Demon’s Revenge (High Demon #5)(53)
Author: Connie Suttle

"Are the shields going to hold?" Corolan was worried and it was coming out in his voice. He’d put everything he had into the shields around the palace. Six warlocks and three witches had spoken out against Rylend Morphis’ selection as heir, and when Wylend handed the throne to him and left, they’d started their campaign immediately, saying Ry’s birth wasn’t natural, he wasn’t a true Karathian and therefore was ineligible to hold the throne.

Ry knew that if the palace fell, all nine dissidents and their followers would fight amongst themselves over who would sit upon the throne afterward, likely splitting Karathia into factions and sending it straight into civil war.

Gavril had already offered to send Regular Campiaan Army, but Ry had asked Gavril what he thought regular troops might accomplish against power wielders. Gavril had seen the sense in his brother’s argument and offered to come himself, whispering a few well-placed words into Ry’s mind. Ry had grinned at the suggestion and he and Gavril had started a mental planning session. Now, all they had to do was keep the shields up for just a bit longer.

"I’m doing interviews for an overseer for the groves," Garde threw out a hand when Jayd asked if anything had been done. "Only one or two have come forward who worked for Reah; the rest are demanding that we get Reah back. I have several from off-world, claiming experience and clamoring for the job. That doesn’t include the complaints I’m getting from the disabled." Garde sat heavily on a chair beside Jayd’s desk.

"The Council is demanding we do something soon—they’re all worried the income will evaporate," Jayd remarked dryly.

"We have three months, maybe, before the next harvest," Garde sighed. "But in that time we apparently have to prune, weed, fertilize, plant and mulch. Whatever that means."

"If we had someone reliable, then Torevik’s land could be planted," Jay sed, before td pointed out. "Since we no longer have to worry that his former wife might take any of it."

"We could. It will take five years for the trees to yield, and they have to be tended. We’ll have to hire more people for that, obviously," Garde grumbled. He wasn’t looking forward to more interviews, since he didn’t really know the proper questions to ask.

"Find someone and soon, brother. We can’t let this go much longer." Garde nodded at Jayd’s words, staring at his hands instead of his brother.

"You are not progressing as well as we’d like; we think the pregnancy is holding you back," Teeki had returned with Neeki. "Therefore, we will do some healing. You must be strong when the move comes."

I stared at both of Kifirin’s helpers. "Do you know where they’ll move us?" I asked, including all the other girls who would be put up for sale in my question.

"We cannot say," Neeki replied, placing hands on my body. "You would send mindspeech to your mate who helps run the ASD, and he will have troops waiting. That is too much interference. We cannot involve ourselves in that."

"Goodness, no," I muttered as Teeki began to help. I had four hands running over my body, paying special attention to my abdomen—they seemed fascinated with the baby for some reason.

"We cannot reproduce," Teeki said when I asked him about it. "So of course we find children fascinating."

"He is a bit obsessed," Neeki grinned.

"You wouldn’t be if you’d gone through labor," I grumped.

"Why do females always grumble about that?" Teeki sighed as he made me feel better.

"Come see me when this one is born," I snapped back.

"Perhaps we will come; it will be a new experience," Neeki agreed. "In the meantime, this will help. You must be strong when the time comes."

"Sure. Be strong, he says. Have you ever been ill?" I stared at Neeki while his brother worked.

"No. It is not permitted."

"You have to have permission to be ill?" I found that disturbing.

"Just for the experience. We would have to beg."

"Trust me, once you’re involved, you’d be begging to not be ill, I assure you."

"It seems somewhat tedious," Teeki said. "Waiting such a long time to conquer illness."

"You make it sound like a military campaign," I groused. "I can assure you, if I could fight this thing in a fair fight, it would be gone already."

"They’ll move you soon. You should be ready. Do what must be done, child of Kifirin," Teeki drew his hands away, as did his brother.

"I don’t claim Kifirin as a father. Not anymore," I said. "Don’t ever say those words to me again." Teeki glanced nervously at Neeki before both disappeared.

"We have to prepare the dessert for several in Miss Schuul’s penthouse; she’s having a private rush," Perdil and Zendeval woke me later. Wanting more than anything to berate both so bin M of them and then squeeze their throats until they choked, I made an annoyed sound in my throat as they helped me off the bed. I felt like slapping Zendeval’s hands as he helped me dress, including underwear. I didn’t like it when strange hands wanted to dress me in panties and a bra. Zendeval kissed my hipbones and my br**sts as he worked. I wanted to heave. Perdil finally cleared his throat when the petting threatened to escalate.

The trip to the kitchens came next, and I was able to stand and get the ingredients put together for the cake and ice cream. The oxberry tart was also requested, so that came next. I worked as efficiently as I could, economizing my efforts so I wouldn’t be weakened after Teeki and Neeki’s healing. Perdil and Zendeval both watched as I worked, utilizing the kitchen assistants as much as possible.

Finally, the desserts were finished and hefted onto a tray, bound for Darletta Schuul’s suite. I cursed her, her father and all the other sick, sadistic and twisted persons involved in the entire mess. I vowed, too, that many of them wouldn’t live past the next few days if I had anything to say about it.

It no longer mattered whether Lendill and Norian wanted to question any of them. I intended to kill, plain and simple. They were placing my life, my child’s life and the lives of countless others in jeopardy, and there was no telling how many they’d raped or killed already. I could only guess at that. I wanted to berate Perdil and Zendeval Rjjn, too, before anything else happened to them and I missed the opportunity.

"We’ll be leaving tomorrow evening for the sale," Perdil informed me as we rode up the elevator. Lendill was likely watching and listening, so he was getting the information he wanted, we just didn’t know where the sale would be held. He’d be tracking me, though, so wherever we went, he could have ships in the area quickly. Unless Dantel and Faldin had some final, engineering miracle in reserve. With the way things were going, I wouldn’t be surprised at all.