Blood Finale (God Wars #5) (20 page)

"Me." Breanne appeared beside me, with Chazi, Bekzi, Perzi and Trajan right behind her.

"Bree." I stood and hugged her, fighting back tears as I did so.

"Good to see you, too," she whispered before kissing my cheek. "We need to talk. In private."

Five minutes later, we left Trajan and Bree's reptanoids in the kitchen with Adam, Merrill, Kiarra and Gavin while she and I went to the media room to talk. I had a guess as to what she wanted to talk about, and I didn't have any good answers.

"Kifirin," she sighed once the door was shut behind us.

"Yeah." I flopped onto a nearby chair with a sigh.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"I do and I don't want him back, and I know that's not an answer."

"If I bring him back, he won't be tied to Quislus any longer. He'll be my child, just as Thurlow is Charles's."

"You'll be Kifirin's parent?" I stared—I know I did.

"If I bring him back. I just wanted to make sure you were okay with that. If you absolutely don't want him back, then I'll leave him dead, but honestly, he could be a big help to us."

"I don't want him gone forever," I mumbled.

"You just have to get past a few hurts; I understand that," Bree said. She sent me
Love
, then, and it drove a shiver through me as I reveled in it.

"Look, I'll use up the energy I have to do this, but I'll stay on the Larentii homeworld for a few days with my Larentii and my lion snakes, until I build my strength up again. Coming back to a corporeal body sucks."

"I understand," I said. I did. I'd come back to a corporeal body before after leaving it behind for a while. It had taken time to get my strength back. I also recalled who'd lent me strength then—Kifirin.

"Then let's do this," I said, suddenly determined to see it through. Kifirin and I still had things to discuss.

"Great. Let's get the reptanoids and go. Kal will probably be pissed, but that won't be any different from how he usually is," she said philosophically.

* * *

Breanne's Journal

"Shall I keep the decoys in the archives?" Nefrigar beamed at me when Lissa and I arrived in the Archives.

"Sure. You never know when those things might come in handy," I said.

"My Love, you could have sent mindspeech."

Just as I expected, Kal was pissed when he arrived. His red hair crackled with the energy of his annoyance, and it would likely fry any normal person if they happened to touch it.

"Kalenegar, rejoice that she came to us," Barrigar and Graegar appeared together. Barrigar was the one handing a lesson to the new Head of the Larentii Council, however.

"I am rejoicing," Kal snapped.

"Good lord, I'd hate to see what happy looks like," Lissa muttered.

"Honey, you can yell later," I pointed out. "Lissa and I have things to do, first."

"What things? Li'Neruh said you were weak."

"Remind me to kick Li'Neruh's ass—later," I said. "I have enough energy for this. And then you get to put up with me and yell as much as you like until I'm strong enough to kick your ass."

"You will stay with me?" Kal expressed disbelief.

"I said that. Although I'd like Graegar and Barrigar with me, too."

"Then you will stay here and the Larentii will protect you."

"There's something I'd like to discuss with the Council, when you meet next time."

"I will put your request forward," Graegar nodded, after offering me a sly smile.

"We also protect," Chazi announced.

"You absolutely will," I agreed.

"Poison does not affect Larentii," Kal huffed.

"I can change that," I pointed a finger at him.

"I think we should leave things as they are," Lissa intervened.

"True. Stop pissing me off," I waggled my finger at Kal.

"I can't help it," he mumbled, before lifting me and kissing me soundly. "There. That is for making me worry."

Honey, I'm sorry about your father
. I stroked his cheek to convey my sincerity.

Keep touching me and I will fold you to a very private place
, he kissed me again.

Let's save that for later, okay?
I kissed him to seal the deal.

I will not forget.

"Nefrigar, Lissa and I need to see Kifirin's body," I said aloud.

"We will come with you," Kal announced. He wasn't done handing out orders, looked like.

* * *

Kifirin's black scales were tinged with gray in death, and it was sad to see such a vibrant Thifilathi devoid of life and energy. I'd never really met him—what I knew I'd read from Lissa.

"You should move away from Breanne," Kal cautioned my reptanoids. "The backwash of energy will be enormous."

I waited until Chazi and the others stood at a safe distance before lifting my hands and pulling in every ounce of energy I could muster.

* * *

Lissa's Journal

The Archives filled with light—the brightness even penetrated opaque walls as Bree worked her miracle. I had no idea how Kifirin might be or feel when she brought him back, but I imagined he'd demand many answers. What surprised me was this; when the light dissipated and Kifirin's Thifilathi opened its eyes, a slow smile curved his lips before he changed back to humanoid.

We'll need time alone
, my sister sent mindspeech.
And then I'll need some sleep
. I folded the reptanoids away while Kal and the other Larentii reluctantly followed.

* * *

Breanne's Journal

"This is how it should have been in the beginning, isn't it?" Kifirin lifted an eyebrow at me. My sudden exhaustion forced me to take a sitting position on the floor so he followed suit, watching me carefully.

"Yes," I nodded wearily. "I don't have a lot of time—I was forced to use up everything I had to bring you back," I said. "But you're stronger, now. I made you Ghi'Yisi."

"Why?" He lowered his head, afraid to look at me suddenly.

"To make you strong enough to rule the Dark Realm," I replied with a shrug. "It would have been done in the beginning when you volunteered, had anyone besides Quislus been your parent."

"You knew?" His head jerked up at my answer.

"Wisdom knew."

"Of course. But you are my parent now? I cannot express my gratitude for that."

"You don't have to. Bear in mind that you are new, too. All your old promises are gone. Li'Neruh will still supervise, but it is my hope that his supervision will be light in the future. And you may always approach me or the others, if you want."

"What about Quislus?" The question was a growl and a curl of smoke drifted away with an angry breath.

"We have to kill him. You know that, don't you?"

"I do." He didn't sound upset.

"Separate his particles if you see him. Don't bother to talk. That's what got us in trouble last time—we stayed for a chat and the General appeared."

"I understand. I will deal with any of the other Hidden the same way."

"Only a few of them might be stronger than you are now," I pointed out. "What they know—or think they know—is that you're dead. If they see you again, they'll expect you to be the same—a Nameless One. They won't expect this." I held out my hands tiredly. "So don't let any of the others know what you are now. Even Lissa. I think she's willing to forgive, especially since you can show her you've changed."

"It will help a great deal for her and the others to know that you are now my parent."

"Yes, but make sure that stays within the confines of our allies. The enemy doesn't need to know."

"I understand that." He smiled, which caused his dark eyes to light beautifully.

"Great. Let's go. I'm exhausted."

* * *

Lissa's Journal

A wave of emotion hit me when I saw Kifirin walk in with Breanne in his arms. Already her eyes were closed—she was beyond tired. Kifirin offered me a dazzling smile as he handed Bree to Kalenegar before stalking in my direction. I didn't try to stop him. When he leaned in to kiss me, love enveloped me such as I'd never felt from him before.

Yes, I knew it was from Breanne and I blessed her for it.

* * *

Ashe's Journal

"You're going after Song and Serenade, plus anybody else they bring along?" Kay rested in the crook of my arm in Lissa's arboretum while Edward, Reah and I spoke of their current mission.

"Yes. They have reservations at Desh's. For four," Reah said. "We arranged to have High Demons waiting on tables while they're there, and more than enough in the kitchen to take care of the situation. I hope," she added.

"I'll help," I offered. "I'd like to see them go down myself."

"Tomorrow night," Reah sighed. Kay huddled tighter against me. We had to be extremely careful—if the General was keeping a watch over Song and Serenade, we stood to lose a lot if we caught his attention a second time.

"I'll contact Trajan and we'll start shielding the restaurant," I offered. "To keep damage at a minimum, if it comes to that."

"Good idea. Let me know if I can help," Edward agreed. "We don't need to be obvious," he added.

"We can do this invisibly—as mist," I said. "Nobody will know we're there."

Are you sure?
Kay's mental voice was small and tentative.

As sure as I can be in such unstable times
, I assured her.
Nowadays, nobody can be one hundred percent certain of anything.

I can't lose you again.

I know, baby. Don't ever forget that I love you. Okay?

I won't forget. Ever.

"How good are you in a kitchen?" Reah asked.

"I can boil water," I grinned. "Scramble eggs. Peel potatoes."

"We'll let you wash dishes," she grinned.

"Sounds about right," I laughed.

"I'll help. Wash dishes, that is. I can do that, no problem," Kay said.

"Are you sure?" Reah asked.

"Yes. I want to be with Ashe and the rest of you. This is important to me."

"Baby, hide in the kitchen if it gets to be too much," I said.

"I know that I need to be as calm as possible," Kay replied. "I swear I won't give us away."

"Then we'll do this," I agreed, leaning in to steal a kiss. "Those women won't know what hit them."

* * *

Lissa's Journal

"Do you love me still?" I snuggled in Kifirin's embrace atop my palace as he asked the question.

"Yes. You ought to know better than that," I mumbled. Rain threatened on a cool day in Lissia, although it hadn't fallen as yet. "I just have some issues regarding Gavril and Reah."

"I know. I should have considered other options. I did not."

"At least Tybus holds my son's soul."

"At least something went right," Kifirin agreed while nuzzling my neck and collarbone. "Tybus was more than honorable. He died defending his daughter, the former Queen of Le-Ath Veronis.
You.
" Kifirin's mouth took mine in a breath-stealing kiss. "I loved you then, but I was foolish and slept, leaving you unguarded."

"I believe Quislus may have had a hand in that, at Acrimus' command," I said when he pulled away. "This may be hard for you to hear, honey, but I think they were pulling subtle strings all along, and as long as your actions didn't interfere with their plans, you had some measure of free will."

"But it angers me that they were pulling my strings, but that is a weak description of what they actually accomplished."

"I agree," I said. "They were fucking everybody, we just didn't know it."

"They deserve the fucking this time," Kifirin blew a cloud of smoke. It drifted away on the breeze as he pondered his life and previous fate.

"Honey, I don't ever want to see you dead again," I sighed.

"I never wish to be visited by that condition again," he conceded. "I really was dead. I recall nothing after the initial pain."

"How do you feel about Breanne being your parent now?"

"I am more grateful than I have words to describe. When I woke this time, I knew I was loved. Quislus always said he loved me, and perhaps he did in an extremely warped fashion, but it was never like this. Not even close."

"Breanne has that way about her," I said, nodding. "She sent
Love
to Gavin and me after Gavril died. I can't begin to describe that feeling, or how it helped us. Gavin is a different person, now. I can't ever repay that debt. He mistreated her horribly and she still did that for him."

"She saved Gavril's life on several occasions. She just wasn't familiar enough with her abilities to read what was happening to him until it was too late. Either way, an innocent would have died. It would have been a choice between Gavril and Tybus."