"I haven't found a single woman who can look past that chair I sit in. Besides, Reah will always be first with me."
"I believe she knows that," Erland replied wryly. "As long as both of you approve the match, someone can be found, surely."
"I don't want that. There's plenty of time. Reah can get pregnant with me again. I just don't want to wear her out."
"I think Jayd knows to step back on this one—he and Glinda won't get to raise it like the others," Erland observed.
"I think all of us will fight him over it. I don't care if Jayd is High Demon. There's enough of us that we can provide stiff competition."
"Reah will let him know soon enough," Erland sighed. "She's almost an equal to Kifirin, and because she's one of the bright gods, he doesn't have any say, now, on how her children will be raised."
"If it's a girl, he'll try anyway. You know he has a list of High Demons waiting for a mate."
"He can try. I wouldn't want to be the one defying Reah on this. Plus, there's nothing to prevent any High Demon male from attempting what Reah's grandfather did, and having a child with a humanoid. Reah's only a quarter, and she's single-handedly saving the High Demon race."
"If this baby is a girl, that'll be seven High Demon females. No other High Demon female has given birth to more than two females in a very long lifetime," Erland agreed. "All the rest are males, and there are still plenty of those."
"Because they have hope, now. Before Reah and Tory started providing girl babies, High Demons were jumping into Baetrah in droves."
"Am I being selfish?"
"No, I think you want to be a father. Again," Erland smiled. "And I want to be a grandfather again. Bel is sixteen. He probably would love a full brother or sister."
* * *
Breanne's Journal
Drawing in a breath when you're dumped in very deep seawater is the wrong thing to do. I was trying my best not to drown while I coughed up brackish water. Kalenegar, the sadistic swine, had disappeared, unsurprisingly enough. Once I'd emptied my lungs of foul-tasting, ugly-smelling water, I concentrated on getting my bearings.
No land was in sight, so Kal had planned this well. Even if I possessed excellent swimming skills (I didn't), I had no idea where land might lie or how long it might take a vampire to swim there. Either I would fold space and get myself to a familiar place, or I'd drown. If I'd been wholly vampire, I likely could have held my breath for a very long time. I wasn't wholly vampire, and could probably drown easily. Yeah, it sucked to be me, most of the time. A brief thought of what I'd like to do to Kal occurred to me before I concentrated on what I'd learned from reading Graegar. The world shifted about me and I was gone.
* * *
Lissa's Journal
"What the hell is causing this?" I shook my head at Kiarra. She, Merrill, Adam and I sat around a small table inside a tent. The planet we were on belonged to the centaurs. A Dark World, it had been devoured by the Ra'Ak ninety thousand years in the past.
In addition to placing the adult centaurs here who'd helped in the Great Battle, Reah had put things in motion so that more centaurs would develop again, as they had so long ago. Something had gone wrong. The tiny, sea-bound forerunners to the centaur race kept dying, and there was no reason for it. They were alive and healthy when Reah placed them. A sustainable food source was available and they had no natural enemies. The adults, too, had died in some unexplainable way, leaving only bleaching bones behind.
"It wouldn't worry me so much if the same thing weren't happening on the other worlds, too." Merrill raked a hand through black-as-midnight hair. Belen had sent these three to help me find an underlying cause, but we could find nothing. Reah would have come herself, but she was pregnant again—by Tory. Tory was doing now what he should have done in the beginning—hovering around Reah to make sure she was happy and cared for. Edward, too, was making sure that Reah was carefully watched, and Aurelius had moved into EastStar to help.
"Seventeen worlds, all in their infancy, and they're all dead, now." Adam sighed.
"How's Breanne?" I asked.
"We haven't told you, because, well," Kiarra stood and walked away, stopping at the tent flap and staring at the surrounding forest.
"Something's wrong," Adam said, causing me to stare at him in shock.
"Wrong? What's wrong? Belen had somebody pick her up, didn't he? What happened?"
"Oh, they picked her up, all right," Adam growled.
"Let me shorten this story," Merrill jumped in. "She was handed duties as assigned, she was blamed for a murder she didn't commit, one of Norian's asshole agents tried to kill her, Gavin turned her and now he's got his elbow on her neck. She can't blink without his being displeased about it."
"What?" I stood and pounded my fist on the table, causing the fragile thing to collapse at my feet.
"We feel something's wrong there, obviously, but we couldn't get a grip on it. I was hoping Belen would come and straighten this out, but he's unreachable at the moment." Kiarra lifted the table pieces with power and reconstructed it, setting it down with a thump right where it had been seconds earlier.
"Breanne tried to kill herself," Adam muttered. "I had to give her blood. The Larentii were losing her."
"This just gets better and better," I growled. "If I could leave right now," I didn't finish my sentence. "Why is Gavin being such an ass over this? I asked Belen to do this so Le-Ath Veronis wouldn't feel my absence while we're trying to sort this out. He said Breanne would be the best choice, and I agreed."
"It may only be a miscommunication, but things are certainly unsettled where that poor woman is concerned."
"So Breanne is your half-child, now," I studied Adam's face for a moment.
"Yes. When I get back, I'll make sure she's taken care of."
"When I get back, I'll make sure she's taken care of," I snapped.
"Don't want to argue with you, Lissa, but she's my half-child. Vampire law will support my claim."
I said a few words. Fuck may have been one of them. "Adam, we'll work it out," I said, flopping onto my seat again.
"We're still no closer to figuring out our problem here, and we can't go back until we get it sorted out," Kiarra reminded all of us.
"Yeah," I muttered, covering my eyes with my hands. "Now, where were we?"
* * *
Breanne's Journal
I'd landed next to a thick, stone wall and wobbled dangerously, trying to keep myself standing upright. The wall was icy when I touched it to keep my balance. Being wet from my previous location didn't help—my clothing was freezing, my hair was freezing, I was freezing. Dogs began to bark, and that meant people lived nearby. I climbed the wall to check out my surroundings, which turned out to be a mistake. A bullet whizzed past my ear. Obviously, people here shot frozen vampire trespassers. I folded space again.
* * *
"How much? It'll have to be enough to keep me for the rest of my life outside both Alliances. I'll be hunted by the ASD and the CSD forever. Killing the Founder of the Reth Alliance will carry a heavy bounty. I'll need transportation away from here, too, once it's done." Fasil Bow toyed with his disposable cup. He'd met Skel Hawer at a tea shop in Gedes, the capital city on Wyyld. Fasil knew Skel through Erithia Cordan, and both worshipped the Pheridian woman. Something about her captivated both men.
"Twenty million in bullion, plus Erithia's undying gratitude," Skel grinned. "I can get you into the palace, no problem. Nall will provide transportation and a place to live outside the Alliances afterward."
"Do you have anyone lined up to take down San Gerxon? I hear the first attempt failed."
"Only a minor setback. We're getting someone set up now to get rid of him. Then, in the middle of the ensuing power struggles in both Alliances, we'll take over with no trouble."
"You have the firepower to do that?"
"Oh, yes. Erithia has some unusual and very powerful allies. There will be no problem."
"Too bad the Liffelithi were obliter
ated. We could use their help with this."
"This is in partial retribution for Liffel, I assure you. Erithia had allies there, too, and she didn't like it when they died."
"I heard the Queen of Le-Ath Veronis was in on that."
"You heard right. We're working to get rid of that bitch, too."
"Too bad, I'd prefer to do her rather than Ildevar Wyyld."
"You'd need to be faster than you are, Fasil. We're looking to find a vampire for this. She has enough enemies, even among her own kind."
* * *
Breanne's Journal
"Stop where you are and raise your hands!" A spotlight shone down from a hovercar, bathing me in blinding light. I'd set off an alarm the moment I'd arrived in this place, and discovered I was surrounded by a tall fence and many sculptures. It took seconds for me to realize I was standing atop a mausoleum. Shifting my gaze, I read the names of kings—from Hraede. Damn. Rigo's name was listed near the top. Well, he'd been vampire for a long time; that was a really tall monument. I folded space again.
* * *
"I realize you protect yourself, Deonus, but Teeg says there's a plot against you. He has a few names, but that's all he has at the moment." Norian sipped tea inside Ildevar Wyyld's palace kitchen. The workers had gone home earlier and it was empty.
"Norian, strange things are happening," Ildevar scrubbed a hand over his face. "The Grand Alliance Council is uneasy, as am I. Things are shifting, and we have no way to explain any of it." Ildevar turned his head to gaze through a nearby window. Dim light shone in his eyes and on his blond hair—he and Norian hadn't bothered to turn on any overhead lamps.
"You're concerned?" Norian's voice contained surprise. Ildevar was always strong and confident. Nothing rattled him.
"Yes, sadly. Something is working against the power of the universes, and it is having devastating effects on many things."
"But we haven't really had any problems since those riots more than a sun turn ago."
"I feel it is the calm before a storm, child. You must be watchful. Anything unusual should warrant consideration. This is not the time to let any wrongdoing go unnoticed or uninvestigated. Even the smallest thing might have great significance and terrifying consequences."
Norian combed fingers through thick, brown hair in frustration. "What do you mean, not letting any wrongdoing go unnoticed?"
"A criminal is a criminal, Norian. After all your years as Director of the ASD, surely you know this by now. You do not let friends or employees ignore the laws, simply because they are friends or employees."
"You know about that." Norian didn't bother to explain.
"I know many things."
"What would you have done, then?"
"Brought him to trial, at the very least. Tell me any other would not be sentenced to Evensun."
"I can't say that," Norian sighed and looked away. He was glad the light was dim inside the kitchen; he couldn't see the censure in Ildevar's eyes clearly. "What do you want me to do?"
"Arrest him. What do you think?"
"We've already questioned him—I know he's guilty," Norian admitted.
"Yet you kept him on. Demoted him one place, for attempted murder and ignoring ASD investigative protocol."
"When you say it like that," Norian rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.
"I would have said it like that in the beginning, if you'd bothered to speak with me. You are my heir. How long do you think you might maintain order in the Alliance if you ignore the laws?"
"I'll have him arrested immediately."
"Good. I want him in the dungeon on Le-Ath Veronis. The crime was committed there. Is the girl a citizen yet?"
"I'll check, Deonus."
"See that you do. And if she isn't, I expect you to rectify that right away."
"Of course, Deonus."
* * *
Breanne's Journal
Another freezing world. At least nobody had fired a weapon in my direction. A city directory on a frigid, snow-covered sidewalk told me I was in Targis, the capital city on Tulgalan. Tulgalan had very long winters, but the farms near the equator kept the planet fed and in good health. I stepped inside a small eatery to get warm while I attempted to figure out how to fold somewhere I recognized. Taking a table near the door in case someone chased me away, I dropped my head in my hands and moaned.
"Focus on where you wish to be." Graegar sat across from me.
"Thank you," I whispered, my teeth chattering. Hugging myself, I stared across the table at perhaps the kindest Larentii I'd met. He was Pheligar's grandson—I'd known that the moment I'd first seen him. I was colder than I realized, too, and still wet from my dunking in a sea somewhere.
"Grandfather asked me to watch out for you. He suspects Kalenegar's behavior where you are concerned."
"I'm surprised Kalenegar's face isn't on a wanted poster, somewhere," I muttered.
"Kalenegar has had a troubled life," Graegar murmured, absently rearranging lines on the faux wood table with power. "He and his father are at odds and therefore, anything his father asks or suggests, Kalenegar abhors or ignores."
"I guess I fall in the abhor category. I'd prefer to be in the ignore category instead."
"Would you like something to eat or drink? I can warm you as well," Graegar offered.
"All of those things would be nice," I lowered my head.
"Then I will take you elsewhere—they only offer sandwiches here." I stood with Graegar and he folded me somewhere else.
"Where are we?" I asked as he led me inside what seemed to be a massive restaurant kitchen. Employees were eating and talking after cleaning up for the evening. The hour was late and the restaurant was closed.
"Sir Larentii," a man, one of several sitting around a table shoved against a kitchen wall, rose to greet Graegar.
"Master Cook Fes, I have a bird here that needs feeding," Graegar smiled at the man. I stared at Master Cook Fes. I could read all the others inside the kitchen. I couldn't read him. Graegar patted my shoulder. "She doesn't eat meat," Graegar added.
"I have a pasta dish that will suit," Fes nodded. "Here, sit, you look tired and cold," he said.
I nodded—almost afraid to speak. I was rumpled and could only imagine what I looked like, even after Graegar had dried my clothing and warmed my bones. I sat in the seat that Fes had occupied, and waited while he warmed a plate of food inside a zap oven. He then pulled up an extra chair and motioned for me to eat while he went back to his food.
"Oh, my gosh," I moaned in pleasure after the first bite.
"You like that?" Fes grinned.
I nodded enthusiastically and took another bite. Fes' brother rose and brought me a glass of wine. Graegar stood by, smiling as I ate the best meal I'd ever had.
"Come back anytime," Fes gave me a grin after I finished my meal and Graegar said it was time to go. While I'd eaten, Fes, his brothers and three other employees had talked as if I were one of them, discussing menus, wine orders and other business. I could have wept at how comfortable it felt. "Tell the host that Fes invited you, and you'll be brought to the kitchen," he added.
"Reah doesn't look like any of you," I said shyly as Fes lifted my fingers and kissed them.
"You know Reah?" Fes smiled widely. "She's my niece."
"I saw her once, on Campiaa," I replied.
"She's the best cook in the family," Fes said.
"I don't know about that. This was the best food I've ever had," I replied. Fes had dark eyes and hair, and was more than a foot taller than I. He was lean, too, so I knew he worked hard at his restaurant.
"I'll cook for you anytime," Fes chuckled. "Come back again. Please." He let my fingers go.
"Now, young one, you will fold us back to Le-Ath Veronis," Graegar announced.
"But," I said, blinking up at the tall, blue Larentii. I wasn't sure I could get myself there, let alone a passenger.
"Focus on where you want to be. Exactly where you want to be," Graegar's bright-blue eye
s twinkled.
"I want to be in bed," I sighed. I was exhausted, and with a full belly, all I wanted to do was sleep.
"Then focus on your bed," Graegar laughed. I grasped large blue fingers in mine, focused on the bed in Queen Lissa's suite and folded to Le-Ath Veronis.
"It took you long enough," Kalenegar waited inside the suite when Graegar and I dropped inside it. "You didn't transport her, did you?" Kal looked accusingly at Graegar.
"She brought us both here—from Tulgalan," Graegar said, his voice going cold.
"You know what, I don't like your tone," I glared at Kal. "I don't like you, either." I'd seen a lot of things in Graegar's reading. Many, many things, in fact. "Bye. Have fun," I raised a hand in Kal's direction. Did I know it would bring a flash of power? I didn't. I did smile, though, thinking about the icy water when Kal landed in it. I figured he could get himself out quickly enough—he was used to folding anywhere he wanted. I was still learning. And—if he hadn't wanted me to learn these things, he should have stayed far, far away.
"Where did you send him?" Graegar asked.
"Where he sent me first," I said. "A sea, somewhere."
"Larentii have not been trained to fold that way in a very long time," Graegar remarked with a frown.
"Well, I get the idea Kal does a shitload of stuff nobody does anymore," I huffed.
"I will leave you now," Graegar grinned. "You need sleep."
"Yeah. Gavin the terrible will be here, first thing in the morning," I agreed.
* * *
"Erland will come for you as soon as the Council meeting is over. You will spend the night at the King's palace on Karathia, and perform your duty for Rylend tomorrow. He expects an emissary from Tyriss, accompanied by his six wives. You will tell Rylend everything he wishes to know."
Gavin had started in before I was properly awake, shoving a bottle of blood substitute in my hands and growling his instructions. If I hadn't shut the closet door, I imagined he'd have followed me inside my closet, still grumbling, while I dressed. I wanted to call him names. I didn't. I wanted to treat him as I'd treated Kalenegar the night before. I didn't. I could only imagine that more trouble would come, and if I were truthful, I expected Kal to retaliate in some way. It's just the way things worked. I'd been tired the night before and hadn't thought my actions through very well.
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