"We had no idea that's what happened until after the fact," Jayd snapped, his Thifilathi becoming angry as well. Smoke poured from Jayd's nostrils as he glared at Griffin.
"So now that it's over and your posterior and your planet have survived, she is of no consequence?" Griffin shouted in disbelief.
"I didn't say that," Jayd held out a hand, attempting to calm himself. "I am merely working to keep things running smoothly on the planet your daughter saved for us. Do you want it thrown into chaos? We have refugees from the Southern Continent because the volcano erupted for days. The crops we normally get from those farms will not be delivered. We are facing shortages as a result. What do you think I should do?"
"Not a f**king thing!" Griffin shouted and folded away.
"Lord Demon," Pheligar addressed Jayd quietly, "if one of your daughters sacrificed herself to save your planet, you would be wailing to the heavens over it. I will withdraw my protection around the stockade, as will my son Renegar. You are on your own." Pheligar folded away.
"You heard my Larentii mate," Kiarra said. "I wouldn't look to the Saa Thalarr for help in the future." She also disappeared. Jayd cursed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Jaydevik, why did you not consult with me before making this decision?" Glinda's voice was soft and angry. She stood in the doorway to the King's private study, where the meeting with Kiarra had taken place. Griffin and Pheligar's appearance had come unexpectedly. Now, Jayd knew Glinda had somehow escaped her suite and heard the entire conversation.
"Garde and I thought it would be for the best," Jayd attempted to defend himself.
"You have cut us off, that is what you have done," Glinda's voice was louder now. "I am helpless, because I am pregnant. Saa Thalarr cannot use their power in this condition—it will harm the children. We could have asked for supplies to be brought in; Kiarra would not let the planet starve. Yet you have alienated her and the rest of them as a result. Are you truly so coldhearted, Jaydevik? You disappoint me." Glinda whirled and walked away from him, slamming the study door forcefully.
* * *
Larevik reached out to touch my hair while I cooked breakfast the following morning. I ducked away from his hand so fast it startled him. I was still so pissed I couldn't see straight. Larevik didn't reach for me again. Garde didn't say anything; he merely ignored me as usual, ate like there was no tomorrow and then went to get his horse while I cleaned dishes and loaded them into the wagon. Neither Breth nor Veris were anywhere around when I'd picked up the food for breakfast earlier, and that was a good thing. I had their scent and from now on, I was staying as far away from them as I could get.
We stopped for three days at the next city on our itinerary—Raona Belarok. It was named after the current Raona's mother. I was getting better at the language and wanted to ask someone for Belarok's story, but talking or attempting to talk now would probably give all of them the shivers. I remained silent, instead. A large house was provided for Garde and the other High Demons in Raona Belarok; it had plenty of space, with servants' quarters and a large stable. I heard the name Croth spoken; the home had belonged to rogue High Demons. Dead rogue High Demons, unless I missed my guess.
"I wonder what this is called?" Gardevik was eating his second slice of custard pie. I could have told him it was my mother's recipe, if I'd been so inclined. I just set the pan with the last slice in front of him instead and he grinned.
Later, Corin went with me to the local market. Garde had given him money and orders to buy food for the next two days to feed him and the other High Demons. The comesuli troops had their own cooks and helpers among them and they were going off to do the same. Corin enlisted one of the other drivers to help, and we brought back a load of fresh vegetables and meats. I made sure Corin and the other driver, Foss, got dinner and dessert later. They were more than happy with what they were served; I made stuffed pork chops, sautéed snap beans and squash. I'd also found preserved peaches at the market and while it wasn't as good as fresh, they all loved the peach cobbler.
The other thing that went well, I suppose, was that I was gaining a little weight back. When I'd first come back to myself, I was skin and bones. No wonder they couldn't tell the difference between me and any other comesula. Now, though, my shape was coming back and I didn't look quite as gaunt. My hair still looked like crap, though, and I grumbled every time I saw my reflection.
Breth was still taunting me every chance he had, when nobody was watching or listening. I heard plenty of difik whispered in my direction, some af te Jufaleh, which in High Demon meant go to hell—or their equivalent of hell, anyway. Stupid, dimwitted, malformed and stunted was also aimed at me. At least he had an adequate vocabulary and I was learning new words. No idea why he felt obligated to target me in this way; I couldn't figure him out at all. He didn't put his hands on me again, though, and I figured Gardevik had said something to Veris.
Chapter 5
"We'll be in range of ash in two days," I heard Larevik inform Garde over dinner. We'd been back on the road for six days this time, passing the checkpoint between the Northern and Southern Continents. The landscape was already giving way to a lusher, tropical variety of plants. Those plants were trying their best to crowd the side of the road, since most of the High Demons and comesuli had gone north after Baetrah's eruption.
"We'll go as far as Baetrah an Hafei and see what's left of it," Gardevik replied. He and Larevik were sipping tea I'd made for them after dinner. They didn't hold back on any of their conversations; they figured I didn't understand any of it anyway and certainly wouldn't repeat it.
"What do you make of the rumors that there are Croth still hiding in the area?" Larevik asked.
"If they're hiding, I have no idea how they're surviving if the damage from the ash is as bad as I've heard," Gardevik replied. "The cane crops in the area are destroyed. I hope we have plenty of stores, because we may not see another crop for a year or two and the fields may have to be moved."
"There are the jungles farther south," Larevik pointed out. "We could plant there."
"Those will have to be cleared, at least in part, and I don't like cutting down the trees. The farming in that area must be kept at a minimum."
"I agree, but who will be running those farms? Croth and Drith did it before, and we have thinned them down to nothing. We found so few of them innocent of treason." Larevik shook his head.