"I won't ever be able to walk anywhere again, without being recognized," I sighed. Everyone had likely seen my image. If not tonight, they'd see it tomorrow or the day after. And what would happen to Teeg? I shook my head and rose from my seat.
"Reah, do you need something?" Kevis was suddenly there, reaching out a hand.
"I feel dizzy," I said.
"Baby, don't pass out on me," Teeg was right there with Kevis. I wobbled; Teeg lifted me in his arms. "Let's go to the kitchen and get something to drink," he said softly. I fainted on the way.
Chapter 10
Vampires lean over their mates when they sleep. That act provides protection for those they love. It is instinctual to cover their mate as much as possible, because vampires are vulnerable during the day. Gavril had explained it to me once, long ago. Aurelius did it. Teeg also. I knew that one of my vampires was in the bed with me when I woke. His body was huddled over mine, careful not to place any weight on it.
"Awake?" Teeg's voice.
"Mmm," I mumbled. Queasiness made its presence known. Teeg had me out of the bed and in the adjoining bathroom in a blink. He must have sent mindspeech; at least half a dozen people appeared, including Kevis, Lok, Aurelius and Edward.
"Breathe slowly, Reah," Kevis had my head as low as it would go. My face was washed when I stopped heaving and I was hauled straight to the kitchen and given something to drink.
"Better?" Aurelius held me on his lap, brushing hair away from my face as I drank the juice I'd been given. A bowl of hot cereal was placed in front of me next, with fruit and brown sugar mixed in.
"Here we go," Auri held my hand steady when it shook trying to get the spoon to my mouth.
"I'll get my people started on ice cream and be right back," Edward said. There wasn't any way I could do it, feeling as badly as I did. Teeg got a communication on his comp-vid, so he stepped out of the kitchen to take the call. Lendill showed up and accepted a cup of coffee while he watched me eat. All of them were watching me eat.
Plates of food appeared for them shortly after, and Edward came back, sitting down and eating with the rest. Edward's four supervisors also came in for a meeting. Keedan grinned at me while he had breakfast. Edward and his supervisors talked about spraying the groves after the harvest.
"Insects are afraid of High Demons in Thifilatha or Thifilathi, that's how I kept Kifirin's groves naturally insect-free," I said after eating as much of my breakfast as I could. Aurelius was rubbing my belly absently while he listened to the others.
"Really?" Keedan gave me a smile.
"Are you teasing me or questioning my methods?" I asked.
"Both," he said. "Little girl, I'm living for the day when you show me what I saw last night on the vids."
"That didn't scare you?" I asked, my skepticism showing.
"Just turned out badly for the evil ones," he grinned. "I saw you standing in the doorway, keeping the rabble away from those girls. Have you seen the morning news?" He pushed a comp-vid toward me.
"I was busy heaving in the bathroom," I said. Aurelius, using a little power, pulled the comp-vid toward me. "He did that," I pointed to Auri. I still sat on his lap, after all. I tapped the comp-vid and found all sorts of responses to the news program the evening before. The best one, however, was from Xordthe. People were crowding outside Cynthin Gerg's Presidential palace, with vid signs. Some were downright nasty, calling her a bitch and other unkind names, but my favorite was the large sign held up by a group of people that said Reah Nilvas saved the planet. What have you done for Xordthe, Cynthin?
I laughed as the aud proclaimed that those people were scientists who'd seen the weakening core firsthand. They were puzzled when it magically healed itself. Except that it hadn't healed itself. I'd done it. Local media were interviewing some of those scientists, who did indeed have official numbers in hand and gladly showed anyone who wanted to see.
"Reah, I have a group of Council members assembled outside my palace, demanding to see you," Teeg walked back in with a sigh.
"What for?" I asked. Aurelius wrapped his arms around me when I shivered.
"They want to know that you're all right."
An hour later, I was showered, dressed and transported to Teeg's palace on Campiaa. Teeg had shifted the Council members to one of the smaller ballrooms inside the San Gerxon Casino. Astralan, leaning down to give me a kiss, transported us over. Stellan, Celestan and Galaxsan were already there, providing security. I didn't know it would turn into a press conference. Someone had brought Hild Marolla in as well.
"Sit here, baby," Teeg settled me onto a seat at the center of a long table. The crowd inside the ballroom was growing.
Do not fear, my love, I have shields in place, Nefrigar sent to me. He was standing in shadow at the end of the table. I think he had himself shielded and was visible only to those he chose. And when I looked, I found four more Larentii standing in the corners of the room. They were protecting me, at Nefrigar's direction. I was also being recorded as Teeg sat next to me.
"Was that true, what I was shown?" Hild Marolla started the questioning. "Can you really heal planetary cores?"
"I've done it several times," I nodded at his question. "I've been back to Thiskil recently and there are a few weeds and plants growing, but it's still mostly dead. I wish there was something else I could do to hurry the process, but it's going to take time. The others, like Xordthe, had been tapped recently when I healed them, and Xordthe had only been tapped from one place. That made it easier to repair."
"Some planets were tapped in multiple places?" A scientist from a respected journal had come to ask questions.
"Yes. Tulgalan was one of those. The energy I poured into it was leaking out the other site, so it was more difficult to repair."
"This energy, where does it come from?" The scientist asked.
"From a renewable source that constantly puts out energy," I said. "It's stellar energy. I act as a conduit and siphon it to the damaged core before sealing it up. Isn't that where all the energy came from in the beginning? That power should be natural, and I've been assured it's the best way to heal the cores." Nefrigar had smiled when he'd told me that.
"On the original vid," someone else said, "shown on Temporary Insanity, the doctor asked about a suicide attempt. Would you care to explain that?"
"No," I said.
"But you did try it, according to the vid, by a volcano, is that correct?"