"Let's get something to eat," Kevis suggested. "I know a good restaurant not far away." We were led to a circular booth in a quiet area, comp-menus were handed out and I looked it over.
"What are you having?" Kevis leaned over to look at my menu.
"I don't know. Steak or prime rib sounds good, but I don't know how they cook it here."
"Go ahead and get it, we'll send it back if it isn't good."
"We shouldn't have to send anything back," I pointed out.
"Come on, you're tired. We'll get food and then put you to bed."
The prime rib was decent. I ate half of it; Lok helped himself to what was left. Bed was next, and Aurelius slept with me. "Reah," he said, pulling me close, "we'll take some time, very soon. Just us, all right? We'll find a place where we won't be bothered and we'll do whatever we want."
"That sounds nice, Auri." I snuggled into his embrace and closed my eyes.
* * *
The hearing resumed the following morning, and Ceerah was preparing to answer questions when something happened. Later we learned that it was a planned event from two factions on Tulgalan, Ceerah's homeworld. Yes, she and I had that in common. Little else as it turned out, but then Tulgalan was home to around four-hundred-million or so. It was a large planet. These two factions had worked just to the legal side of the law since drakus seed had found its way there a quarter of a century earlier. They saw Ceerah as the worst kind of traitor.
Both groups were prepared to not only kill her, but destroy that section of the Courts and Hearing building as well, in addition to anyone inside that chamber. We were knocked around from the explosion that came; Aurelius and Lok managed to protect the ones in the public seating. The roof caved in and fire whooshed through. It happened so quickly to those watching from outside, so slowly for those inside. Instinct took over for me.
Turning to my larger Thifilatha, I gathered everyone in the hearing area, wrapped them in my arms and shielded them with my wings. I'm afraid I may have squashed some, but they were alive when I walked through the fire and out to the street. No fire will ever harm a High Demon; it's the way Kifirin made us. Setting the people down I'd rescued, I watched calmly as Ceerah was held back by the two bailiffs I'd saved.
The magistrate stared up at me, as did Kevis. Lendill had protected Norian with whatever power he held as the Elvish Prince-Heir. Both of them proceeded to herd people toward the perimeter surrounding us. Aurelius and Lok brought out the ones from the public section of the hearing chamber, which was being sprayed by robo-hoses. All of them were drenched but still alive.
* * *
"The hearing will resume tomorrow in an undisclosed location," the journalist reported as I watched the news later at our hotel. "Both antidrug factions from Tulgalan have claimed responsibility, although they seem disappointed that Ceerah Kade did not die in the attack."
"They didn't care that others might have died," Lendill tossed the vid-remote onto the bed and paced angrily. The images of me, carrying an armload of people out of the building and setting them down was getting more airtime than anything else, though. The sun was shining through my wings, making them glow.
"Reah, you look as if you're protecting children," Norian sighed as we watched yet another vid-version of my larger Thifilatha.
"I was afraid they'd get hurt," I said, shaking my head at the images that splayed across the screen. "Humanoids aren't fire resistant."
"The Governor of the Realm has invited you to his palace after the trial," Kevis walked in and handed over an expensive, paper invitation.
"I guess there's no way to gracefully refuse that, is there?" I flopped back on the bed.
"No, breah-mul, but Norian and I will come with you. You don't have to talk much if you don't want to." Lendill sat beside me and gently rubbed Garwin Wyatt. "And we've had to provide extra security for Ceerah Kade and her legal counsel, in addition to sending agents out to track the ones who did this."
"My Lendill's work is never done," I said, rubbing his back.
"I'm your Lendill?" He settled beside me and smiled before kissing me.
"Your father married us. I don't know how to get out of that."
"If the Elf King marries you, there isn't any way to get out of it," Lendill grinned before kissing me again.
"Says who?"
"Says the Elf Prince-Heir."
"Convenient," I muttered.
"Decidedly so," Lendill gave me a better kiss this time. The others faded from the room.
* * *
"So, this is your parents' fault," the magistrate stared at Ceerah. She'd cried when she was asked why she'd done terrible things. The evidence against her was overwhelming at this point, so she was trying a different tack.
"They were too strict. I was never allowed to go anywhere or do anything. The drugs I began taking in school helped me deal with their tyranny." Ceerah wiped tears with a tissue.
"Did they beat you or lock you inside a closet?" Norian was allowed to ask questions and he was doing so. "Were you ever hospitalized due to injuries? How cruel were your parents? I've looked into your background, I believe you were rushed to a physician when you were six because you had a bruised ankle, is that correct?" Norian consulted a comp-vid in his hand.
"I fell off a swing," Ceerah muttered.
"Your parents didn't cause this injury?"
"No."
"I see no records of hospitalizations, and you seldom missed school."
"But they wouldn't let me go out with my friends, or date until I was sixteen."
"Is that all?" Norian flung up a hand. "I have nothing further."
Immature, even now, Kevis' voice floated into my mind. Probable sadistic personality disorder.
Lovely, I sent back. And all that from parents who wouldn't let her run with drug addicts.
Add sociopathic tendencies to the previous diagnosis, Kevis' voice sounded amused in my head.
You hired her, I reminded him.
And I will regret that for the rest of my life.
I thought you were immortal.
I am. You see what I'm facing.
Poor thing.
Yes, someone needs to take pity on me.
I'll make cookies for you later, and if you're good, you can play outside, I told him. Kevis had to hide the snicker.
"Director, if you and Ms. Kade's counsel will approach," the magistrate beckoned to both. Norian rose and walked to the magistrate's high seat. Ceerah's legal counsel did the same. The conversation was whispered, but Aurelius, former vampire, heard it clearly and gave the information to Lendill, Kevis and me.
He's asking what a fair sentence would be in this case, Aurelius sent. Norian is arguing for Evensun. Legal Counsel is arguing for house arrest.
For drakus seed charges? Lendill was shocked. That's Evensun, for sure.
Norian and the counsel returned to their seats. The magistrate tapped information into his comp-vid. "We will now turn this case over to the Citizen's Panel for a determination," the magistrate said. "I ask that the incident with the bomb and subsequent fire be put out of your mind, as it should have no bearing on a fair verdict. You must decide whether Ms. Kade is guilty of any or all of the charges against her, and then set sentencing if she is found guilty. The ASD is asking for a life sentence upon the penal planet of Evensun, while Ms. Kade's counsel is requesting house arrest. All these things must be decided by you."
The seven members of the Citizen's Panel, all of whom I'd hauled out of the courtroom, wrapped in my arms and protected from the fire by my wings, were led from the courtroom by the bailiff.
"Let's get something for Garwin Wyatt to drink," Kevis suggested. Norian, Lendill and Kevis surrounded me as we walked into the marble hallway outside the makeshift hearing room. The basement held a restaurant for visitors and employees, so we took the stairs to the small eatery and sat down. Quite a bit of whispering and pointing occurred while I drank a cup of decaffeinated tea and nibbled on a scone.
"Feel a
ll right?" Norian reached over and pushed a lock of stray hair off my face. We'd come a long way, Norian and I.
"Yes. I just wish this were over with. I want to go home."
"Where is home?" Kevis asked.
"The groves on Avendor," I sighed. "I like looking out the windows of my bedroom and seeing gishi fruit trees as far as I can look," I said. "And there are mountains off to the east, if I walk outside. All I hear is birds calling if I sit out on the swing."
"The verdict's in," Norian's comp-vid buzzed. I had to leave my tea on the table; Kevis paid hastily and we walked back to the hearing room.
The magistrate thanked the Citizen's Panel for their service, then accepted the comp-vid that they'd handed to the bailiff. "Ceerah Kade, also known as Cedrah Dane and Bynda Wark, among other aliases, please rise to hear the verdict," the magistrate said. Ceerah and her legal counsel rose.
"The People of the Reth Alliance find you guilty of all charges, the most serious of which is selling drakus seed," the magistrate announced. "And they have placed a sentence of life upon the penal planet of Evensun. You will be transported immediately. Do you have anything to say?"
"I'll kill you," Ceerah turned and shouted at me. "I'll kill you, bitch. Just wait. You'll die, and in the worst way possible."
"Shut her up," Norian snarled. The bailiff and two constables hauled Ceerah away, still shouting vengeance.
"Reah, don't let that upset you," Kevis said gently. "Let's go see the Governor, and then we'll go home."
* * *
The magistrate was having a drink with Refizan's Governor of the Realm when we were led into his office. The Governor's hair was silver; his face lined a bit with wrinkles. He looked as if he'd seen much of life. He bowed over my hand. "I received a message from the founding member of the Reth Alliance yesterday, after lives were saved in the magistrate's hearing chamber," Governor Odrillus smiled at me. "He said that there is a certificate among the many awarded to you, which says you will bow to none in the Reth Alliance, including him. He also says that no other citizen has ever received that award. You appear to be quite special, young woman."
"I don't feel special most of the time," I said.
"If you weren't, I imagine we'd all be dead," the magistrate observed. "I owe you thanks, at the very least. That creature we sentenced earlier owes you for her life as well. In my opinion, I don't think she's ever thanked anyone for what they've done for her."
"I get that a lot," I said. "It doesn't matter. I've come to expect it." I received a framed certificate from Refizan's Governor, proclaiming me a hero. I didn't feel much like a hero. Mostly I'd been desperate to keep people from burning. I thanked the Governor, said good-bye to him and the magistrate and Norian led us out of the office.
"Here," I handed the certificate to Kevis when we landed inside Edward's huge kitchen. I wanted to see Edward. Make sure he wasn't something I'd dreamed up. He appeared moments later, a huge smile lighting his face when he saw me. I did something I never do. I ran to him and wrapped my arms around his waist.
"I missed you, sweetheart," he lifted me up and kissed me.
"I missed you, too," I wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Let's sit on the deck by the pool," he said. I let him take me.
* * *
"Why don't we ever get that?" Aurelius muttered.
"Are you ever that glad to see her?" Kevis asked.
"I am now. I guess that hasn't been the case for the past twenty-five years, though."
"Want to take a little trip with me?" Kevis looked at Aurelius and Lok.
"I suppose. How painful is it going to be?"
"No idea. I want to talk to Edan Desh."
"Let's go," Lok sighed in resignation.
* * *
"What can I do for you?" Edan Desh, now Doctor Edan Desh, sat behind his desk at a small clinic on the southern half of Ooklar. He treated the children in a particularly poor section of that world. He was also campaigning for better education for them. Things were looking up at the moment; a very generous sum had recently been donated.
"Tell me what you remember about Reah. When she was small," Kevis said, sitting in the chair Edan offered. Lok and Aurelius also sat.
"Those memories are hazy, like they're from a vid that I watched when I was young," Edan sighed. "I know they're borrowed from that other lifetime. I try not to call them up if I can help it."
"What can you tell me of the motivation that other Edan had, then, when he hurt her?"
"I only sense anger," Doctor Desh replied. "Extreme anger. I can't explain it any better than that. He was striking out at something, to assuage that anger. Only it never seemed to work."
"You shouldn't waste your time here," Kifirin appeared. "This one cannot help you, and it will only upset him to attempt to remember things for you. He is not to blame. Come, I will take you to the one who is."
Kevis didn't have time to protest, Kifirin had folded him, Lok and Aurelius away. "So, the real Edan Desh." Kevis walked around Edan, who lounged on a small cot inside a prison cell.
"Go away," Edan growled.
"No, I think I'll stay," Kevis said quietly. "Aurelius, will you place compulsion, please, for him to tell the truth?" Kevis wasn't going to ask Kifirin for anything. The god had a way of making someone pay for anything asked of him.
Aurelius had Edan's face in his hand in less than a blink, staring into his eyes and telling him that he would only speak the truth. Edan, frightened out of his wits, could only nod.
"Now, tell me about Reah," Kevis said pleasantly.
"I hated her. Hated Ilvan, hated Wald, hated my mother and hated my father. But mostly I hated Fes. I should have been firstborn."
"What did you think, when your father sent Reah to you when she was eight?"
"He saddled me with a kid. His kid. Or so I thought. I was skimming money from the business that he didn't know about. I had to worry about keeping her in clothes and school supplies."
"Yet you never spent much on her. Did you? You took the money your father sent for her upkeep."
"He sent four hundred a month. I was able to keep three hundred fifty of that."
"When did you put her to work in the kitchen?"
"Right away. Wasn't about to spend a single credit on childcare. She could do dishes. That's what she did."
"But she started cooking quickly."
"She watched the others and picked it up. I ignored her."
"Unless you wanted to beat her for something."
"I liked listening to her scream. And beating her got rid of my frustrations with Father." Edan was clenching and unclenching his fists.
"You will not be violent now," Aurelius commanded. Edan's fists stilled.
"Tell me about Raedah, Reah's mother."
"Small. Weak. Mother was jealous of the time Father spent with her. He might have loved her. He never loved the rest of us."
"Why did you conspire with your mother to kill her?"
"She didn't belong. Didn't fit in. Fes was even older than she was. We didn't know Father was seeing someone else until he brought her home with a ring on her finger."
"You felt usurped."
"Yes!" Edan cursed. "And so did mother. She approved of all the other wives. She never saw Raedah until after Father married her."
"Did you try to kill Reah when she was a baby?"
"Yes. Mother and I fed her poison. Only she didn't die. Then Farla became curious and started checking on Reah. Since we were afraid of getting caught, we backed off. I thought I'd killed her when she was ten. But she came back after that, too. Then she began cooking, and the awards started coming in. She was the prize. If Father had found out about her, he'd have taken her back to Targis, so I kept beating her and told her to keep her mouth shut. She did. Until that fucking conscription notice came."
"Would it interest you to know that your father manipulated that?" Kevis asked.
"What the fuck did Father have to do with that?"
"Ilvan's n
ame was the one selected. Your father went to the state recruitment office and paid the officer there to change the name to Reah. She was hauled away, while Ilvan remained in your kitchen. Your father thought he was protecting the business, because he saw Reah as worthless."
"Number two never got another top award after that," Edan grumbled. "We tried. Used the recipes Reah left with us, to the letter. And then varied them, attempting to duplicate the results. It was never the same."
"Reah was very intelligent. She knew not to give you everything."
"She got her revenge."
"I don't think of withholding a few recipe ingredients as revenge for broken bones and the hate you spewed in her direction," Kevis said.
"But she led the ASD to us. You see where I am, now."
"For crimes you committed against her mother. Do you not see murder as a crime?"
"Not against Raedah. We hated her. She took Father's affection."
"I think I'm done, here," Kevis sighed. "The one I need to speak with is dead. Too bad one of his own sons killed Addah Desh."
* * *
Ceerah stared at the empty field before her. The guards had removed her cuffs and shoved her away. Now, they watched as she walked into tall grass.
"This is like a park," she turned and sneered at her guards. "Someone will come for me. They promised."
"Nobody gets on or off this world without permission," one of the guards said softly. Ceerah snorted at him.
"You don't know of whom I speak," she said, laughing. "He's the son of the Elf King. He has power. Just wait, he'll get me away from here."
"Young woman, I am Gavin Montegue. Teeg San Gerxon is my son. His mother is the Queen of Le-Ath Veronis, and holds more power than that fool Reldill Schaff will ever realize. When I say that none gets on or off this world without permission, I mean it. Now, if I were you, I would run. Maldak is coming. You might live past the next few moments if you hide."
"How do you know of Reldill?"
"Reah is married to the Elf King's Prince-Heir, who is Reldill's brother. Of course, Naldill is calling Reldill's tune, although he no longer holds power. His father, the Elf King, removed it for a reason. What did they promise you, to distract Reah and the Director and Vice-Director? Do you think they are stupid, or without resources? Too bad, you might be able to warn them. If you had mindspeech."
Demon's Dream (High Demon Series #6) Page 22