We've been trying to figure that out, too. I don't know what to do. Tory's mental moan was almost audible. He still thinks his father is dead. I think Toff needs to know that he's alive, at least. I'd want to know, if I thought my dad was dead.
Yeah, Nissa agreed. I'd want to know for sure. What do you think we should do? How should we tell him?
No idea.
Lissa's Journal
"Lissa, I need your help. Actually, I need your nose."
I stared at Norian in exasperation. "Norian," I gave him a sigh and a shake of my head. "If you think Gavin, Karzac, the twins or Winkler will let me go offworld, then you'd better think again."
"I don't need your power, just your nose," Norian whined.
"Why?" I lifted an eyebrow at him. I could Look for the information, but truthfully, I wasn't feeling well. Breakfast was two hours earlier and looked to make its reappearance at any moment. I had a Council meeting in the afternoon, too, to determine the fate of my homicidal grandmother. Evensun was likely in her future and I didn't plan to stop it. I might abstain, but that's it. She'd threatened Toff. Roff got upset every time he thought about it. Hell, I got upset every time I thought about it.
"I have three disappearances on Gloesse. Simultaneous disappearances. All three of them high-level scientists who worked for Schuul Enterprises. I have records where they boarded the train, and vids show them entering their private compartment, but not exiting it. Those private compartments don't have vid-cameras inside—for obvious reasons."
"They just vanished?" My queasiness was ramping up as I moved my foot around to locate the wastebasket beneath my desk. Hooking an ankle around it, I pulled it forward, positioning it for an easy catch.
"Yes. Dantel Schuul is crying foul and demanding the ASD get involved. You're still my Liaison. Even if you are pregnant."
"Call Winkler, he's the one least likely to remove your head when I ask him to transport us," I said, before bending over and heaving into my designer trash can.
"Lissa, are you sure?" Winkler's dark eyes raked my face. Even after cleaning myself up and convincing Norian to get rid of the wastebasket, Winkler still knew I'd been sick. Werewolves and their freaking sensitive noses.
"Just get us to Gloesse, Winkler. Norian won't shut up about this until I sniff around." I ruined my tough-girl stance by leaning my forehead against Winkler's shoulder. I can't say for sure, but I imagine he was glaring at Norian across the top of my head. Winkler's arms went around me while he kissed my hair. He ruined the tender moment by growling at Norian Keef, who'd taken a step toward us.
"Just get us there, werewolf. The sooner we go, the faster we return," Norian hissed. I considered kicking his snaky ass the next time I wasn't pregnant. Winkler growled again and folded space.
"Ra'Ak," I snapped two seconds after Norian led us onto the detached private compartment. If Winkler had been wolf, I imagine his hackles would be bristling. Norian settled for staring at me. "Look, there's room enough for a Ra'Ak to turn here, if he coiled himself up," I pointed out. The compartment was a luxury compartment, and larger than an old Pullman car. "Schuul Enterprises must be doing well if they can afford this kind of transportation for their scientists."
"They are," Norian grumped. "What are we supposed to do now?" He raked fingers through his hair in frustration. "We have a rogue Ra'Ak eating important Alliance researchers and my weapon against them is pregnant and helpless."
"Say that again, Keef, and I'll put you through that window over there," Winkler said. The growl that came with his words told both of us the werewolf was prepared to show up.
"Norian, what the hell would you do if you didn't have me as your weapon, as you so romantically put it?" I wasn't happy with him either, and he was just getting that idea. "Honestly, you put your fucking job ahead of people. Every. Single. Time." Yeah, the pregnancy hormones were showing up. Big time.
"Keef, I think I'll take Lissa back to Le-Ath Veronis. You can find your own way back," Winkler muttered.
"No, wait. I didn't mean it like that," Norian was suddenly apologetic. I imagine it was because he didn't look forward to finding traditional passage back to headquarters, which was on Le-Ath Veronis. Sometimes, I wanted to show up at Ildevar Wyyld's palace and ask him what the fuck he thought he was doing, dumping the entire ASD in my lap. Of course, he probably didn't think I'd ever end up pregnant either, so I might consider yelling at him only half as long as I originally intended.
"Norian, if this is your baby, I swear I'll punch you in the face," I snapped.
"Breah-mul, you can't mean that," he whined. Winkler didn't waste any time, and he was gracious enough to haul me (and Norian) back to Le-Ath Veronis.
"Mom's glaring at Uncle Norian," Ry nudged Tory with his elbow.
Hey, she can probably hear you. I've been studying vampires on my comp-vid, Trik sent.
You got mindspeech? Ry sent as he stared at Trik in wonder.
I'm Belancour—or was. My mother and my grandfather both had mindspeech, and it only makes sense that I might have it. Besides, I practiced for the first time with Connegar and Reemagar when they worked on my right leg this afternoon. They smiled and sent mindspeech back, explaining what they were doing. It was amazing. Trik's smile came through in his mental voice.
All three boys sat in their usual seats at the dinner table, grinning like fools. Man, we can cause havoc now, Tory snickered.
Roff and Toff are here, Ry interrupted. Roff and Toff had clearly just arrived from working at the winery all afternoon. All three watched as Roff gave Toff a smile and steered him toward the three boys at the table before walking to his usual place near the Queen's chair.
"Hey, we're having pot roast," Tory nudged Ry. Tory loved pot roast, but the kitchen staff seldom prepared it.
"This is great—I can cut my own meat," Trik announced.
"All right!" The Queen clapped and laughed.
"Way to go, bro," Tory slapped Trik on the back.
"See, they look the same," Trik pointed at his right leg and foot. "It doesn't hurt, either, when the Larentii work on it." He, Ry, Tory and Toff had gathered in Ry's section of their shared suite. The suite had been enlarged to include space for Trik. Trik suspected the Larentii had a hand in that, too, but didn't voice his suspicions aloud.
"Toff, do you ever wonder about your dad?" Ry asked quietly while drawing a pattern on his comforter.
"Corent?" Toff asked, turning to Ry.
"No, not your adopted dad, your real one," Tory said, ducking his head to hide the unwanted flush that crept up his neck.
"He's dead," Toff shrugged.
"But what if he wasn't?" Trik asked. "If your father were still alive, would you wonder about him?"
"Of course. But Queen Lissa says there was an accident."
"To put it mildly," Ry muttered.
"And what if," Trik continued, "your real father, assuming he's alive, was afraid to tell you who he was, because he was worried you might be upset about it or reject him when you found out?"
"That's silly," Toff murmured. "Why would I be living in the palace if my father were still alive? Why would the Queen want to adopt me if my father were still alive? Wouldn't she just hand me back to him?"
"I think the Queen—Mom, sort of loves you, Toff. I think she's loved you for a long time," Ry said. "Since she met you, in fact, when you were a baby. You've been inside her office. That painting she has behind her desk? The one with the little boy under the tree?"
"I saw it. That has to be one of you," Toff blinked at Ry and Tory.
"Nope. Look at the date next to the signature, dude. That was painted before Ry and I were born. That painting is you, when you were little."
Toff stared at the brothers. "That can't be," he whispered.
"We've been working on this from the back end," Trik sighed. "Toff, if you want to know about your father, I have the information on my comp-vid. Your father was in a terrible accident, except it wasn't really an accident. Somebody tried to kill Queen Lissa, and he stepped in front of her to save her life. He got staked instead of her."
"He died, saving the Queen?" Toff stared at Trik.
"Well," Ry sounded embarrassed.
"You saw what was done for Cheedas," Tory said. Toff jerked his head in Tory's direction.
"My father's a vampire?"
"Yeah."
"Is that why I can't go to him—they're afraid he'll hurt me?" Toff's mind was whirling with dread.
"No. No, man, nothing like that," Ry held out a hand toward Toff. "I think he's just worried that you won't want him after all this time. I don't think he ever stopped loving you, either."
"The mindbond got in the way, and you didn't remember Mom or your dad," Tory sighed. "I think they're both worried about you and how you might feel about all this."
"But where is he? You seem to know all about this and I don't know anything." Toff was suddenly close to tears, and he didn't want to reveal the weakness to Tory, Ry and Trik.
"Just remember he loves you, and is trying to bring you back into his life the best way he knows how," Ry said, floating Trik's offered comp-vid toward Toff. "We can leave you alone while you read if that's what you want."
"Yes." Toff brushed away moisture from his face and didn't look up as Tory skipped the others away.
Toff had washed his face to remove the streaks, but his eyes still looked red and swollen. No surprise—he'd scrubbed them often as he read Roff's records. Markoff and Dariff, from the winery, were his uncle and cousin. They were always nice to him. Roff had been careful and thorough whenever he explained anything to Toff or taught him to use any of the equipment at the winery. Roff had taken him flying, too, holding him securely against his chest while he'd sailed across Casino City and Lissia.
