Many of the dishes were vegetarian, too. Franklin's mother didn't eat meat, like several others, there. I'd met Kevis' mother, Grace, as well as Karzac's third mate, Devin. They were very polite; I learned both were vegetarian and they kindly asked about the baby.
"Now, let's have some of that dessert," Franklin said when everyone had retired to what he called the ballroom. The cooking staff would supply coffee and other drinks; it was my job to get the dessert ready for the guests.
"Just tell them what you want them to do," Franklin led me into the kitchen, where a line of temporary employees waited for instructions.
"Cut the cake thin, like this," I sliced a piece that was little more than an inch at the widest part. "This cake is very rich, so we don't want it to overpower the ice cream and fresh berries. Now, scatter a good mix of berries around the top, like this," I demonstrated what I wanted. "Then, add a sprig of mint, dip a generous scoop of ice cream and drop it at the bottom of the cake, and sprinkle the entire thing with gold flakes."
"That looks pretty, how does it taste?" the cook demanded. I think he'd been insulted that someone else was inside his kitchen.
"Taste it, this one is yours," I handed it to him. He dipped up a bit of the cake with a little of the ice cream and tasted it.
"Holy shit," he sighed and dipped up more. "What kind of ice cream is this?"
"The most expensive you'll ever eat," Franklin said, patting my shoulder. "Come on, let's get it onto plates and serve the guests." We put an assembly line together and trays filled with dessert went out quickly.
"You're telling me this fruit only grows on two planets?" The cook, who said his name was Rio, asked.
"It's true. It harvests two or three times a year on or near the equator, in a particular volcanic soil. They've tried to grow it elsewhere, but the trees just die or the fruit is bitter."
"Amazing," Rio said. "I think I could ask any amount if I could get it here."
"There's barely enough to satisfy the demand as it is," I informed him. "I used to manage the groves on one of the planets. It turned into a very lucrative business."
"So you decided to make ice cream with it?"
"I did. I took the slightly blemished fruit that we couldn't sell and made ice cream for the employees. They loved it."
"Sounds like a nice bonus for them," Rio said.
"They deserved it."
"Reah, this is Glendes Grey, of Grey House," Joey introduced a dark-haired man to me. He took my hand and kissed it.
"I'd pay whatever you asked, I think, if you'd come and make this dessert for a special occasion sometime," he smiled at me.
"Your house made my favorite knife," I said. "I'd do it, just for that."
"Reah, are you frightening Rio?" Franklin asked.
"I hope not," I said. "We were just having a great conversation with the Eldest of Grey House, here."
"Rio, you won't be able to repeat a single word of this outside this house," Franklin said, "and I'm sorry for that. Knowledge of our race protects its own."
"I won't be able to tell my brother?"
"Not unless he's here now."
"He isn't."
"Sorry. Reah, it probably isn't a good idea to tell him anything else. It may frustrate him when he finds he can't pass the information along."
"But am I included in that?" I asked. "I'm not one of you."
"The Larentii are taking care of you and the others tonight. It will all be the same."
"Rio, ask any question you want, and I'll answer it," I said. "But as Franklin says, the information will remain with you afterward."
"I don't mind, I've seen and heard a lot that makes me hopeful tonight," he said. "What is your race, Reah? Which one do you belong to?"
"At times, just the mention of my race conjures up the wrong image," I said. "Just bear in mind that some of us, not all, but some of us have gotten an erroneous reputation. I'll show you what I am." I turned to my smaller Thifilatha and Rio, poor soul, fell over in a faint.
Chapter 8
"Reah, sweetheart, he asked, you answered." I was wrapped in Edward's shirt inside Kiarra's kitchen, shaking a little while others revived Rio. "I'm so sorry," I said, reaching toward him when he opened his eyes.
"Uh, what did you turn into?" He asked while Franklin and Joey helped him up and offered him a glass of brandy.
"They call her kind High Demons," Teeg supplied the information. "And while the term demon on this world has a very negative connotation, where Reah is from, it is quite different. They don't come from the underworld," he added, grinning.
"Can I see it again? I wasn't expecting something like that," Rio rubbed his forehead in fading astonishment.
"I don't want to burn your shirt," I looked up at Edward.
"Then stand behind me, take it off and then turn," Edward suggested. "It won't hurt the baby to turn again that quickly, will it?"
"She's pregnant?" Rio's voice went up an octave.
"With my son," Teeg replied. "Go ahead, baby. Show him again."
I did as Edward suggested, going behind him, removing the shirt and handing it to him before I turned.
"Everything is gold, except the eyes and hair," Rio breathed. "Is it safe to touch?"
"It is now," I said. If I willed it, my skin wouldn't burn. I'd taken Teeg for a ride several times in the past, when he needed my larger Thifilatha to accomplish a task.
"Don't ever touch unless she says it's safe," Teeg warned. Rio came forward and with a shaking hand, touched my arm and then a wing.
"Gosh, her skin is so warm," Rio said in wonder.
"Reah is the only gold demon. The males are black when they turn, Queen Glinda is all white," Tory came in to explain. I still wasn't speaking to him, so I let him talk.
"You're a demon, too?" Rio asked Teeg.
"No. Tory, here, is High Demon," Teeg corrected.
"I don't recommend asking him to change," I said.
"Why not?" Tory sounded offended.
"Tory, you're scary," I muttered, hanging my head.
"Baby? You're afraid of me?" Tory held out a hand.
"Now may not be the time," Kevis intervened. "Perhaps we should go elsewhere and discuss this."
"Reah, are you ready to go?" Edward turned to me.
"Yeah. I think so," I said. "Rio, it was a pleasure cooking with you," I held my hand out to him. He surprised me by taking it and kissing it.
"Now, let's go to Campiaa and sort some of this out, I hope," Kevis sighed. Somebody folded us to the plantation.
"Will somebody please tell me what's going on?" Tory blew a cloud of smoke-filled frustration.
"Torevik, Reah was attacked recently. That included a vicious bite. Tell me how you claimed her the first time?"
Tory cursed. We were in the reptanoids' large family room, where there was enough comfortable seating for everyone. I still wore Edward's shirt and now sat squeezed between him and Teeg. I was cold and humanoid again. Edward gripped the fingers of my right hand in his, while Teeg held the left.
"She should know I wouldn't hurt her. Not like that," Tory fumed, pacing about the room. Everybody was there, including Farzi, Nenzi, Lok, Aurelius, Lendill, Nefrigar and Ry. Astralan had also come.
"She may know that logically, but not emotionally," Kevis said. "After all, you walked away from her when she needed you. How is that not harm? I realize you have your own trauma to deal with, and she knows that as well unless I badly miss my guess. The question comes down to this—do you still love one another? And if you do, what kind of commitment are you willing to make?"
"Dad always said she was just a quarter," Tory sat down hard next to Aurelius. "He always said he wasn't sure how our children would turn out since I was half."
I was standing and infuriated in seconds. I wanted to weep. I wanted to hit Torevik Rath. And then hit his father. They were looking down on me because I was only a quarter High Demon? I held every one of a High Demon's gifts and abilities, including some that none of the others possessed. Yet Gardevik wanted to split hairs.
"That's what this is about, isn't it?" I shouted. "The race isn't pure any longer. Fuck you, Torevik Rath. And fuck your father, for handing prejudice to his son. We're done. Get out. I never want to see you again. Get out!" When he didn't move, I was the one who skipped away.
* * *
"Nice work, bro." Ry stared at Tory. "And why haven't we heard any of this before? Is your father crazy? Reah keeps the race from dying, and he lets his prejudice show? Nefrigar, do you know where Reah is?"
"I do. She is fine but very upset at the moment," Nefrigar admitted.
Kifirin appeared with a sigh and a slight curling of smoke from his nostrils. "This is why I told Lendevik that his daughter must go to Jaydevik, Pendevik Rath's third son, instead of Gardevik, his firstborn." Kifirin stated. "Jayd had tolerance, while Garde had very little. I hoped that Garde would develop something of what he needed when he recognized Lissa as his mate, but that did not help Reah, did it?"
"You mean Dad might have been King, instead of Uncle Jayd?" Tory gave Kifirin a confused look.
"Yes. Your father would have been King if he'd been flexible and empathetic. He is neither. How long were you going to hold that secret inside? Reah was troubled from the beginning when you claimed her as you did and then never offered to make the marriage vows. Yet you couldn't wait to rush away and marry a full humanoid, at the first hint of an imaginary slight. I will give Reah time to come to a decision, but if she asks after that, I will remove your claiming marks."