But just because she didn’t mind showing herself was no excuse for staring.
“Forgive me.” He looked away quickly and then realized belatedly she’d asked him a question. “Um, garments?” he asked, darting a glance back at her. “But…you’re not wearing any garments.”
“Of course I am.” She reached to her waist and pulled at something—it was a stretchy piece of fabric the exact color of her skin, Ty realized. And it covered her from the waist down to her crotch. He frowned. She showed him a similar area of stretchy fabric above as well and he began to understand. Could it be that she was wearing undergarments with pictures of her genitals printed on them? How very strange. But that was what it looked like.
“They’re a complete lie, of course.” Ellina sounded sad yet somehow resigned. “But they’re necessary in case we meet some common people. They must not know that their beloved Potentate is deformed.”
“Deformed?” Ty managed to ask. Did she mean because she apparently had three breasts and two vaginas, or sacred mouths, as they were called here? But didn’t all Chorkay women have such attributes? Asher’s mate, Lisa had certainly seemed to think so.
Ellina only shook her head.
“Never mind—let’s get this over with.”
“Wait.” Ty barred her way when she would have gone out the golden door which apparently led to the Holy Mists. “Before we go out there, I need to know what to expect. What are your duties today? Are you simply supposed to walk around and be seen?”
“For the most part.” Ellina nodded. “But then I must choose someone to bring into my private purification chamber—it’s the room beside this one…” She pointed to another golden door which apparently led into the next chamber. “I will wash him or her with my own hands, which symbolizes the fact that the Potentate serves the people, rather than the other way around.”
“What? You have to wash a naked male in front of everyone?” Ty didn’t like the sound of that at all. A low, possessive growl rose to his lips when he thought about the curvy little Potentate putting her hands on some one else’s naked flesh. She was his, damn it, and he wasn’t going to stand by and watch her touch someone else intimately!
Of course, he had no right to claim her in that way and his rational mind knew it but the primitive, possessive part of him couldn’t be overcome. He couldn’t let her do that, damn it! No way in all the Seven Hells!
“I’m afraid I can’t permit it,” he heard himself saying. “It’s not safe. What if you choose someone dangerous? Someone who means you harm?”
“It won’t be me choosing—it will be Lor,” Ellina explained patiently, pointing to the little Sacred Blue chewchie who was chattering quietly on top of her head. “And it won’t be in public—I told you, it’s going to be in my private purification chamber. If it makes you feel better, you can bear witness to the act. It’s not necessary to have a witness but some Potentates do.”
Ty wanted to say he didn’t want to witness her touching anyone else—especially not naked—but this was beginning to sound more and more like some kind of religious ceremony.
“Is this really necessary?” he asked her, frowning. “I mean, you have to wash some naked stranger? Some male you’ve never seen before?”
“Or female. It just depends on who Lor chooses.” She looked up, again indicating the chewchie sitting on to of her head. “And yes, it’s necessary—it is The Rite of Humility and it’s one of the ceremonies all Potentates must observe yearly in the presence of Thufar.” She looked worried. “In fact, the High Priest himself is supposed to preside over it.”
“Well, that ought to be fun,” Ty said dryly. “Especially considering how your midday meal with him ended.”
“I know, I know—don’t remind me!” Ellina bit her lip, her long hair swirling around her bare shoulders. Looking at her, Ty thought she was beautiful, despite the extra accoutrements she seemed to possess.
“Well, maybe it won’t be so bad,” he said, trying to console her. “He might simply want to get it over quickly.”
“I know I do,” she said fervently. “Come on—are you ready to go now?”
“I am, but I still don’t like this situation,” Ty growled. “Stay close to me at all times. And I want you to know if whoever, uh, Lor chooses you to bathe gets too familiar, I’m taking him out.”
“Don’t worry, my protective guard…” Ellina made a soothing motion with both hands. “Whoever I must bathe is not allowed to touch me. I can touch them, but they must not lay a finger upon my royal person.”
“Well…all right.” It was somewhat better, though still not anything he liked, Ty thought. “Let’s go then,” he said. “But stay close to me—especially around that bastard, Kikbax.”
Chapter Fifteen
However, when they stepped out of Ellina’s dressing room into the swirling steam of the Holy Mists, it wasn’t the High Priest who greeted them but one of his underlings.
“Greetings,” he said formally, bowing low, as was correct when greeting the Potentate. “Forgive me, oh Goddess in the Flesh,” he said to Ellina when he straightened up. “But the High Priest of Thufar is unwell. He sends his regrets and begs you will accept me as a fitting replacement to lead you through the Ritual of Humility. I am Natillus and this is my wife, Lambada.”
“Greetings, your Majesty.” Lambada bowed low as well.
Ellina felt a surge of relief. Of course Lord Kikbax was offering her an insult by not appearing himself—The Ritual of Humility was an important yearly ceremony—one of the Great Rites of Thufar—which ought never to be deferred to an underling. Still, she couldn’t
