* * *

"Baby, today's the day. We're traveling and you'll see Gavril when we get where we're going," Teeg threw open the curtains that faced our bed. I was blinking stupidly at him—he hadn't said a word the past two days about Gavril and I thought he'd lied to me about the whole thing. I'd been more depressed than usual as a result.

"Where?" I sat up, rubbing my eyes. I was still exhausted and only my will to get up and around had gotten me out of bed since I'd healed Xordthe.

"No, you know better than to ask that question, baby," Teeg was in a good mood for the first time in a long time. "Get up and I'll have Farzi and Nenzi help you in the shower." He knew I couldn't stand long enough to bathe myself.

The last two days I'd soaked in a tub while someone washed me. Farzi and Nenzi had done it the first day. Jes had elbowed everyone else aside the day before and done it. I hadn't appreciated the way his hands lingered here and there while he washed. Teeg had gone off on some errand with Astralan and hadn't gotten back until late the night before. Now, he was up early and getting me up as well.

"I don't want Jes' help," I muttered, causing Teeg to turn around quickly.

"I've already sent him to Campiaa. He saved your life after the explosion, so don't badmouth him to me, Reah. I know you don't feel good and you're grumpy because of it. Farzi and Nenzi will come and help you." He stalked out of the bedroom. I wanted to stick my tongue out at his retreating back, just like any angry six-year-old. Farzi and Nenzi came in moments later, helping me bathe and dress.

* * *

Teeg was dressed nicely in an expensive suit, as were the warlocks—all four of them. Farzi, Nenzi and their six brothers were also dressed very well, only a bit more comfortably than Teeg and the others. Lenden wore what he usually wore—comfortable slacks and a nice shirt. Jusef wore the traditional garb any Amterean might wear—short trousers, boots with socks and a short tunic with a vest. I leaned down just a little to kiss Jusef's cheek. He smiled when I did it. Teeg had selected a high-waisted dress for me; Farzi and Nenzi had gotten me into the deep blue, long-sleeved thing and then slipped low-heeled shoes on my feet. My hair was combed out and left loose about my shoulders.

"Lenden, you stand behind Reah. Make sure she doesn't get too tired," Teeg nodded to the bodyguard as Astralan and Stellan made preparations to fold us and our luggage to some unnamed destination. I was hoping that Chash would be waiting for me when we arrived. I only wanted to fling my arms around him and cry happy tears.

"Ready?" Astralan nodded at Teeg.

Teeg straightened his cuffs and tie. "Ready," he nodded, a determined look in his eye. He looked as if he were going off to battle and I didn't understand that. Astralan folded all of us; Stellan brought the luggage. We landed in a sumptuous, round hall built of marble and expensive tiles. I gasped. I knew this place and knew it well. Had departed from it several times when Lendill didn't want anyone else to know I was leaving and he didn't want me to skip away. We stood in the rotunda reserved for visiting dignitaries on Le-Ath Veronis' space station.

Lissa and Tory were there, standing next to Ry and I cried out when I saw them. But that didn't prepare me for what came next. Nothing could have prepared me for that. Nothing. Lissa walked toward Teeg, a puzzled frown on her face. Gavin, Tony, Drake and Drew were right beside her. Her eyes widened after a moment and she shrieked one word. That word sent me into a tailspin and darkness gathered around me when I heard it the second time. "Gavril!" Lissa shouted, flinging herself into Teeg's arms. "Gavril!" Blackness came.

Chapter 8

"Tory, be careful," Teeg, once known as Gavril Montegue, cautioned his brother. "Reah's pregnant. It's probably yours." Tory jerked his head around at Teeg's words. He was having trouble reconciling what his mother had known immediately by scent alone. Teeg was Gavril. Only much older, now. And, like Kifirin had said, changed. Nobody had recognized him, although his hair and eye color were the same. Tory, Karzac and Lenden were kneeling next to Reah—Lenden had caught her before she could fall. Gardevik was standing nearby and blowing smoke—he knew Lenden, all right. Only by another name.

"We've exhausted her," Denevik muttered to Karzac as Karzac growled about Reah's condition. Lissa had finally stopped hugging and kissing her youngest child, who no longer looked to be the youngest. Lendill Schaff was also kneeling nearby; he just couldn't get any closer than he was already with the crowd around Reah. Norian, Erland and Wylend had gone straight to Gavril.

"How did this happen, son?" Gavin was attempting to deal with the changes in his child.

"Long story, Dad. Can we sit down somewhere after we make sure Reah is all right? And just so you know, I won't be giving her up. She's the reason I'm where I am anyway." Eventually, when Karzac said that Reah could be moved, Tory lifted her and everyone was folded to Lissa's palace.

* * *

"I knew, when I was twelve," Gavril turned the cup in his hands. His four warlocks were just as surprised as the others, so they listened raptly to Gavril's tale. The reptanoids had gone with Reah and those taking care of her.

"What did you know?" Lissa asked.

"That I wanted Reah. It might have been puppy love at the time, but it was there. And it didn't go away over the next five years. When she got into that mess on Birimera, I asked Kifirin if I could help her. Told him I wanted her. Wanted to keep her safe, somehow. He looked at me with those damned stars in his eyes and told me there wasn't anything I could do for her at the moment, but the time would come and he would grant my request. He granted it, all right. Pulled me right off the transport and stuck me with a vampire to learn woodworking fifty years in the past. You see where I am, now. All his doing. He pointed me in this direction, told me it was in our best interest to form an Alliance surrounding Campiaa and then left. I won't be asking him for anything again. Now, I don't know how Reah is going to take this when she wakes. I'm telling you again, though, that I'm not giving her up. We just need to take care of her."

"She's pregnant with a female High Demon. Karzac says so. Did you even take that into consideration?" Gardevik was trying to reel in his temper. They sat in Lissa's library, where tea and a light lunch had been served.

"I knew she was pregnant," Gavril muttered. "I kept telling myself that this wouldn't take long and I'd send her back so she'd get the care she needs."

"The fate of the High Demon race rests on any female born," Garde's voice was getting louder. "Even a quarter High Demon child. Were you trying to kill Reah? Karzac says she's so weak it could take a while to get her back to normal."

"It couldn't be helped, Uncle Garde," Gavril said. "Do you know what she can do? Do you? Those fool rogues tapped the cores on Roorthi, Xordthe and Shillverr. Somehow, Reah pulled energy from the stars, replaced what was lost and sealed the leak. Those worlds will live, now. Reah can do that. It's like a miracle. And no, I'm not giving up the idea of the Campiaan Alliance. It's a good idea and almost within my grasp. Things are lining up. Mom, I'm going to do this. I'm sixty-seven now and this is my calling. I know it."

"Reah can heal the cores?" Wylend hadn't spoken until now, although his mind and his heart were with her in the suite she shared with Tory.

"Go and see for yourself," Astralan spoke for the first time. "Teeg—Gavril and I were shocked when she did it the first time."

"I can't believe she did that and risked the child," Garde muttered.

"She doesn't know. That she's pregnant," Gavril sighed. "She thinks that stupid implant the Alliance forces on its troops is still working. It's probably like everything else—wears off quicker due to her High Demon ancestry."

"You knew the baby belonged to Tory?" Lissa was trying to come to grips with being a grandmother.

"I was pretty sure, mom. I think he's ruined her for anybody else."

"I don't call that ruined," Garde began to rise in anger.

"Garde, settle down," Lissa hissed. "This will be our grandchild. Don't fuck it up."

"I want to talk to Denevik. Reah is his grandchild, after all," Garde didn't sit back down.

"I didn't know who he was. Kifirin just showed up out of nowhere and told me to hire him as a bodyguard. So I did. I'm glad he didn't remove my head over Reah." Gavril sipped his tea.

"I instructed him to keep you safe, as well as his grandchild," Kifirin appeared as if someone had called his name.

"We are going to have words later," Lissa handed him a hard stare.

"I saw the wisdom in the request; it just wasn't at his convenience," Kifirin defended himself.

"I'll show you wisdom," Lissa tried to go after him. Gavin held her back.

"I knew my mate would be justifiably angry," Kifirin stated. "Lissa, please try to see this from my perspective. This was an opportunity none of us could refuse. Imagine the Campiaan Alliance, run by your child."

"I'm still coming after your ass," Lissa muttered.

"Mom, we're trying to make this into a good thing. Give us credit for that much, at least," Gavril begged. "We're cleaning it up as quickly as we can."

* * *

"Reah? Reah, wake up for me, sweetheart." I knew that voice. Couldn't reconcile it with where I'd been for the past three moon-turns.

"Karzac?" I opened my mouth before opening my eyes. Didn't want the disappointment of not seeing my friend and healer when I did.

"I'm here, sweetheart. Open your eyes for me. Can you do that?" I blinked up at Karzac's face. "There she is. Little girl, you need to take better care of yourself and that baby. I think Garde has her named already."

"Baby?" I was about to panic. Who said anything about a baby? Karzac had to be wrong. Had to be.