Demon’s King (High Demon #3)(42)
Author: Connie Suttle

* * *

"Reah, that was wonderful as usual," Astralan complimented me on the meal. I said nothing, gathering plates from the table instead. The reptanoids had helped me as much as they could with dinner. Now they would help me clean up. I hadn’t been included in Norian’s meeting with the others while they planned their assault against the Hazlan family in a few days. I was there to cook and do cleanup afterward.

"Reah not feel good," Farzi was rubbing my back as I huddled on a barstool at the island later. We’d cleaned the dishes and the kitchen, leaving me worn out afterward. Perhaps I was depressed. That might explain the feeling I had of a terrible inevitability stretching before me.

"Aren’t you done yet?" Teeg stalked into the room, drawing to a halt a few feet away. "What’s wrong with her?" He demanded. My head was buried in my arms at the island and I hadn’t sat up when he walked in.

"We not knowing," Farzi was still stroking my back.

"Sweetheart, I can get Jes here in no time," Teeg had come closer.

"No. Keep him away from me," I muttered, still not lifting my head.

"Reah, if you don’t sit up and come to bed with me, I will have Galaxsan bring him immediately." I sat up. "See," he said, holding his arms out. "Problem solved." If I’d had any energy, I’d have punched him in the gut for his arrogance.

"Come on, you don’t have to do anything. Just let me love you," Teeg was nuzzling and kissing. He’d insisted that I not wear pajamas to bed. I wanted to push him away. I didn’t have the strength. At least he was gentle. I think I wept while he loved me; I couldn’t hold back the tears.

* * *

"What’s wrong with her?" Wylend demanded the moment he’d folded in with Erland. Tory didn’t want to argue with his grandfather and kept quiet. As it turned out, Tory didn’t have to argue with Wylend—Gavril decided to answer.

"She’ll be fine after we get this over with," Gavril unfolded his arms and picked up a small sculpture that adorned the desk inside the plantation’s study. "She doesn’t like that Norian’s forcing her to do this. Karzac says the baby is fine—I don’t know why she’s balking like this."

"Right now, you’re all riding over her—as if what she wants doesn’t matter." Wylend didn’t like it either—he understood Reah’s position better than the others might think—he was in the early years of a female cycle. With Karathians, the cycles ran around a hundred years. Erland’s was currently in a male cycle—Wylend’s and Erland’s tended to be opposites.

"Don’t say that—we’ll make this up to her when this mess is over," Gavril set the sculpture down again. It was a stone carving of a tiny Skycatcher.

"So, you don’t care that she’s miserable right now. Is that it?"

"You make us sound like unfeeling louts," Tory muttered.

"Well, aren’t you?" Wylend glared at Tory now. "If I understand correctly, that little girl she’s carrying may help revive the High Demon race. I think your father is none too happy with where Reah is at the moment."

"Yeah, don’t remind me," Tory sighed.

"And since we’re taking turns—you never should have told Rylend, by the way," Wylend was still glaring at Tory, "then I demand a night too. I wish to take Reah to dinner while she’s here."

"Fine. Take her out tonight. See if you can get her into a better mood." Gavril was giving permission without consulting Tory. Tory turned a stunned look on his brother.

"When did you get to be in charge?" He snapped before skipping away.

"I was wondering the same thing," Wylend said. "You’ve only been around for a little while, Gavril. I don’t care what you’ve gone through the past fifty-odd years. Being a King or in charge of anything means that you need to stop and listen to your people occasionally. If you want to be successful at ruling, that is." Wylend nodded to Erland and both of them folded away.

"Fuck," Gavril rubbed his forehead with shaking fingers.

* * *

"Reah, my love, I heard you weren’t feeling well. Does this mean you can’t come out to dinner with me tonight?"

I’d fallen asleep with Farzi and Nenzi watching over me. Wylend had come in to wake me with a careful kiss.

"Wylend?" I wanted to fling myself into his arms and sob out my misery.

"Reah, pretty Reah, don’t do that, you’ll make me weep as well," Wylend sat on the edge of my bed and pulled me against him. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I sniffled for a moment before getting myself back in hand. Being pregnant was certainly playing with my emotions.

"Where did you want to go?" I wiped my face with the heel of a hand and pulled away from Wylend to search his face.

"It’ll be a surprise—I made reservations already—they know the King of Karathia is coming with his intended." Wylend held out a hand, palm up. Light formed around it and suddenly there was a beautiful ring lying there. "This is yours, Reah. You know I want to marry you. You have led me to believe that you will when your service to the ASD is over. It is not too early for us to make the commitment. I know you cannot wear Aurelius’ ring while you work, but you can wear this tonight when we go out. I expect those people at the restaurant to fawn over us and give us only the best of what they have," Wylend smiled and offered the ring. When I nodded, he placed it on my finger. "See," he said, "it fits perfectly."

It did. I wanted to sniffle again—I’d never gotten a ring from Tory and now wondered why that was. It was his baby after all, but then he hadn’t shown much interest in her, either.

"Come with me, love. I will take you to dinner. These louts can fend for themselves for one night." Wylend had brought a dress with him—it was turquoise and nearly matched my eyes. It also had a high waist so my early pregnancy would not show at all.

"You look beautiful," Erland offered his arm to me when I came out of the bathroom later. Erland, Ry and two of Wylend’s personal guards were there to protect us as Wylend folded us to a restaurant.

"Wylend, no," I moaned when we appeared at the private entrance to Desh’s in Targis. Doormen were already falling over themselves to greet the King of Karathia and his entourage.

"Reah, I want your fool of a grandfather to know he can never touch you again," Wylend whispered softly as he led me inside.

We were handed over to the master of tables, who bowed respectfully to a visiting monarch and his intended—that’s how Wylend had made the reservations. The man had never seen me and had no idea who he was ushering into his restaurant. If Addah learned I was there, he would seethe but he wouldn’t say anything to Wylend—he’d know that the King of Karathia could ruin him in more ways than one.