and made of solid wood. I figured one of their brothers had shaped the wood; Chazi and Perzi were both good with their hands. Farzi and Nenzi broke into smiles that might have rivaled the sun that morning. I'd spoken to them first.
"Breakfast is coming," Teeg said. "Try not to be too critical."
"I won't," I muttered. I had no desire to destroy the happiness I saw on my reptanoid mates' faces.
"Reah stay with us," Nenzi said. "Can go anywhere on plantation. Help if she wants. We take her wherever she wants to go."
"What's ripening?" I asked as a plate of food was placed in front of me. The woman was middle-aged and smiled at me when she set the plate down. "Thank you," I said. She nodded and set out a plate for Aurelius.
"Oranges," Farzi smiled. "Lemons, too. We try pineapples this year. They come along. Avocados next month."
"I love fresh avocados," I said. I did. I liked to slice them up with a bit of salt and fresh tomatoes and eat that at times. I'd craved it with my last set of twins. Of course, nobody at the table even knew that. They'd all been elsewhere most of that time.
"We want you to rest, too, Reah. You look tired," Ry said. "Laze about. Sleep out by the pool. The weather is nice and warm out."
"If you want anything, or want to go anywhere, all you have to do is ask, baby," Tory said. I blinked at him.
"Sweetheart, your food is getting cold," Teeg called my attention to the food sitting before me.
"This is good," I said, pointing the fork at my plate. Breakfast was ham and eggs, and the eggs weren't over or undercooked, plus the ham was delicious. I wondered where it came from. "Where is the ham from? It's really good," I said, cutting another piece.
"I order it from Fizerali's," the cook was back with more plates and a basket of rolls. She'd named a popular shop in Campiaa City, where they sold cold cuts, smoked meats and specialty cuts of meat. I broke a roll apart and it was flaky and hot. "This looks promising," I said, buttering it generously and tasting it. "Yes. This is very good," I sighed with pleasure. "A little blackberry or redberry jam and this would be incredible."
"I have some," the cook was still smiling and went off to get it. I ate three rolls with redberry jam and a glass of milk.
"That was wonderful," I complimented the woman when I was too full to move. "What is your name?"
"Mathilde," she said. "If you want anything between meals, let me know."
"I will." I liked her already, and I couldn't explain that. She was a little on the plump side and seemed a good-natured soul.
"Let's get you dressed," Aurelius said, pulling me from my seat and herding me down a hall. "This will be your bedroom, unless you want to visit one of us," he added, leading me into the spacious bedroom he'd taken me from earlier. The bed had already been made up and I found clothing inside a closet.
A few things hung there that were appropriate for pregnancy, but I wasn't ready for those things yet. Garwin Wyatt was barely making his presence known. Unsure what to do except allow it, Aurelius helped me dress. Then he knelt and kissed the sensitive tops of my feet before slipping socks and shoes on. He knew what that did to me. I loved having my feet kissed. It was erotic to me. I shivered as his warm lips caressed my skin.
"Kevis says not to push, because of the attack." Aurelius was putting what happened to me in blander terms as his fingers touched my ankles before pulling up my socks. I could still see the pink marks on my shoulder where Zendeval Rjjn had sunk his canines into my skin. Greater Demons. Hah. There wasn't anything great about them.
Kifirin had made them. Just as he'd fashioned High Demons and Lesser Demons. Only everybody said that all the Lesser Demons were gone. Just as well. I hadn't fared well at all at the hands of either of the other two kinds. And Kevis? I knew I shouldn't blame him for what two of his nurses had done, but I held him accountable anyway.
Aurelius offered to carry me to the back of the plantation house where a large, curving pool lay, surrounded by multicolored flagstones that had been fitted carefully together. Lush plants in pots dotted the flagstones, with trees and other greenery surrounding the pool area, giving way to a beautiful, deep-green lawn that employees manicured weekly.
The water was pristine and sparkling in the pool, while an occasional breeze rippled the surface, making it opaque for a few seconds before releasing it to become a clear blue again. I walked, refusing Aurelius' offer. I didn't need to be carried everywhere. What I needed was for the holes in my heart to heal and go away. I felt numb most of the time. My mates had left me, for reasons I thought were my fault, only to discover recently that it hadn't been like that.
How many times over the past twenty-five years had I examined every word, conversation or action, in a vain attempt to determine what it was that I'd done wrong? Now they were hovering, and I didn't know if I had anything left to give any of them. I'd written them off years ago. How was I supposed to pretend it hadn't happened? Maybe their eyes had been opened when Kifirin waved his arm, releasing whatever it was he'd done, but I hadn't been under that spell. There would be no revelation, no opening of eyes for me.
"Reah?" The last person I expected was the one to show up. Wylend Arden, former King of Karathia appeared. Well, I hadn't asked him to abdicate. He'd done that on his own. And I wasn't happy to see him, either. He'd hurt me—hit me when I was at one of the lowest points of my life. And then punched me again while I was down, by telling Tory a half-truth afterward.
"I suppose you're here to tell me that Kifirin influenced your doings too?" I wasn't giving him the best or most polite of welcomes. This wasn't my home, after all. I wondered who'd invited Wylend. And his son, Griffin—the meddler, as I liked to call him—stood right behind his father. They looked very much alike, those two. Tall, brown hair, hazel eyes. Handsome, too, if you didn't despise both of them.
"Reah, I came to offer my apologies. While I realize they won't be accepted, it's something I feel compelled to do." Wylend settled on one of many plump-cushioned chairs scattered about the pool area. Aurelius, standing behind me, moved me toward a seat. Working through the urge to fling his hand away, I sat roughly six feet away from Wylend.
I wanted to tell him that he should have saved himself the trouble. Anger boiled close to the surface with me nowadays. Dangerously close. I swallowed it back as well as I could. "Wylend, there is nothing between us, now. If there ever was."
"Reah, I don't think that's true."
"You are welcome to think as you like." That was an insult, as far as I was concerned. I hadn't been welcome to think as I liked. Wylend had taken my thoughts and words and used them against me. Wyatt, Wylend's heir at the time, wanted to be a healer. Wylend wanted him to step up and be the warlock he desired. My privately voiced opinion had been that Rylend would be the King Karathia deserved. Wylend had written me off and revoked my short-lived Karathian citizenship over it, then went straight to Tory, telling him I'd thought him immature during my first pregnancy—the one that had ended early and in disaster. Apology or not, Wylend had destroyed something fragile between us—trust.
"Reah, I have lived a very long time. I know the intent behind those words. You are correct. You were young and trusting then, and I took full advantage of it, with my age and cynicism. I have paid a heavy price for that." I didn't respond to his words, turning to his son, Griffin, instead.
"Have you found Amara?" I asked.
"No." I hunched my shoulders at his one-word answer.
"I'm sorry," I said. And I was. They'd been together for more than a hundred thousand years. It had taken Wyatt's death to break them up. Then another thought hit me. Did he know that Garwin Wyatt rested in my womb? That Wyatt was returning, as my child? Likely he did. He was the Oracle, after all. "I won't be giving this one up," I stared at him, my anger coming to the fore.
"I know that as well as anyone," Griffin's well-shaped hand went into a pocket of his trousers. "Someone has already come to talk to me about it. I know this doesn't mean anything to you, but I'm grateful."
"For what?" I didn't understand at all.
"That he'll come to someone who will provide love and guidance. Someone I can trust."
I must have gaped at him. I must have. Did I believe him? I couldn't get my truth meter to work on any of the Saa Thalarr.
"I can't lie," he said. "I'm prevented."
"Are you upsetting my patient?" Kevis Halivar came to sit on a chair between Wylend and me.
"I probably am. My timing isn't the best, where Reah is concerned," Wylend murmured.
"Did you ever, even for a moment, really love me?" I asked, standing up. I could still skip away, but that question had bothered me for a very long time. I kept telling myself that he couldn't and didn't. If he had, how could he have done what he did? Shortly after Wylend had dumped me, there followed twenty-five years of being mostly ignored by my other mates, unless they wanted something from me. I brushed off the back of my slacks, although the cushions on my chair were clean. It was a habit, a gesture. Something to do while I waited for an answer, as painful or embarrassing as it might be.
"I did. But I let things interfere. Sabotaged it from beginning to end," Wylend said. "And then allowed something stupid to end it for all time."
"You were looking for an excuse," I said. "Doctor Halivar, your nurses laughed at me when I said I skipped. I'm skipping now." I disappeared, even as he rose and shouted my name.
* * *
"Reah, what are you doing?"
"What does it look like?" I was trimming back branches on gishi fruit trees in EastStar's groves. Someone had seen me and apparently reported it immediately to Edward Pendley, the owner.
"You were only taken away from here yesterday by your husband, Teeg San Gerxon." Edward watched as I cut through a branch and tossed it into a neat pile. Cutting back would enable the tree to bear better for the next harvest.
"He's not the only husband I have. Weren't you paying attention?" I looked for other branches that might need pruning.
"It sounds like you're not happy with all of them."
"I'm not."
"Reah, what are you?" Edward's arms were crossed over his chest.
"High Demon."
"Ah."
"You've heard of them?"
"I have."
"Tell me what you are. There's no way a mortal would have disappeared like that, to take care of a fire five clicks away."
"Ah, that." Edward lifted a hand and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Have you ever heard of the Elemaiya?" His hazel eyes peered at me through dark lashes.
"Yes." I looked at him in surprise. I knew what happened to them; that was certain. Queen Lissa had removed their power and prevented them from gating between worlds.
"I was brought here," he said. "I'm half. Actually, a little more than half. It's a long story," he tossed up a hand. "I was spending time, gating from world to world, doing this and that, when I got stuck here. The gates wouldn't work any longer. So I put down roots and started planting the groves at someone else's suggestion. Then bought more land and planted more trees. My grove is the second oldest on Avendor. Before, gishi fruit grew on trees in jungles and the locals sold the fruit to passing tourists. Now, things are different." He fingered a dark-green leaf thoughtfully.
"Would you like to meet the person who closed the gates?" I asked. "She did it because the Elemaiya got a little out of hand. Now there aren't a lot of them left." I examined his face as he blinked at me in shock.
"You know who closed them?"
"Yeah," I shrugged. "Come on, I'll take you to her. It's not like her sons won't track me down eventually anyway."
"Her sons?"
"Long story. Come on. Maybe I can fix something to eat in her kitchen while she explains all of this to you." I grabbed his arm and skipped both of us to Le-Ath Veronis.
"She'll be here in a minute; the Council meeting is just breaking up," Drew gave me a grin. Lissa had the best Falchani, as far as I was concerned.
"Where are we?" Edward hissed as I led him toward Lissa's kitchen. I didn't even know who worked in it any more.
"You're in the palace in Lissia," I said. "On Le-Ath Veronis."
"The vampire planet?" Edward stopped dead still.
"What are you worried about?" I asked, stopping with him.
"They uh, wanted to turn somebody I know, once upon a time," he muttered. "Someone of my race."
"I think they're past that," I said, throwing out a hand in a dismissive gesture. "Come on, Lissa will pound somebody's head if they look at you wrong."
"You're sure? And her name is Lissa?"
"I am, and yes, her name is Lissa." I gave him an encouraging smile. "Besides, this is keeping me away from a counseling session with the good Doctor Halivar." I couldn't help but feel gleeful over that. "Are you hungry?" I dragged Edward with me until we reached the kitchen.
"This is wonderful," Edward sighed after eating nearly all the crepe I'd served him.
"I have a Master Cook's license," I reminded him.
"You said that. Now I believe it," he said. I heard footsteps and voices approaching and was prepared to make more crepes when several things happened. Lissa drew in a breath when she saw Edward. Flavio, Head of the Vampire Council, stared in shock and Edward blinked at the third member of their party before whispering, "Winkler?"
* * *
Winkler was grinning like a fool and slapping Edward on the back for some reason, and Lissa was just staring.
"So. I get to explain how we're related and all." She studied Edward for several seconds.
"Can you get him home? He owns EastStar Groves on Avendor. I ought to get back to Campiaa before the herd calls out the dogs." I watched as several emotions crossed Lissa's face. She hadn't expected this, I could tell.
"Reah, you really should let them know where you're going when you leave," Lissa did a little sighing of her own.
"I know. But nowadays they tend to piss me off." I'd borrowed that phrase from her.
"I know this is hard for you." Lissa brushed a stray strand of hair away from my forehead.
"After all these years, I just feel numb. I don't know if I love any of them. I can't feel anything."
"Honey, that will go away. It'll take some time, I know, after what happened to you on Stellar Winds. Don't give up on them. Kifirin was wrong to do what he did."
"Why did he do that? Why?" I was about to break down.
"We'll take her." Teeg, Lok and Aurelius had come. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's go home," Teeg lifted me this time.
"I'll make sure Mr. Pendley gets home," Lissa called out before someone folded me away.
* * *
Lissa's Journal
"I'm your great-uncle?" Edward Pendley stared at me. He was younger than I, but as immortals, that wasn't surprising.
"And you have family still living. Someday, if you're up to it, I'll make introductions." I was struggling to come to terms with this—Ashe had a half-brother. If I knew Ashe at all (and I didn't know him well—he kept to himself) he probably knew all about this. His—and Edward's—biological mother, my great-grandmother, actually, was still alive, as was my half-Elemaiyan grandmother. I still hadn't told them we were kin. It made me sigh—I wasn't sure I was up to that, even now.
"I see I have a lot of catching up to do," Edward shook his head. Winkler and I sat in Edward's private study at EastStar, talking about how things had gone since Edward had left Earth. My werewolf and I had taken Edward home after he explained that he couldn't be gone for long from EastStar. Edward couldn't believe he had other relatives still living, either. His mostly-human father was still alive, but couldn't pass the boundary of SouthStar. I did (and didn't) want to ask about that. "Tell me about Reah," Edward pleaded. I considered where to begin.
* * *
I jerked awake with a gasp, just as I normally did nowadays. "Nothing here to hurt you," Kevis Halivar soothed. I wanted to accuse him of lying. Danger was everywhere, including with his nurses, who were now under arrest. He'd attempted to talk with me as soon as Teeg brought me back and dumped me on a chair by the pool next to the good doctor. Instead of answering questions, somehow I'd fallen asleep.
"Zendeval Rjjn appeared benign, too, until he did what he did."
"Reah, you are in a safe place. Nobody is here to harm you."
"I don't know why you're here," I huffed. "Go back to that expensive clinic and treat the rich and famous."
"You don't think you're as important as they are?"
"Most of them are decidedly unimportant," I snapped. "But try telling them and their fame and fortune that."
"While the one who saved them and both Alliances sits here and tells me to go back to them," Kevis murmured softly.
"They all think I'm crazy," I said. "Thanks to your nurses and a not so law-abiding reality show."
"You and I know better."
"Like that's so important and all. I can't even go to the corner store and get ice cream without somebody pointing and either laughing or screaming."
"You think so? Let's test that theory," Kevis said, standing up. "Let's go out for ice cream."
Nenzi drove us with Tory, Lok and Aurelius along for the ride. Nenzi stood very close to me, too, as I walked into a popular ice-cream shop in Campiaa City to order a dish of ice cream. Sure enough, two mothers saw me and moved their children away while the young man behind the counter gulped and stared.
"Point taken," Kevis said as we walked out again, ice cream in hand.
"Teeg will have to get another wife," I said, licking my spoon.
"Reah, he will not stand for that sort of talk," Aurelius chided. "That is his child, you are his wife. That is the end of this discussion."
"You saw those women back there," I said, turning to look at him as we climbed into our vehicle. Nenzi had a very nice hover-limo. I was happy for him; the vehicle was quite luxurious. "They were afraid to let their children get near me," I added.
"Reah, that will die down in time," Kevis said.
"When? Will I be able to take my own child out and not have people shy away?"
"People have short memories," Lok said.
"Oh, and the Falchani speaks," I tossed up a hand.
"Reah, they are angry too, because they were forced to forget you," Kevis said.
"Oh, so you're on board with the whole Kifirin thing now, are you?"
"I've been informed," he said.
Nenzi unloaded us at the front drive to the plantation before pulling away. I felt a sting in my left shoulder and that's the last thing I remembered for a while.