"I believe we are all present," Erland said just as Teeg and Tory came rushing in. I wanted to curse but settled for moving closer to Wylend. This was supposed to be our time together. Teeg and Tory were going to ruin it. "Now. Now we are all present," Erland almost snapped at Tory and Teeg.

"Very well—please follow me, Lord King." The two guards went ahead of us, Ry and Erland came behind and Teeg, Tory and Lendill had to follow. Just as well, I didn't want to talk to any of them anyway.

We had the best private room in Desh's. I remembered it from years ago. Addah had updated things over the years and the room was spacious and richly dressed as a result. Water and wineglasses sparkled atop snowy tablecloths. The silver was polished until it shone in the muted light. The wine steward came forward immediately and offered a selection of Desh's finest even as one of the best waiters poured our water and asked if there was anything else he might get for us.

"Reah, what would you like to drink?" Wylend turned to me first after the wine had been offered to him.

"A pineapple and orange ice," I said.

"Bring that for my intended and we will have the Ifthis Redburn," Wylend made the wine selection. He'd asked for the wine I might have taken if I could drink it at the moment.

"Very well, Lord King," the wine steward removed the cork and poured for everyone except me.

Someone would come to take our order next, only I hadn't expected Addah to come himself. He stood at our table looking quite shocked when he saw me sitting there. I knew he wanted to have a fit—I could see the muscle working in his jaw—it always did that when he was about to shout at someone. Even Edan had been frightened by that small gesture.

"I see you remember Reah," Wylend said casually, sipping his wine. "And should you become curious, she had no idea I was bringing her here this evening. Reah and I will be wed before the year is out, Master Desh. And as I understand it, your son will be getting out of prison before long. Should he ever threaten my intended, I can assure you that Karathia will most certainly protect its own."

"And my father will see to it that Reah is protected, once she marries into my family," Lendill added. I turned sharply in his direction—I had no idea what he was talking about.

"I have seen you before, Vice-Director Schaff," Addah wanted to sneer but held it back.

"But you have not met my father, Master Desh," Lendill pointed out.

"Please stop," I wanted to shout it but my voice was barely above a whisper.

"Master Desh, perhaps we should dine elsewhere," Wylend lifted my hand and kissed it gently. "I see you have no love for your granddaughter. I should have expected as much."

"No, please, we will serve you our very best," Addah inclined his head respectfully. He wanted to add Wylend's name to his list of royalty and visiting dignitaries that Desh's had served over the years.

"Wylend," I said.

"What love?" Wylend turned toward me.

"He only wants to add your name to the list," I said.

"I know. I just wanted to come tonight and see if he had any love or respect for you, my darling. He does not. We will not come here again. Master Desh has no idea how precious his girl child is."

I could almost hear Addah's mental derision. A girl had never mattered to him. Ever. "How is Ilvan?" I asked. Ilvan had never challenged Edan when he'd mistreated me but he also hadn't joined in or taunted me like the others had.

"Ilvan has been gone these past six years," Addah snapped, angry that I'd thought to address him directly.

"You think to treat my future wife in this way?" Wylend was toying with his knife. It grew in his hand until a long, sharp dagger formed. Wylend casually stabbed it into the table. I wasn't sure how he'd done that—I was sitting next to him and no threatening spell was supposed to work at such close range.

"Wylend, don't waste your time with him," I put my hand over Wylend's. "Addah Desh never knew how to be a parent. All he knew how to do was fuck his wives. I'd like to leave now." I rose from the table, scooting my chair back and stepping away.

"I will be leaving as well," Wylend stood, too. Erland, Ry and the two guards also rose from their seats.

"You think to insult me?" Addah almost shouted, allowing his temper get away from him.

"Addah," I turned to him, already weary, "none of your children call you father. Perhaps it's time you asked yourself why that is." I walked out of Desh's best private room and everyone there trailed after me except for Addah Desh.

Chapter 10

"I made the second reservation just in case," Wylend smiled as we were led to a large table inside the Star Gazer, Targis' second-best restaurant. Erland had dumped a credit chip on the table when we left Desh's. I'm sure it was for more than enough to cover the expense of our brief stay there. Teeg and Tory both watched me but they hadn't said anything before or after leaving Desh's. They hadn't been invited, so I did my best to ignore them.

The fish was good—not as good as what I might do but good nonetheless. I complimented the cook when I finished my meal—the management was more than delighted to get Wylend's business and Wylend happily posed for vid images. I had a feeling those images would go into an advertisement soon. Lendill kept me out of the photographs—he didn't want anyone to know I was on Tulgalan until after the take-down.

"Reah, stand over here," Lendill pulled me aside while Wylend was photographed with the owner and then signed a hard copy of the image afterward. I thought about asking Lendill what he meant about his father but I was still angry with him. My thoughts and my words I kept to myself.

"Come, love," Wylend took my hand after the brief session was over, leading me out of the restaurant.

* * *

Wylend helped me out of my gown later. "Reah, do you know about the Karathian cycles?" he asked, pulling me down on the small sofa inside my sitting room. I'd dressed in my pajamas after putting the dress away.

"Cycles?" I didn't know what he meant.

"Every hundred years we go through cycles after reaching adulthood," Wylend said, pulling me against him. "It doesn't affect our true mates—we will always be attracted to them no matter what cycle we are in," he said. "Every hundred years we swing from attraction to females to attraction to males. I am in the eighteenth year of a female cycle, love. That means that males are more attractive to me than females. But as you are my true mate, I want you, no matter what."

I blinked up at Wylend, unsure what to make of the information. It stunned me, certainly—I hadn't expected this.

"You'd rather have a male now?" I asked, my voice quavering.

"No, Reah. If you are in my arms, nothing else matters."

"But you will be going to males during this cycle?"

"Yes. It is the way we were made."

"Will they—will they—try to destroy this?" I twisted Wylend's ring on my finger.

"If they try, I will destroy them," Wylend muttered. "You will be my mate. Anyone I take to my bed must understand that first."

"And Ry—is this how things will be for him?" I think I felt numb, suddenly.

"More than likely. He is currently in a male cycle—his father and I both know this. But when he reaches his first century, we will know for sure. He has already been instructed in the ways of his race—although he is half what Lissa is. Reah, this will never affect my love for you. Please understand that. The Karathians were made this way—our planet rides the line between the Dark and the Light realms. I think this is why the cycles happen and why some of us tend to go so far into good or evil—it is either darkness or light with us, my darling."

Worrying my lower lip, I pondered what Wylend was trying to tell me. "How often?" I asked, not looking at him.

"How often will I invite someone else to my bed?"

"Yes."

"Perhaps once per moon-turn. It is a desire for strong arms around me, Reah. And reassurances from a male while I am in a female cycle. I hope you can understand that."

"I think I do," I nodded. "Do you keep the same partners?"

"Yes—I have three that I depend upon and trust."

"Will I meet them?"

"Erland you have met already."

"But," I couldn't finish that statement.

"Lissa understands now, although at first she didn't," Wylend said softly. "Erland and I have complete trust between us. And our cycles are opposites, as are the other two. When they are in their female cycles, I provide the strong arms and male assurances for them."

"I feel cold," I whispered, trying to hug myself.

"Reah, no," Wylend wrapped his arms around me. "I know this is difficult for you and perhaps harder still to comprehend while you are pregnant. You deserve to know this now. All I want to do is take you to my bed and remove that lost look from your face. I love you and that will not change."

"The three—they will not belittle me? Think me a weak female? Teeg and Tory do." Tears were threatening and I was doing my best to keep them from falling.

"Reah, every emotion you feel they have felt—it is unique to us, I think," Wylend murmured, kissing my shoulder and breathing on bare skin—my top only had the thinnest of straps.

"You mean they know what it's like to be pregnant and thinking the father doesn't give a damn about his child?" I broke away from Wylend and walked away to stand across the room. I could see the guards Norian and Lendill had stationed outside the house through the window of my sitting room.

"Reah, tell me this isn't from your childhood—this fear that the father will abandon or mistreat his daughter."

I whirled to face Wylend. "Of course that fear is with me," I snapped. "And every male is the same, is he not? They think they know better and the female is to be humored or ignored. I think I want to spend the night alone, Wylend."