Demon's Quest (20 page)

"We do not question the Archivist—he searches for his own data upon occasion. We as a race are often enriched with his findings. He is not bound by the Archives, or restricted by the Council where knowledge is concerned, as long as the laws are followed."

"So, you don't lock him up in a dusty library?" Kiarra's dimple showed.

"Our Archives are pristine," Pheligar pulled Kiarra onto his lap again. "Nefrigar sees to that, with his Protectors. He is nearly as old as Ferrigar, you know."

* * *

"Reah, wake up, sweetheart."

How did my men always wake before me? How? I opened my eyes to find Teeg's concerned face over mine. "What's wrong?" I asked, right away.

"Several things, but you need to get up and get dressed, love. Some of the news can wait a little."

Farzi and Nenzi came to help me in the shower. I was glad—my fingers shook and I was having trouble holding onto a washcloth. Something was wrong, and that frightened me. I was ushered into Teeg's private study—he was already there with all four warlocks and a man I'd never seen before.

"Reah, this is Dee—Dormas, my assistant." Teeg introduced the man I'd heard of but never met. He took my hand and kissed it gently. I nodded to him. Dee had brown hair, gray eyes and an unlined face that still bore the weight of the world in it. He'd seen a lot of life, this one.

"Reah, last night, someone died on Tulgalan." Teeg pushed a comp-vid across the desk toward me. I sat on one of his guest chairs and lifted the device in my hands, terrified, somehow. I was relieved at some level, horrified on another. Relieved that it wasn't Lok or Edan or Ilvan. Horrified at whom it actually was. Addah Desh, my grandfather, had died from multiple stab wounds. Fes, who'd been with him, was in critical condition at a hospital. I watched the vid as Aldah and Rane, Fes' brothers, stood by their weeping mother as she'd been interviewed. Some of the other wives and sons were in the background.

The whole thing would have been bad enough, but what came next was worse. Aldah stepped forward after his mother stopped speaking, saying that I'd had a fight with Addah and was likely the one who'd attacked him. My eyes flew wide and I was staring at Teeg across the desk.

"We're already on this—we have vid and photographs of you with me at the same time the attack was taking place, and Norian and Lendill are handing the information over to the local constabulary. I don't know what the fuck is going on, Reah, or why that idiot is blaming you for this." Teeg was angry—his eyes were tinged with red, and for a vampire, than meant he was furious.

"I don't believe this," I muttered. "How is Fes doing?"

"As well as can be expected. We don't know yet whether he'll live or not."

"This is awful, but what could they possibly believe I'd gain from all this? I'll have to contact Wroth—see if he's got the vid from the restaurant on Eight-Day."

"We have audio and the vid," Dee offered, "and that has also been turned over to the locals."

"And they know you were on the bus the other night," Teeg went on. "Norian turned that information over to them, and since you're ex-ASD, Norian handed your report over, too."

"I didn't turn in a report."

"Norian and Lendill turned in an official report, Reah. Do you want your Thifilatha splashed all over the news?"

"Fuck," I muttered softly. Too much had happened in the past two days. Where was my mind?

"Dee has forwarded a copy of our marriage contract to the Tulgalanian authorities as well, so there won't be any wild rumors. If Aldah Desh wants a war, he can have one." Teeg was growling.

"I need to get back." I was stunned and not really sure what to do.

"If you go back, you'll likely be followed. At least until the media sinks their teeth into someone else."

"Teeg, I don't want that."

"Sweetheart, I know that. Lendill and I found a house for you on the west side. We'll move you into that, and we'll place enough guards there that you won't have to worry about those things."

"But what about the investigation?"

"We may be able to get someone to either change your appearance or work up a disguise," Teeg offered. "I know this is important to you, so I won't try to keep you in the house. You just have to realize that the media, if they learn who you are, are going to follow you to the ends of the Alliance and back."

"I don't believe this." My head hurt now, and I'd had more than my share of headaches, lately.

"If it gets to be too much, baby, go to Le-Ath Veronis. Nobody will bother you there."

"All right." I nodded my acceptance. What would this do to my job? The reporters would be camped outside the restaurant, waiting for me to come to work next Eight-Day.

Teeg was right—news crews had hover-vans parked up and down the street outside the Crown Apartments and outside the house that he and Lendill had purchased in my name. Reporters were shoved aside by Astralan, Stellan, Galaxsan and Celestan. Farzi and Nenzi had come with me, and I thought Nenzi was going to hiss at some of the people who were shouting at me, asking if I'd killed my grandfather. It was horrible. As soon as we made it inside, I looked at Teeg. "Arrange for transport to Le-Ath Veronis," I said, defeat in my voice. He nodded and pulled out his comp-vid.

Farzi, Nenzi, Lok, Corolan and Tory were with me when I boarded the ship to leave Tulgalan. Listlessly I watched the vids of myself entering the ship station. They had nothing to hold me on—Addah and Fes had been attacked outside Addah's enormous estate. Sixteen of his sons lived there, in addition to all five of his remaining wives. Marzi was still incarcerated, and Addah had divorced her anyway. Truthfully, I didn't even know where Addah lived now. I remembered the old house—I had vague memories of it.

So far, too, no weapon had been found. The story went that Addah, Aldah and Fes had stayed late at the restaurant, going over the books for the end of month expenses. They'd been driven home by Landor, Addah's third wife Teena's first son. He had no skill in the kitchen so he worked as Addah's driver. Mostly he drove the wives around. Rane, Farla's third son behind Fes and Aldah, kept the books for Addah. Landor drove Addah, Aldah and Fes home, dropping them off at the front gate while he drove around back where the garage was. It was a shorter walk to the door from the front gate. Aldah said he'd gone inside the house while Fes and Addah talked by the front gate. They'd been attacked after that. Landor said he hadn't seen anything or anyone when he dropped his father and brothers off. No DNA evidence was found either, other than that of the family.

I watched as they played the vid from Dee's over and over again—all of Tulgalan got to see the entire conversation, start to finish. Once again, I experienced Aldah's and Addah's slights. Fes had been the most civil of all of them.

"Baby, don't let them get to you." Tory held me tightly against him inside our private compartment. Teeg and Lendill agreed that folding or skipping away from Tulgalan right then would be a mistake. It would only feed the blaze for those who thought me guilty, even without a bit of evidence to back it up.

Lissa, Gavin, Drake and Drew were waiting for us when we arrived at the space station on Le-Ath Veronis. Lissa hugged me the moment I walked through the doors.

"Don't let them hurt you," she said softly. It was too late for that, but I appreciated her words anyway. "There are a few reporters in Casino City, but we're going past that. They're not allowed anywhere near the palace right now."

"Thank you." I sighed heavily. Dee said he'd contact Wroth for me. I'd agreed to let him handle things. At least I'd get to see Radolf and cook with him.

"Reah, Norian and I have moved into our offices here," Lendill met me inside the private residence wing of Lissa's palace. His and Norian's offices were on the edges of that wing.

"Lendill." I was in his arms and sobbing.

"Don't, Deah-mul," Lendill lifted me off the floor and with Lok, Tory, Farzi, Nenzi and Corolan following along behind, he carried me to Aurelius' old suite.

"Do we need to place a healing sleep?" Karzac appeared as if he'd been called.

"Karzac, can you move me ten turns into the future, so all of this will go away?" I wiped tears from my face. Lendill settled me onto Auri's bed and then sat beside me, while Farzi and Nenzi climbed in on the other side.

"No, little girl. But I will see to it that you sleep for a while, and then wake and eat with the rest of us."

"Reah, I'm going back to Wylend." Corolan said.

"Tell him I'm sorry I didn't make it."

"He knows, love. Go to sleep. We'll see you soon." Corolan folded away. I didn't have time to say anything else, Karzac's fingers were against my forehead and I was out.

* * *

"The injured one knows the truth." Smoke was pouring from Kifirin's nostrils. Denevik, Gardevik, Glindarok and Jaydevik had all come to check on Reah. She was still sleeping, but Kifirin had appeared in Lissa's library, where they were having a drink.

"You're saying Fes knows who attacked them?" Lissa looked up at her oldest and most powerful mate. Even he had restrictions as far as interfering went.

"Yes, he knows. And if he does not survive, have your youngest place compulsion on Aldah to clear Reah's name."

"I will, honey. Sit down, please. Do you want anything?"

"Not at the moment. I do not like this persecution of my heart's daughter."

"I want to punch that fool," Denevik growled.

"Denny, stay away from them. We can't gain anything by threatening harm." Glinda placed a hand on Denevik's arm.

"I know, sister. But this makes my blood boil. As if Reah would attack anyone like that. If she were going to, she'd have killed Edan Desh long ago."

"Edan Desh will not be harmed, you know why," Kifirin turned his eyes toward Denevik.

"I know, High Lord," Denevik inclined his head respectfully.

"Do you think we should bring Edan and Ilvan here—for their protection?" Lissa asked.

"It could not hurt," Kifirin agreed.

"I'll look into it," Lissa said, sending mindspeech to Norian.

It took roughly a click, but Ilvan and Edan were brought to Lissa inside her library. "Welcome," Lissa smiled at both of them. "I am Lissa, Queen of Le-Ath Veronis. We merely wished to bring you here for your own protection." Lissa wrinkled her nose at Norian—he'd produced his ID and hauled both of them away from Tulgalan. "We'll bring your clothing and other necessities, and you'll be guests of the Crown. Now, would you like to meet Reah's other family?"

Edan and Ilvan looked around them in shock. The Queen was inviting them to stay, to protect them? And what was this about Reah's other family? "I am Reah's grandfather, Denevik Lith," Denevik rose and offered his hand to Edan and Ilvan. "Raedah was my daughter, that I was unaware I had."

"I know," Edan nodded, taking Denevik's hand. Ilvan shook after Edan.

"I am Glindarok, Queen of Kifirin and Reah's great-aunt," Glinda shook next. "And this is my husband, King Jaydevik."

"Reah is related to royalty?" Ilvan didn't know what to think.

"Reah is High Demon," Kifirin announced, blowing a bit more smoke.

"I don't know what that means," Ilvan quavered.

"We'll explain that later, we just want you to know that Reah is very, very special," Lissa said, lifting an eyebrow at Kifirin. "Very rare. In fact, High Demon females are extremely rare."

"As are female vampires." Norian pointed out.

"No need to worry, you will be safe here," Lissa said. "Come, we will find rooms for you, near Reah's if you'd like."

"Will we be allowed to attend father's funeral?" Ilvan asked.

"If you want," Lissa said. "And Reah will not be prevented from attending as well, if that is her wish."

"But she will be heavily guarded, I do not want any of those fools near her," Denevik blew clouds of smoke from his nostrils.

"How could Aldah even think it possible that Reah could do this?" Edan shook his head. "But then he is somewhat vindictive. He is the reason I left Desh's to work at Dee's."

"He is the least honorable difik," Jayd snapped.

"Difik?" Ilvan asked.

"Idiot," Lissa supplied.

* * *

Farla, Addah's second wife, elevated to first after Addah divorced Marzi, watched the vid repeatedly. One part in particular. Farla watched as Reah repeated, again and again, that Farla was a good mother and her sons didn't appreciate her as much as they should. Fes had called her shortly after he, Addah and Aldah had gone to Dee's. Told her he loved her. Farla had been shocked and more than pleased—she felt her sons ignored her most of the time. Something they got from their father, Farla knew. Addah only had one use for women, and if not for the fact that she might be cut off from her sons, she might have left Addah long ago.

There was little love in her husband, unless it was for cooking and making money. Now, Farla hoped her eldest son would wake. Without Fes, Desh's would likely die. None of the others had the talent in the kitchen like Addah or Fes. Edan looked to be a rival, but all along, it had been Reah making Desh's number two so successful. It had crashed shortly after she'd been conscripted by the Alliance, and now number two struggled against two other successful restaurants in Shirves.