"She didn't scream or call me names, and she only cried a little," Tory sat heavily on one of his mother's guest chairs inside her study. Lissa watched her son's face—he wasn't as upset as he had been before going to visit Reah. Karzac had already been by, saying that Tory had bathed Reah without taking too many liberties.
"Honey, take it slow, all right? I know you want to be with her right this minute, but she has to digest all this first." Tory's eyes were a darker version of Lissa's sky-blue. With his dark hair, he looked quite handsome. "Torevik Rolfe Rath, are you listening to me?" Lissa was attempting to get Tory's attention.
"I'm listening, Mom."
"The problem we'll have, I think, is working things out between Reah and your Uncle Norian. Not to mention Lendill." Lissa was testing the waters; Tory knew what Lendill had done. Sure enough, a curl of smoke came from Tory's nostrils at the mention of Lendill's name.
"Lord Morphis, what did you learn?" Erland Morphis knew things had become serious if Wylend was calling him Lord Morphis.
"Lissa says that Karzac has estimated around two weeks for recovery, my King," Erland bowed respectfully, flashing a thousand-watt smile. His son had inherited the same smile.
"I almost don't know how to go about this—I've never found anyone that I wanted in this position before," Wylend sighed.
"I heard she didn't react badly when your great-grandson went to make amends with her. That may be a good sign."
"Will it not be awkward, though?"
"No more awkward than the Falchani twins."
"Well, there is that," Wylend agreed. "I do not intend to interfere or encroach upon her relationship with Torevik."
"You will not. You are quite busy, my King. I think things can be worked out." Erland was still smiling.
"I am most displeased about the length of time she has remaining with the ASD."
"Norian does seem to have a tight grip on her. Do you think that might be worked out in some way?"
"Look into the rules for me, Lord Morphis."
"Of course, my King."
Chapter 2
Gavril was snuggled against my left shoulder as we sat on his bed, doing research for his latest report. I was feeling better and wondering (with much trepidation) when the Director or Vice-Director might summon me. I'm sure Karzac had made them aware that I'd be healed enough for duty in another week. They had weeks on Le-Ath Veronis—a seven-day period instead of the eight-day that Tulgalan employed. It depended upon the planet, its government and how they wanted their months divided. Le-Ath Veronis had twenty-eight day months, exactly. Tulgalan took thirty-two days in their moon turns and fourteen moon turns to travel around its sun.
"Here—it says that Wasternell nearly destroyed itself with chemical warfare around three thousand years ago," I pointed out the specific passage. We were reading through archaic records translated directly from an old language, which was extremely difficult to wade through. My thoughts turned to Aurelius too, and whether he would return before I was sent out again by the ASD. Tory came to see me often, and we usually went to the pool area or the arboretum. He mostly wanted to sit with me pulled against him. We talked. He told me more about the High Demons and their history. I was still having difficulty reconciling all of it as part of my history, too.
"We need to find the reason for their war," Gavril brought me back to the present.
"Wars are usually over land, religion, money or something of that nature," I leaned my cheek on Gavril's shoulder.
"I should have known I'd find you two together." Lissa walked into Gavril's bedroom. His room had turned into our favorite place to study. My stomach felt queasy, suddenly—this is how I'd learned the last time that the Vice-Director wanted to see me. "Reah, Vice-Director Schaff wants to talk to you in my office. Do you need assistance getting there?" This time was no different from the last, except too many things had happened since then.
I didn't need assistance, as much as I might want Gavril or Tory to go with me. I shivered at the mention of Lendill Schaff's name. At least my strength was returning and my shoulder wound was much better. Lendill couldn't hurt me as badly this time. Karzac kept reassuring me that the scar from the ranos pistol wound would disappear completely in a few weeks. Tory's claiming marks would be with me forever.
"Re, don't worry," Gavril whispered as I slid off his bed. While most boys his age might have coverlets depicting sports teams or musicians or some such, Gavril's was a studious deep green with matching pillows. He'd picked it out himself—I'd asked about it.
"Thanks, Chash." I gave him a quick hug before walking past Lissa and out Gavril's door.
"Reah, we'll be sending you to Pheslik—drakus seed is showing up there," Vice-Director Schaff got right to business. He had such a handsome face and it covered the demeanor and cruelty of a viper. I did my best not to shiver in his presence, or give myself away when all I wanted to do was weep. I also wanted to ask him about Bel, Hish and Max, but that might bring about more abuse.
Gavril might know if the wizards from Mandil were still being held in the palace dungeons. I hoped so—I wanted to see them. Alone. I had my doubts, somehow, that Bel was in this as deeply as Director Keef seemed to think. I worried about Bel and the others—were they being mistreated? Vice-Director Schaff had certainly done his best to mistreat me. I'd never had a seizure in my life, even when Edan was doing his worst.
"You'll be going out again with Rylend and Torevik, but under an assumed name this time. I'll have your new ID and credit chip waiting when the healer releases you." That was my dismissal so I rose, gave the best respectful dip of my head I could and walked out, my legs feeling like rubber.
"How did it go?" Norian Keef walked in only moments after Reah had gone.
"She'll never trust us again," Lendill sighed.
Aurelius was leaping from one tree to the next, using vampire speed. Spawn were littered throughout the jungle, but he couldn't take all of them at once. He couldn't risk folding away from them, either—that could attract the attention of a hidden Ra'Ak. He also couldn't fold away from the planet—a Ra'Ak could track him by the use of that power, which in turn would place others in immediate danger.
Aurelius was glad these spawn were easily confused—they were young, having been taken from the local population not long before. Aurelius figured they were less than a month old—barely having sloughed away their human appearance. A concentrated effort had been made to take over this portion of the planet; Birimeran technology was in its infancy but it was there, in the highly populated areas in the north. In the southern jungles, the native population was less educated and more superstitious. Those still retaining their humanity spoke of the spawn as gods or godlike, with the speed and agility that any Ra'Ak spawn gained when turned. Aurelius had already sent mindspeech, asking for help. It was scheduled to come soon. He hoped it came—now.