Guarding the Goddess Read online

  Not with Ty serving, however.

  “Is this dish to my Lady’s liking?” he would ask, holding out a dish of candied eep berries. Or, “Does the Goddess in the Flesh have an appetite for this tonight?” while holding out a tureen of steaming tolgen fungus stew.

  Ellina was able to pick and choose but she didn’t taste a single thing set before her until the big Kindred was done serving her. Then she waited while he took a small bite or sip of each item and then nodded his approval to her.

  He seemed to linger longest over the pale, buttery yellow ulumina wine, Ellina thought. But at last, he nodded his approval and she had a sip herself. It tasted the same as it always did, she thought, though the big Kindred’s apparent uncertainty made her drink it sparingly.

  Down the table from her, she saw the High Priest watching as she brought the silver and gold goblet to her lips. He raised his own goblet in a silent toast to her when he saw her looking at him and smiled.

  Bemused at his sudden change in mood, Ellina returned the toast and took another sip. Maybe he was rethinking his earlier behavior and hoping she would forgive him.

  At long last, the interminable banquet ended. To her relief, Ellina was the first who got to leave, due to her status as Potentate. After Ty had given her his arm to help her from the table and led her away, the other nobles were free to go as well.

  As she left, Ellina heard the low murmuring as they talked to each other, moving slowly away from the table, but she tried hard not to listen to it. Doubtless they were saying what they really thought of her, now that they were fairly certain not to be overheard.

  Don’t be paranoid, she chided herself as Lor bounced and squeaked on top of her head. Not everything is about you, you know.

  It would have been easier advice to take if she hadn’t heard the same people speak about her so often in the past, when she was a child—when she was trying to fit in with them… But no—she would put the bad memories from her mind and try to start fresh, Ellina told herself. She was the Potentate now, it was time to rise above the pain of the past—or at least try to.

  She was glad to get safely back to her apartments and take a long, relaxing bath. At least she had no more engagements tonight—though tomorrow she would have to make a public appearance in the Holy Mists—a prospect she dreaded.

  Still, there was no point in thinking about it now. For now, she decided, she would relax and enjoy the time she had off from being on public display.

  She felt boneless with weariness and more than ready to go to bed as she slipped into the long, silky nightdress her personal maid had laid out for her. Unlike many of her clothes, it was not Sacred Blue, but rather a warm, golden ivory which Ellina liked very much. She liked the high neckline and low hemline too. She preferred to dress modestly—though she would be lying if she claimed she didn’t enjoy the touch of the cool, silky fabric against her breasts and the rub of it between her legs.

  Ellina frowned as she stood before a mirror and rubbed her breasts through the soft fabric of the nightdress. She hadn’t used to notice such things—the sensual brush of silk against her bare skin or the good feeling she got when it touched her more sensitive areas. But lately, it was all she could think of sometimes.

  Which caused her to worry.

  Please, not yet, she thought as she looked at herself in the silvery reflective surface. I’m not ready yet—please!

  But all the begging in the world wouldn’t change things one way or another. It was time to go to bed and stop worrying.

  Yawning, Ellina opened the door of her bathing room, intending to cross the living area and go to her bed chamber. But when she looked up, she was so startled she stopped dead in her tracks.

  Ty was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace that faced the nearest couch and he had an indecisive frown on his face.

  “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.”

  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 unus