Demon’s Revenge (High Demon #5)(5)
Author: Connie Suttle

"Karzac says there are unexplained gaps in Tory’s memory," Lissa sighed.

"I don’t believe this." I wiped my face with a shaking hand.

"He remembers what Wylend told him, and then getting back at you through Darletta afterward. But things are hazy after that," Garde said.

"He thinks all that was last week and not twenty-five years ago?" My voice was filled with sarcasm.

"He thinks only a couple of years have passed," Lissa nodded.

"Great. Perfect. Can Karzac or one of the Larentii fix it?"

"Connegar says it will be done gradually, so his Thifilathi doesn’t go crazy. That’s the other thing, Reah. He hasn’t turned the whole time he’s been married to Darletta. The Larentii told us that," Erland said.

"The full moon is two days away," Lissa said. "We wanted to warn you."

"Warn me about what?"

"That Tory’s Thifilathi may come looking for you."

Chapter 2

"You think he’ll come looking for me?" I wanted to laugh. At all of them. Tory wouldn’t come looking for me. Hadn’t even before he married Darletta.

"Reah, the Thifilathi may take over when he turns, and if that happens, we think instinct will kick in. He hasn’t seen his mate in more than two decades. The Thifilathi will try to rectify that." Garde was speaking again. The expert on everything High Demon—that was Gardevik Rath.

"Then I’ll make arrangements to be elsewhere. He won’t find me, I guarantee it."

"Reah, what if that’s the worst thing that can happen? What if his Thifilathi becomes destructive if he can’t find his mate?"

"Oh, that’s perfect. Is this some sort of conspiracy? I assure you I don’t find it amusing." I didn’t. Only once before had I been in the grip of Tory’s Thifilathi, and that had been for the claiming. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.

"Reah, he won’t hurt you, he just has to have his hands on you. Make sure you’re safe."

"I am safe. And safer still, if I’m nowhere nea tw!r him." I was ready to go. I had no desire to listen to any more of this.

"Reah, I know you’re frightened. But it’s only one night and it may help Tory in ways we can’t imagine. I don’t know what’s at the bottom of this memory loss—Karzac says he’s in perfect health otherwise," Lissa said.

"Sure. It’s not you who Garde screwed over and then went off to marry somebody else, only to show up twenty-five years and six children later, with holes in his memory. Tell me you’d go willingly so he can snatch you up while in full Thifilathi, sniff you over, blow smoke and scare the crap out of you?" I was shaking, now.

"Reah, he won’t harm you," Garde repeated.

"And what if he does? What then? Will you fight your son over what’s left of me? Will you?"

"I’ve never known a male High Demon who harmed his mate," Garde blew more smoke.

"Have you heard of one having gaps in his memory?" I snapped.

"Reah, it’s only one night, and only for reassurance. We can have Larentii nearby, in case it’s necessary. I don’t believe it will be."

"And what then?" I asked. "Let’s say it all goes peachy fine. What then? I won’t go back to him. It’s impossible."

"Reah, Jayd can order you to do this." Garde played his trump card.

"Then Jayd can harvest the fruit next week. Jayd can see to the disabled that fill the infirmary. Jayd can pay for the medical supplies that I buy out of my own pocket. Jayd can balance the books and chase away insects and inspect the shipments and settle disputes between the workers. Jayd can see that the worker’s children are getting a decent education." I stood up, ready to go.

"Reah, I didn’t mean to open that can of worms," Garde said.

"And Jayd can live in a two-bedroom house and wear rags," I snapped and skipped away.

"Garde, could you f**k this up any better?" Lissa glared at her High Demon mate. "And what’s this about buying medical supplies out of her pocket? Does she wear rags?"

"She never asks me for money," Teeg pointed out. "I’d give it to her if she asked."

"Her house is tiny," Dee said. "I’ve seen it. She goes to the workers’ barracks twice a week and cooks for them. Probably pays for those meals as well."

"How do you know this?" Teeg stared at Dee.

"I went and asked questions, that’s how I know. You didn’t hear the conversation I had with her this afternoon. Shall I play it back for you? I recorded it on my comp-vid." Dee hauled out the comp-vid in question and ran the entire conversation for those present. Teeg cursed when Reah talked of eight mates and spending most of her nights alone.

"The harvest is next week, and Lara and Kara’s claiming is scheduled right in the middle of it," Garde raked fingers through his hair.

"Let’s go see if she went home or if we need to start looking for her," Teeg sighed. Lissa was the one to fold all of them to Kifirin.

"She was here earlier. She’s out fixing a broken sprinkler line in the east grove," a man leand c; a maning on a crutch informed Garde when he asked about Reah. "She wore a fine dress when she came in. Never seen her in a dress before."

"Come on; let’s go to the eastern grove." Since Garde was familiar with the area, he directed Lissa so she could fold everyone again. They found Reah, barefoot and clad in stained trousers and an old shirt, replacing a section of flexible pipe in the sprinkler. She was cursing while she did it.

"Reah, I can send someone to help with that," Teeg offered.

"Sure. One of the reptanoids? Or do you have farmers coming out of your ass?" I was angry and didn’t care that I’d snapped at him. I got the part hooked up and went to turn on the water. Spray drenched everybody immediately. I wanted to laugh, but held it back.

"Are you ready to go back to the house?" Teeg asked. He was angry, too.

"Sure." He folded everyone to my tiny house. There wasn’t enough seating for all of them—my kitchen had a small table and two chairs. No island. That lack made it difficult to cook, but then I didn’t have much time for that anymore. The sitting area had a small sofa and one chair. The smallest bedroom held my office. The larger one, and it wasn’t that much larger, held a bed and a dresser.

"Reah, I didn’t know the house was so tiny," Garde said.

"Because I’m seldom here," I pointed out. "You’ve always come to the barns or out to the fields. The girls have stayed at the palace, at Jayd’s insistence, once they were old enough to be educated. I had to visit them there after that. But they’re family, aren’t they, Garde? While I’m not."