Demon Revealed (High Demon Series #2) by Connie Suttle Page A

receive mindspeech, just as I can. If
you desert your post, you will be committing treason .
    He threw his trump card in my face. I was already considered a
criminal by the Alliance. Now I might be guilty of treason if I didn't stay
among these thugs and listen for what little I might glean while working inside
Arvil's kitchen. I wanted to weep for being in so far over my head in all this.
I couldn't. I could only stand in front of Delvin and shiver.
    "I'll take the boy to the kitchen," Delvin gripped
my arm so hard it hurt.
    "He can have the sleeping quarters next to it,"
Arvil waved a hand. "Go ahead, but get back here quickly—we have to make
plans to pull the seed from our fields on Birimera, instead."
    * * *
    "They'll expect breakfast when they rise, but that
varies," Delvin said as he dragged me down a dark hallway. "This is
Arvil's private home," he added. "And it's a fortress with guards
around it at all times. Hop when he tells you, Reah, and cook as well for him
as you cooked for us."
    "You've been here before," I muttered, refusing to
look up at Delvin's face.
    "Yes. I have been here before."
    "I regret cooking for you," I said.
    "Reah, don't," Delvin hissed. "It was hard
enough to do this to Bel and the others—they don't have a chance against what's
coming. Keep your head down and don't aggravate Arvil. That will keep you alive
just as well as anything I can do for you. I swear I'll protect you as much as
I can."
    I wanted to yell at him about empty words and false promises,
but I didn't. I was stuck on Campiaa for the moment and had to fit in as best I
could.
    "This is the kitchen," Delvin hauled me inside. It
was smaller than I thought it might be—the parts of Arvil's private home we'd
gone through to get to the kitchen were much more spacious and better
furnished.
    "This is a cesspit," I moaned as I looked around me.
    "He doesn't spend where he doesn't think he has to,"
Delvin snapped. "Reah, don't fight me or Arvil San Gerxon over this. Make
do with what you have. Your sleeping quarters are next door," he pointed
to the left of the kitchen. "At least your suite has its own bath. I'll
try to find clothing for you. Be ready to make breakfast in the morning." Delvin
left me standing inside Arvil San Gerxon's nearly archaic kitchen while tears slipped
down my cheeks.
    They said they were going to pull seed from Birimera , I
sent. I was still wiping tears off my face as I made my report.
    Thank you. Lendill's reply was curt as he cut off the
communication.
    * * *
    "She's crying," Lendill sighed. "Don't tell
Torevik. I think he'll take both our heads."
    "I'd stay away from Aurelius too, if that sort of thing
worries you," Norian observed. "Let's help the others burn drakus
plants."
    * * *
    "Father, I am having enough trouble with my son over this.
You need to stay here and help us convince him to wait." Gavin hadn't been
on this side of things before. Aurelius had always been the reasonable one. Now
his vampire sire wanted to go haring off to Campiaa to rescue Reah. Gavin would
have done the same in Aurelius' place, but Gavril was panicking over Reah's
abduction, too.
    "Director Keef is leaving her there—she has already
gotten vital information for them. In fact, one of the planets where they are
growing drakus seed is the one on which you fought demons last." Aurelius
jerked his head up at Gavin's words.
    * * *
    "At least we don't have to wake our cook." Arvil
grinned as he led his contingent of wizards into his kitchen about a click
later. "We'll have a decent meal tonight."
    "Possibly not, Lord Arvil," I bowed to him as
respectfully as I could. "Your thermostat is broken on your oven, Lord."
I pointed to the digital readout on the outside of the oven, and then, using a
mitt, pulled the thermometer from the oven. The reading was very different.
    "Also, four of the six units on top of your stove do not
work, I am sorry to say." I led him to the stove and showed him that only two
were glowing red while the