“My Lady,” he said, when he looked up and saw Ellina standing there looking at him with a quizzical expression on her face. “We need to talk.”
Chapter Nine
There had been something in the wine again tonight—Ty was certain of it. It had been the same substance that had been dumped into the Cup of Wisdom only there had been more of it!
Damn it, who was doing this? Who was trying to drug the new Potentate? Who would dare?
Ty didn’t know but he was determined to get to the bottom of it and stop whoever it was before they could try it again—or something worse.
But…what if he couldn’t find the person drugging the Potentate’s drinks? Or what if he did find out who it was—what good would it do in the long run when Ellina had so many enemies?
Though it hadn’t seemed so at first, Ty was beginning to see that the royal court here was a hotbed of backbiting and intrigue. The actions of the High Priest as well as the murmured remarks he’d overheard from some of the nobles confirmed that. For some reason, they didn’t seem to like their new Potentate very well, though he couldn’t imagine why not. Perhaps because there were too many people hungry for the power which had been given to one small female, who they thought could be easily gotten out of the way.
Not while I’m by her side, Ty thought fiercely. I’ll kill anyone who tries to harm her and make a fucking example of them so the rest will think twice before they try again.
But as soon as her personal guard was trained and ready, he would be going back to the Mother Ship, leaving her alone and defenseless against such treachery. And though the guards he was training would die to defend her in battle, none of them had his own ability to refute more subtle attacks, like poison.
His earlier idea re-surfaced in Ty’s mind. It was radical and not at all proper but it was all he could think of. When he saw Ellina stepping out of her bathing chamber, he couldn’t be silent.
“My Lady,” he told her. “We need to talk.”
“Oh? Is there something wrong, Ty?” She came to him at once, a look of uncertainty on her lovely face. He tried not to notice how the firelight shone through the long, ivory gown she was wearing or the way the silky fabric clung to the full curves of her breasts and hips.
“My Lady,” he said, coming right to the point. “Ellina—someone tried to drug you again tonight.”
“Oh, no!” Her slim hand flew to her mouth. “Was it in the wine?” she asked. “I thought you were lingering quite a long time when you tasted it.”
“Because I had to neutralize the substance again,” Ty said grimly, nodding. “I couldn’t give it to you to drink until I was certain it wouldn’t harm you.”
“But who could be doing this? And why?” Ellina demanded, clearly upset. “I’ve only just become Potentate but the people seem happy enough—in fact, they love me!”
“The common people do, but I am not so sure about the nobles,” Ty said darkly. “And it may be because the common people love you that someone is trying to drug you. A ruler beloved by her people is much harder to depose than one the people don’t care about or despise.”
“So they’re trying to kill me?” Her face went pale.
Ty shook his head hastily.
“No, as I told you before, this substance—whatever it is—is not a poison. But I don’t know what it might do to you if you were allowed to ingest it. It might be a mind control agent, or a hallucinogen, or any number of other things.”
Ellina bit her lip. “Then I guess it’s very lucky I have you by my side to protect me from such nefarious plots.”
“But you won’t have me forever.” At her wide, uncertain eyes, Ty softened his voice. “My orders are to stay until your new personal guard of Chorkay warriors are trained and vetted to keep you safe. After that, I am to return to the Kindred Mother Ship.”
“But…but none of my people has your ability. None of those guards—no matter how well you train them—will be able to detect and neutralize poison!” she exclaimed.
“I know.” Ty sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. “Which is why I would like to propose a rather…” He cleared his throat. “A rather unusual solution.”
“No matter how unusual it is, I will hear it.” She sat on the couch before the fire, her hands on her lap and her head tilted up to him like an attentive pupil. Her long, damp hair fell around her face in thick profusion and her face was an open book filled with curiosity and concern. Her innocent loveliness made Ty’s heart fist in his chest.
“This solution…it would entail a certain…” He cleared his throat again. Gods, he ought not to say this—ought not to propose it. It wasn’t at all what he was supposed to be doing here. But what other way could he protect her after he was gone?
“Go on, Ty,” she prompted gently and he realized that he had to—he couldn’t stop now.
“It would entail a certain intimacy,” he said at last. “Which you might not wish to permit.”
Her face grew pale and her eyes got wide with fear.
“I cannot breed with you! I have not yet entered my Heat Cycle. At least…” Her blue cheeks flushed a pale purple in the firelight. “I don’t think I have.”
“No, no!” Ty said quickly. Damn it, he felt like an opportunistic ass! “I would never try to coerce you into,
