Demon Lost Read Free

she gave me before she disappeared through the door. It held the promise of future revenge for imaginary slights.
    * * *
    I didn't go inside Desh's number one as I walked the streets of Targis on off-day. Instead, I walked past the restaurant—twice. I held no expectations of a father happy to see his only daughter, or of an offered meal to a member of the family. It was an end-day and reservations would be required. I wouldn't even get a corner of the kitchen and a meal.
    Sad, I know, that I had a family such as this. A bookstore stood across the street, with flashing images of the latest in both fiction and nonfiction. Settling in one of the free news kiosks inside the store, I did a search on all the news-vids concerning the family restaurants since I'd left for the military three months before. Since then, the annual reviews had come out so I settled in to read them.
    "Surprisingly, Desh's restaurant in Shirves did not achieve its usual excellent rating," the food critic wrote. "Desh's Capital City restaurant has regained the crown for the finest eatery on Tulgalan. Edan Desh was not available for comment but Addah Desh was quite happy with the results. My second son has had the honors for the past three years; it is time that he gave his father a break, yes ? Addah told me." I ended the reading with a sigh, wondering if Edan missed his whipping girl as much as he missed my cooking.
    The streets of Targis had changed so much in eleven years. Of course, things would appear differently to an eight-year-old child. I wandered through parts of it that seemed familiar to me before catching the pub-trans back to the Governor's complex. As expected, I entered through the rear entrance so as not to disturb or embarrass the Governor or his family. Master Vyn waited impatiently outside the door of my tiny room as I made my way down the narrow, dimly lit hallway to my quarters.
    "I expect you to prepare meals and I expect you to hand the credit to me, Leetha and Morane or I will make your life unlivable," he began. Setting my single purchase of a book on comp-vid down carefully on my bed I turned to face Vyn.
    "Whatever you say, Master Vyn," I said tiredly. Briefly, I entertained thoughts of Master Vyn being beaten by Edan, but quickly squashed that idea. No sense or satisfaction might come from seeking revenge—even the imaginary kind.
    At first, Vyn expected me to clean up after I'd cooked all day, but soon realized that it was exhausting me. Of course, it took the second time of my fainting after extremely long days to convince him. Leetha and Morane didn't take kindly to having to clean after that and they complained and moaned the entire time. I still chopped and prepared all the vegetables when they should have had to pitch in. Vyn didn't push it with either—he was afraid sex would be withheld.
    I was almost enjoying myself—even with the long hours and exhausting work. New recipes came of my efforts and the Governor's favorite was an ox-roast carefully folded around a paste of mushrooms and herbs, with more of the paste laid across a pastry that wrapped the folded roast. The pastry would bake to a flaky crispness with the mushroom concoction inside, which blended perfectly with the meat juices, creating a wonderful meal when served with fresh greens sprinkled with a light dressing. Even Vyn would hope that some of the ox-roast would come back from the Governor's table—he enjoyed it, too. He never said that he liked it or offered any compliments; he merely ate as much as he could with a glass of good, red wine.
    * * *
    "There is an escape pod drill tomorrow afternoon," Vyn informed me haughtily before leaving the kitchen after the trays went out one evening. "Be sure you know which pod is designated for you and go directly there. The exercise will be timed and the Governor will not be pleased if we do not all perform to expectations." I stared up at Vyn—he wasn't particularly tall but still he was taller than I.
    "Yes,