"All right, Dad. I wish Reah were here, though. I'd like to talk to her about this. And these ass**les were living in the house I bought for her."
"I suggest we go immediately. I don't think I want them to enjoy another night at Teeg's expense. Do you?" Dee's eyes were red as well, and that was something that seldom happened.
"You've been paying the bills, haven't you?" Lissa looked at her youngest son.
"Yes. I've paid the f**king bills while they've cheated Reah out of millions. They're lucky Reah doesn't want harm to come to them."
"Then let's go, honey." Lissa was ready to toss her cook out the door and watch him bounce.
"If we offer to buy the house, Teeg may look into where the money came from. It's worth seven million," Ilvan pointed out. "That's why I said we couldn't afford it when she was at the restaurant not long ago. We don't need them looking in this direction." Ilvan offered a glass of wine to Radolf, along with a plate of sliced cheese and toasted bread.
"What will we do if they happen to look in our direction?" Radolf took the glass of wine and drank.
"Get the hell away. I already have tickets to Surnath hidden away. I think we can get jobs there easily. Plus, we should get a heads-up if they look into the accounts. I've got a couple of people watching for any hits from the ASD or the local constabulary. The minute somebody looks into those records, we pull the money and run. Stop worrying. We've got enough to do us for a good, long while. Besides, Lendill is much too busy dealing with pirates right now. We have nothing to worry about."
"Not anymore." Gavril appeared in the kitchen, Lissa, Gavin and Dee right behind him. "You had humans keeping watch on your accounts. You didn't factor in stronger warlocks or vampires." Gavril held up the comp-vid. "Want to see what we found?" he asked.
"What I want to know," Lissa hissed in a low voice, "is how you could steal from Reah and her daughters. You," she poked Ilvan in the chest, "that's your niece. How could you do that to her? And you, Radolf, she loved you. What do you think should happen to you now?"
"No, we'll give the money back, I promise," Ilvan was backing away from Gav [awat>
"We'll leave you with enough to get the hell away from here and never trouble Reah again," Gavril snapped. "Reah didn't want either of you in jail. I think that was much too merciful of her. She worked eighteen-hour days and wore rags for the past twenty-five years, while you lived in this house and stole from her. I will have no mercy for either of you if you come near her or any of hers again, hear me?"
"Y-yes," Ilvan nodded, almost too frightened to speak.
"I am removing your power," Lissa glared at Radolf. "You won't harm anyone that way, either. I'll see to it myself." Light flew away from Radolf and he nearly collapsed on the floor. "Now, get your things together. If Surnath is where you want to go, I'll take you and all your belongings tonight. After we transfer funds into the accounts belonging to Reah's restaurant. Someone will hire new cooks for both of us. In the meantime, I think Fes will be happy to send someone over."
"Please, don't tell Fes," Ilvan whined. "Or Edan."
"I won't. I'll let Reah tell them herself."
"We thought you were taking care of her," Radolf moaned to Gavril.
"She never asked me for a damned thing. I would have given her whatever she wanted if she'd asked. I thought Dee's was doing well enough that she didn't have to ask."
"It was," Dee had seen the records for himself. "There was enough there to keep her in clothing and give her better housing, as well as many other things."
"Come. We will do transfers immediately, and send these on their way. And you will never do harm again." Compulsion was thick in Gavin's voice.
"Nice, Dad," Gavril nodded at his father.
"Will you see me to the space station?" Ry hefted one bag over his shoulder and pulled the other behind him.
"Do you think I wouldn't?" I bit my lip, trying not to cry. Ry had come to be an anchor for me, and now he was leaving.
"Baby, don't look like that," Ry moved to dump his bags on the floor.
"No, honey, you have to go or you'll miss the ship." We both knew he'd be folding away the moment he was locked inside his private compartment. I was still worried that anything and everything connected to Stellar Winds was bugged. Zendeval, too, had pretended sympathy when Ry turned in his notice, citing a family emergency on Le-Ath Veronis. Supposedly, his terminally ill grandfather lived there. That's what the official records showed for Ry Windle, anyway.
Watch out for Zendeval and anyone else, Ry cautioned as we walked toward the elevator.
I will, I reached out and rubbed Ry's back. I'm so happy for you. You'll be King, honey. Just as you should be.
Lendill stared at the two who stood inside his office. He'd never seen Ildevar Wyyld's assistant, Willem Drifft, in the company of the Larentii Archivist, Nefrigar. "Is there something I can do for you?" Lendill dropped his briefcase onto the desk. He and Norian had met with several high-ranking officials from ac [cia>
"We were just looking at Reah's awards," Willem observed, studying one stating that Reah had been instrumental in destroying the Drakus seed trade nearly thirty years before.
"These seem so trivial, in exchange for the actual accomplishment," Nefrigar said. He was sitting on the corner of Lendill's desk; otherwise his head nearly brushed the ceiling.
"Reah hasn't ever received enough compensation for her work," Lendill agreed.
"Or for giving her life," Willem pointed out.
"She still doesn't know she was brought back from the dead by the Wise Ones, and I wish you wouldn't tell her, I think it would upset her," Lendill frowned at his uninvited guests.
"We know this," Nefrigar said stiffly.
"Yes. I should realize that the Larentii would know before anyone else." Lendill's voice was filled with irritation.
"You are angry because we cannot interfere with the difficulties you are experiencing." Nefrigar's voice was even and unruffled.
"Got it in one," Lendill pointed a finger at the Larentii.
"Lendill, do not upset yourself," Nefrigar placed a hand on Lendill's shoulder. "Things will go as they will. If you need some time, I can bring you to the Larentii homeworld and you may browse through the archives. Few besides Larentii have ever been invited there."
"I don't have time," Lendill grumped.