Demon's Quest (27 page)

"May the stars have mercy, this is better than Addah's," Farla exclaimed. "We may stay alive, my darlings." She hugged Fes and Rane—hard. I watched, feeling a slight twinge of self-pity. I was motherless, and had been my entire life. The cake, too, came out beautifully, and Farla was in raptures, closing her eyes in pleasure with the first bite.

"But this recipe is yours," Fes said, pointing at the now-empty saucer—we'd devoured the slice of cake.

"Use it—I don't care as long as you don't show up wherever I'm working and say that what I'm serving is very like yours."

"Reah, I apologize for that," Fes said. "I didn't know any better. I do now."

"Mother, Garet Howt is here tonight!" Wald was back and hissing—he'd disappeared to help open the restaurant.

Garet Howt. The most famous (and demanding) food critic on all of Tulgalan. He'd decried the absence of the yaris fish dish ever since I'd been conscripted by the Alliance. I quirked an eyebrow at Fes. "Well, why don't we give him a night to remember?" I said, smiling at my uncle.

Garet Howt received a complimentary serving of yaris fish with my own sauce recipe, along with a sampling of the sliced beef in bittersweet sauce, the fowl dish and two others, followed by the cake for dessert. Garet had two people with him, but there was plenty of food to go around. The yaris fish, though, he kept for himself and called for the cook afterward. Fes dragged me to Garet's table.

"I was planning an article, scheduled to come out in two days, over the death of Addah Desh and his restaurants," Garet smiled at Fes and me. "However, it seems that Addah may have been keeping his talent under his thumb. I often suspected him of this. I'll rewrite the column, telling everyone that Desh's has been reborn. This is the best yaris fish I have ever tasted." I noticed he'd cleaned his plate.

"Fes and I worked on it, with help from the other staff and family members," I nodded at Garet Howt. "I think you will not be disappointed, anytime you visit Desh's, sir."

"And your name, lady cook?" he asked.

"Reah," Fes answered for me. "This is my niece, Reah Desh Nilvas Silver." Garet smiled widely, hauled out his comp-vid and dutifully recorded my name. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but it was too late to take it back.

I worked with the kitchen staff throughout the evening, helping Fes and the others prepare regular menu items. It was a relief when the doors closed and the last guest went home—I was exhausted.

"Here," Fes handed a glass of wine to me and offered a chair in his office. Farla, Rane, Wald, Landor and several other family members were also inside. He explained to all of them what Garet Howt had said. "After this, we just need to get number two and three back on track, and four through six through a small drought," he sighed. "Wald, are you going to be able to take care of number two? I'll bring Halde in and show him how to prepare these recipes that Reah brought to us. Perhaps number three will reincarnate."

Wald looked at me. And then dropped to his knees. "Reah, I'm so sorry," he said. "I was trying to impress Edan. I wasn't impressing anybody."

"You won't ever impress Edan with that kind of behavior now—he's changed drastically. Did you know he's working on his medical degree on Le-Ath Veronis? I think I've called him Daddy twice—he seems to like it."

"You're joking?" Farla stared at me in shock.

"No. Someday, maybe I'll tell you about gods and things of that nature. In the meantime, here's to a successful night and a positive review," I held up my glass. Wald surged to his feet and clinked my glass with his.

"Are you sure you won't stay with us?" Fes was doing his best to convince me to come home with him and the others.

"No, Uncle Fes. I have some thinking to do," I said.

"Uncle Fes. I like it, Reah. Don't leave us. Visit often. You'll be welcome anytime."

"I enjoyed cooking with you tonight. I'd like to do it again," I smiled up at him.

"Reah, walk into my kitchen whenever you want." His grin widened. "It is my kitchen now, isn't it?" I think it was just sinking in. I wasn't privy to Addah's will, but I felt Fes was probably the primary beneficiary.

"Fes, it's your kitchen." I patted his arm. "Your family, too. Spread the love around."

"I'll call you—I have your code," he patted the pocket where his comp-vid rested inside his heavy coat. Winter had definitely settled in for Targis.

"Any time," I said and turned to walk toward the bus stop. As soon as Fes was out of sight, I skipped away.

Beliphar wasn't my goal for the evening—I was tired, bone tired, and only wanted a warm bed. Perhaps a nice bath. I skipped to the house Teeg had purchased, since all my belongings were still there. He wouldn't think to look for me in such plain sight.

The clanging of swords greeted me the moment I set foot inside the house. It frightened me at first, so I crept toward the large solarium on the eastern side of the mansion. There I found Lok, sparring with Drake while Drew watched from the side, offering smiling advice now and then.

"Don't you know when to stop?" I skipped to Drew's side and watched Lok and Drake attempt to beat each other into submission.

Drew grinned at me. "We wondered where you went, little girl," he said, before shouting at Lok to keep his elbows in.

"I've been here and there," I replied, unwilling to share my hiding place with anyone.

"Everybody's worried sick," the smile disappeared.

"Wylend isn't," I pointed out.

"Wylend's being a jackass," Drew said, keeping his eyes on Lok and his brother. "Where were you tonight? You smell like an entire restaurant."

"I was at Desh's number one, keeping the family from going bankrupt," I said. "Addah didn't share some of his best recipes, so I went to show Fes and the others how to make them. It seemed to go well."

"So, with Addah and the original Edan out of the picture, the family gets along?" Another smile quirked at the corner of his mouth. He and Drake were more than handsome, and reinforced my Falchani fantasy. I'd just have to find a Falchani someday. One who didn't mind if I were shorter, with white hair. I could hold my own against anybody with the blades.

"You're forgetting Aldah and Marzi," I said. "You remember Marzi, don't you—you know, the bitch who tried to kill me?"

"Yeah. Definitely forgot about her. So, without those four, the family likes each other?"

"I think they get along," I said. "Enough that they won't kill each other."

"Reah, how tired are you?" Drake asked as he and Lok clanged swords.

"Tired," I said.

"Then you won't kill Lok too bad. Drew, hand her your blades." Drew was grinning as he placed both his practice blades in my hands.

"But I wanted a bath and a long sleep," I protested as Drew shoved me into the sparring square.

"Get a touch on Lok and that'll happen," Drake laughed.

Lok glared at me, as if I were a bug to be squashed or something. "I'll let you attack first," I said, nodding at the enigmatic Falchani. I was seeing his tattoos for the first time—they were red dragons very much like Dragon's. He was covered in a light sheen of sweat and still looked good enough to eat, his long braid swinging down his back. His eyes narrowed at me. I watched him, keeping my wrists loose, preparing for his attack.

He'd gone to the Dragon school of warfare, I decided, as he came after me as fast as he could. I blocked three of his blows before getting a touch in.

"What the fuck?" Lok stared at me in disbelief. At least they'd practiced with dull metal blades—I'd had the point of one of mine at Lok's throat.

"High Demon, dude," Drew snickered. "Don't ever expect to move faster than one of them. Glinda can put you in the dirt, too."

"Here." I handed Drew's practice blades back to him. "I want a bath and a bed. And if you tell Teeg where I am, I'll kick your ass."

"He'll kick my ass if I don't tell him," Drew called after me. I gave him a rude gesture and continued on my way.

* * *

"Reah, I didn't tell Wylend. Mom says that he listened in on our conversation using an eavesdropping spell because he was in a snit."

"And how did your mother find out about that?" I pulled the warm cloth off my eyes and stared up at Teeg. I was soaking in a tub of warm water, and was falling asleep when Teeg showed up.

"Uncle Erland told her. He said he had an argument with Wylend afterward. Corolan disappeared and Radolf has renounced his Karathian citizenship in front of witnesses."

"Then I'm glad Wylend banished me. Listening to our private conversation and convicting me of treason because of it? That's the ultimate in jerkdom." I'd used a phrase Chash was fond of, once upon a time. "And you probably shouldn't be seen with me, or he'll cancel his membership in your Alliance."

"Don't care," Teeg dipped his hand in my bathwater, brushing my left nipple with a knuckle.

"Teeg, you can't let sex force you to commit a major mistake—you need Karathia in your Alliance."

"And Karathia may need us, too. Have you thought about that? If he hadn't come on board, he was in danger of becoming isolated. Karathia would be locked into trading with only non-Alliance worlds, and that leaves pirates and Giffelithi Dwarves. He'd be paying through the nose for anything not produced on Karathia. And nowadays, that's a lot."

"Well, gee, maybe he can get one of those dwarf women to marry him," I snapped. Yeah, I wasn't in a good mood where Wylend was concerned.

"Erland seems to think he was just angry and went overboard. He'll come to his senses."

"Well, too bad it's too late where I'm concerned." I moved to get out of the tub.

"No, sweetheart, I didn't mean to upset you or interrupt your bath. Drew told me you spent the day cooking for Desh's, so they wouldn't go belly up."

"And I told Drew that if he told you where I was, I'd kick his ass. He's got an ass-kicking coming his way."

"Baby, don't," Teeg made my nipples peak just by stroking a finger across each one. There are times when I'd like to shout at my traitorous body. Teeg knew what to do, every time, to make it respond to him. Had Chash known when he was seventeen that this was the way it would be? I slid down in the water, just from the thought.

"Come on; don't try to drown yourself now." Teeg pulled me up again, getting the sleeve of his expensive silk shirt wet.

"I need to get out before I fall asleep," I said. Teeg pulled me out of the water. Then dried me off with a huge towel. Kissed me while drying my hair, rubbed his erection against my belly, removed his clothing, settled me on the granite sink and made me come—twice. And he didn't even have to bite to do it.

"You're sleeping with me," he said softly. I thought we'd sleep there at the house. Teeg had other ideas, folding me to his bedroom on Campiaa.

"You need to go see Mom," Teeg informed me the following morning, after making love again. "While I'd like to stay in bed all day, I have meetings. Go see Mom. Promise me." He put a finger against my lips before leaning down to kiss them.

"And what am I supposed to tell her? Does she have meetings, too?"

"I already sent mindspeech—there is a meeting and they're waiting for you now."

"Joy. I love meetings."

"Reah, you promised."

I hadn't, but I wasn't going to get into an argument with Teeg San Gerxon. "What's my last name?" I asked. "Where you're concerned?"

"On paper it's San Gerxon. I'll get it officially changed on Le-Ath Veronis. It'll be Montegue there."

"Joy."

"Go." He swatted my behind lightly. I went.

* * *

"Oh, shit." I thought it would only be Lissa and Gavin, maybe. I was wrong. So very wrong. I recognized a few people, but not all of them. Kiarra was there, with Merrill, Adam and Pheligar, Kiarra's Larentii mate. Nearly all the others I assumed were Saa Thalarr—that race of beings selected and redesigned to combat the Ra'Ak.

Spawn Hunters were foot soldiers in that army—the Saa Thalarr were the elite fighters—they could shapeshift into giant animals suitable for fighting Ra'Ak. Karzac was one of several healers who worked with them and the Spawn Hunters. Rumor had it that Karzac was the oldest healer working with them at the moment, and he was more than fifteen thousand years old. As a physician, he had the experience to back him up, every time.

"Reah, we waited until you could join us," Kiarra stood. She was going to run this, I supposed. I expected Lissa to do it. That meant that the information was generated by the Saa Thalarr and not Le-Ath Veronis.

"You can sit with us," Drew grinned at me.
I owe you that ass-kicking
, I sent to him. He laughed. I sat between him and Drake. The next two hours were taken up in a very educational presentation. At the end, I added my files from my comp-vid to the growing evidence that at least five Ra'Ak were ill—mentally and physically. Somehow, a warlock was doing this to them by feeding them spelled and tainted teenagers.

"Nefrigar told me they were ill," I was pointing out the scale deterioration that I'd recorded and expanded on the screen in Lissa's library.

"You saw Nefrigar?" Kiarra sounded surprised. Her hair was nearly as white as mine and great-aunt Glinda's, but not quite as long. She was beautiful, though, and her mates watched her carefully. Why did some women have all the luck? I had mates who didn't seem to have time for me unless they wanted sex. Somewhere there must be a flaw in me or something. I breathed out a frustrated sigh at the thought.