Demon’s Quest (High Demon #4)(60)
Author: Connie Suttle

"You mean to tell me you married her without a prenuptial? That you were getting back at Reah because she said you were too young the first time?" Lissa’s hair was a mess. This was the last thing she’d expected at her half-brother’s funeral.

"Mom, Wylend sent me mindspeech."

"And it didn’t bother you that Wylend was listening to private thoughts and conversations? That he didn’t give you the full conversation I was having with Reah?" Gavril’s fangs still threatened. His eyes were red and had been from the beginning.

"Young one, I am very close to removing your claiming marks from Reah’s neck," Kifirin appeared, smoke billowing from his nostrils. Tory’s eyes widened. And then he turned, going immediately to his smaller Thifilathi, who cringed and fell to his knees before the Lord of the Dark Realm. The howl that came from his throat was mournful and nearly earsplitting. Darletta looked up briefly, before turning away again. She would remember none of what she was seeing—Gavin had made sure of that. Gardevik, coming from a meeting in Jaydevik’s court, glared at his son, who knelt before Kifirin.

"You have shamed the High Demon race; The Wise Ones say that Reah’s twins will be daughters. Where will their father be, Torevik Rath? You married that creature," Garde jerked his head toward Darletta. "Now, you are stuck with her. Only one kind of woman will marry someone after a first meeting. She knows who you are, and more importantly, who your mother is. You are bound to this marriage, child, and all because of an angry fit."

"Turn back," Kifirin commanded. "Leave my sight, or I will find another High Demon for Reah. And take your wife with you."

"I don’t want to bring this to him right now." Erland spoke softly to Corolan and Garek. "Things are bad enough as it is."

"It would have been better if he hadn’t done this. What possessed him?"

"He felt slighted. You know how he gets at times when he’s in a female cycle."

"He has snits in male cycles, too," Garek pointed out.

"Yes, there is that," Erland admitted. "He and Griffin are in there together, getting blindingly drunk. At least Dragon and Crane volunteered to stay with them." The four men were inside Wylend’s private study.

"Why would Wyatt admit to Reah that he didn’t want to be King, and never say it to anyone else?" Garek shook his head.

"Come on, we all knew it," Corolan said. "The minute he could get away from Wylend’s chores, he was off helping his mother. We all knew; we just knew not to say anything to Wylend. Until he tapped into Reah’s conversations. He’ll never get her back. Not now." Corolan mourned that fact—he loved her—more than he could ever admit to the King of Karathia.

"I’m not kidding, Lendill." I paced in front of him. "I want to separate myself from Torevik Rath. I don’t want him to have any parental rights to these children." He’d taken a small bit of information, blown it out of proportion and gotten married to have his revenge. I didn’t want my children exposed to that. And I was rethinking my willingness to heal Karathia’s core. Wylend was at the bottom of all of this.

"Reah, Alliance law won’t let you do that," Lendill pointed out patiently. "Even though you were never married to him."

"Yeah, how about that?" I felt nauseous and hugged myself, trying to calm my stomach. "He never asked me. Yet he picks up the first woman he can find who is tall, beautiful and willing. Well, I won’t be willing. Never again. He and Wylend are gone. Period."

"Reah, I know this isn’t a good time," Rylend appeared from nowhere. "But Em-pah Griffin and Great-em-pah Wylend are pretty much drunk right now. If you heal the core while they’re plastered, then we won’t have to make excuses or explanations later."

"Are you sure that warlock f**ker Zellar is far away? I don’t want to lose twins this time," I snapped at him.

"I will come—they will not get past me or my Protectors," Nefrigar appeared. Two other Larentii were with him.

"You promise?" I looked up at Nefrigar.

"I can promise this to my love—Larentii are allowed to protect their mates."

"Then let’s go." I didn’t feel good, but then I probably wouldn’t ever feel good about this. Lendill called Lok in somehow, so I ended up going to Karathia with Lendill, Lok, Rylend Morphis and three Larentii.

"Boss, Reah’s healing the core on Karathia—I got mindspeech from Ry," Astralan whispered to Gavril.

"Then let’s go," Gavril gave Tory one last glare before allowing Astralan to fold him to Karathia.

Gavril stared at the three Larentii who had come. Nefrigar he recognized, but not the other two. "Two of my Protectors, who also happen to be my two oldest sons," Nefrigar explained, as Reah seated her full Thifilatha onto the ground where Zellar had tapped Karathia’s core.

"You have more than two sons?" Gavril’s voice held awe. He’d only heard of Larentii having one, perhaps two children, and two was extremely rare.

"All born before Ferrigar’s decree," Nefrigar smiled. "Four of them. All four work with me now, plus two others—sons of my eldest friend who separated his particles long ago."

"Working in the Archives keeps us young," one of Nefrigar’s sons offered. "I am Serrigar, and this is my next eldest brother, Valegar."

"Very pleased to meet you," Gavril nodded respectfully.

"We have all the information on the Campiaan Alliance, from the beginning," Valegar grinned. "We and father found it fascinating. That is how he learned of his mate, you know. Serrigar gathered information and brought it to Father, not long ago. The moment he absorbed her image, he was lost."

"And after all this time, too," Nefrigar agreed. "Let us watch her now—this is more than fascinating."

"I have the shields set, Father," Serrigar announced. "Everything is clear and none shall break through."

"Good. Thank you, child."

I settled myself as comfortably as I could, and focused on Karathia’s daystar. Karathia had barely been tapped—as if the tapping had been interrupted. What did that mean? I pulled energy from the star and went to work.

Zellar glared at the Ra’Ak when he thought the creature wasn’t looking. This one only spoke using mindspeech now, and seldom communicated with Zellar. Zellar was frightened—this one had pulled him away from Karathia before he could gather enough energy to effectively escape those he now saw as his captors.

He’d thought them allies at first, when he’d offered his services to Hendars Klar. He was no longer under any illusions regarding who was captor and captive. Zellar wondered if he shouldn’t start soul-shifting with adults. His current body was fourteen turns in age and would feed the Ra’Ak soon—it was time for another shift.