“More or less.It is complicated.My wife is his stepdaughter’s aunt but also her adopted sibling.It’s complicated.”He shrugged.
“Yeah, sounds like it.”
Ithal walked over under Eskin’s escort and stared up at Denier.“Wow.A real reaper.”
Denier blinked as if that was not what he thought would come out of the child’s mouth.“Um, yes.It is a family occupation.Do you have one?”
Ithal pointed toward Alody.“Mom is a seamstress, but she used to be a team member and an educator.My sister was a cook and a surrogate, but now she runs the new playpark with Kessie’s mom, and she’s also an empress.I think I have options.”
Denier looked at Diena.“You are his sister?”
“Yes.”
“His father?”
Ithal said, “He’s gone.He wasn’t a good man.”
Denier looked at Diena.“Hard to get out of stitching?”
She nodded.“That would be correct.”
“I see.So any contracts that have come out of Lorn in the last ten years?”
“Going back the last fifty.If there are any contracts issued out of Lorn or by the government, I am declaring them null and void.If the women survived, they have a right to a life, and if one of the fighters has a tag on them, nullify it.No order from Lorn more than six months ago is still valid.”
“That is when you took the throne?”
“That is when I remembered taking the throne.”She grinned.
Ithal chuckled.“Vaken would have brought you chocolate.”
Jenaki snorted.“That kid has training.”
Diena grinned.“It would seem so.After all the years with nothing, the hormonal rush hit me rather hard.”
He paused.“I had not thought of that.I need to write a paper.”
“Do what you want.I am wondering which of those shrubs is edible.”
Jenaki blinked.“Shit.Right.We are raiding the kitchen.”
He slid an arm around her, and Salat walked them toward the house.
She said, “Bro, we are getting snacks, are you coming?”
Ithal said, “Heading for Mom, under escort.”
Eskin laughed and ushered him back to the crowd of excited ex-team members.
Diena sighed with relief as Salat showed her to a table that had trays of tiny mouthfuls, and she began her tour with enthusiasm.
She felt the pounding hunger headache fading.A glass of juice was held out to her, and she drained it in under a minute.Jenaki got her another.
Salat brought her a cup of coffee.“You look a little rough.”
She crammed another little bite into her mouth.“Eventful day.”
Jenaki rubbed her back, and the warmth relaxed her.
