Guarding the Goddess Read online

  Still, it didn’t seem like such visitors could be sent away or denied. Especially not the High Priest, who would no doubt cause no end of trouble if he felt she’d slighted him in any way.

  Ellina wished at least that she had Ty here for comfort. But after tasting her food and drink carefully, he had nodded his approval and gone off to do some training maneuvers with her new Chorkay guards, which he had handpicked himself.

  “You’ll be fine and safe as long as you stay in your apartments, my Lady,” he’d told her, when she’d asked him to stay for lunch. “I must take this opportunity to check the progress of your new personal guard. I want to be certain they’re perfect before I leave you to go back to the Mother Ship.”

  Ellina didn’t tell him that the thought of him leaving made her heart fist in her chest—although it certainly did. She was afraid she was becoming rather more fond of her Kindred bodyguard than was absolutely proper. So instead, she had nodded her head regally and bid him go.

  Now, however, as the High Priest and Baron Hennessey Tolland were ushered into her dining room, she wished she’d asked him to stay. This meeting would be so much more tolerable if only she had his presence at her back, looming over the other two males menacingly and letting them know she was not to be tampered with.

  Still, she had power in her own right, Ellina reminded herself. She was Potentate of the entire planet—it was time to act like it.

  She sat up straighter in her chair as the two men bowed over her hand, as was the custom. She couldn’t help noticing that Hennessey barely touched her offered fingers and seemed to make a disgusted face when he did so, though he wiped the expression quickly away when she looked at him more closely.

  Perhaps she had imagined it.

  “I’m so glad you could come to visit me,” she said, though she was nothing of the kind. “Won’t you have some lunch? I was just sitting down to eat.”

  “Actually, we’ve just come from a rather extensive brunch at Countess Birany’s estate,” Hennessey remarked. “Courses too numerous to count, including shaved ices and glow-cream poofs for dessert. Really, quite extravagant—nothing plain or boring about it,” he added, giving her simple lunch food a sidelong sneer.

  “But there’s always room for more, of course!” Lord Kikbax declared. “Of course we’ll join you for lunch, my dear.”

  Ellina thought about pointing out that “my dear” was in no way the correct way for the High Priest to address the Potentate and decided it wasn’t worth the battle. Lord Kikbax seemed to be in an expansive mood today—which was a definite improvement over the last time they’d spoken. Maybe he was here as a peace gesture, in which case, it might be better not to stand on ceremony.

  “Very well—I’m so glad you can stay, High Priest,” she said, pointedly calling him by his title and hoping he might take the hint and return the favor.

  But Kikbax only smiled and nodded and plopped himself down in a seat across from hers while Hennessey rather mincingly took another. He touched everything he came in contact with as though it was crawling with germs, Ellina thought, as she watched him pull a spotless white handkerchief out of his breeches pocket and surreptitiously wipe his hands on it after sitting down.

  Ellina had been going to serve herself, preferring perfect solitude in her rare moments alone. But since she had visitors, she felt obliged to call in a serving maid to bring out more dishes and bowls and cups and serve out two more portions of lunch, though there really wasn’t quite enough for three.

  The maid did the best she could, giving the lion’s share of the soup and sandwiches to Lord Kikbax and Hennessey. This was right and proper, as a hostess must always serve her guests the most and take the least for herself, even if the hostess is the Potentate.

  Especially if the hostess is the Potentate, Ellina thought glumly, watching as Hennessy poked gingerly at his sandwich as though it might bite him instead of the other way around and then picked up his long-handled spoon to stir his soup exactly once before putting it down.

  Clearly, her old nemesis wasn’t going to eat a thing. Lord Kikbax, however, was another matter.

  “Ah thank you, my dear—most kind. Most kind,” he murmured and then dug into the soup and sandwich as though he hadn’t eaten in weeks, even though he’d just come from an elaborate brunch.

  Ellina looked at her own meager sliver of sandwich and the tiny puddle of soup at the bottom of her bowl and tried not to sigh. They had to eat before any kind of business could be discussed, of course, so she got to it, making the most of her scanty lunch.

  There wasn’t much of it, though, so she was finished rather quickly. The High Priest polished his plate off in no time, also. And since it was clear that Hennessy wasn’t going to touch his lunch at all, he finished that as well. Then he sat back with a satisfied belch and patted his round blue stomach with both hands.

  “Well now, my dear Ellina, you’re probably wondering why we’re here,” he said, getting down to business at last.

  Ellina gritted her teeth over his casual use of her first name—just as though she were his daughter or niece instead of his ruler, she thought. But she was determined to keep the peace, so she only nodded and said,

  “Of course, High Priest. Please tell me what brings me the pleasure of your company today.”

  “Nicely spoken!” Lord Kikbax nudged Hennessy and nodded at Ellina approvingly. “Good manners, this one,” he murmured, as though commending a child who had remembered to say “please” and “thank you” after much prompting.

  Ellina liked this even less than his use of her first name, but she only waited politely, jaw set, for him to get to the point.

  “So…” The High Priest clapped his pudgy hands together and rubbed them in apparent anticipation. “The reason I’m here is to introduce your consort, Barron Hennessy Tolland—in an official manner, you know,” he added to Ellina in an aside. “I know the two of you played together as children.”

  He laughed heartily, as though he’d made a joke before going on.

  “Since your Heat Cycle must be coming upon you, I think it best that Baron Tolland stays near you until your breeding time is imminent.”

  “Wait just a minute, High Priest.” Hennessy held up one slim hand imperiously. “I have a few provisions of my own before I’ll agree to join with the Potentate and especially to breed with her.” He made a face, as though the very thought of being with Ellina was disgusting.

  As it happened, Ellina felt the exact same way. She wanted to interrupt and tell the High Priest she wanted nothing to do with his pick for her consort. But Hennessey kept talking, not letting her get a word in edgewise.

  “Now, before I’ll agree to this,” he began, self-importantly, “I think we need to set some ground-rules. I’ll need to have my own apartments—away from Ellina’s—here in the palace,” he began. “There’s a rather nice town-home down on Veebly street, across from the higher priced Pleasure Houses. I’ve already checked it out—it’s only five hundred thousand credits. Ellina can buy it for me for a joining-day gift.” He looked at Ellina directly. “I also want it understood that I will not breed you with the lights on. I am willing to tolerate your deformities, but I refuse to look at them while I service you. It’s simply too disgusting.”

  “Well now, that’s a bit harsh, don’t you think, my boy?” Kikbax protested mildly.

  “It’s only the truth. I’m not trying to be cruel, understand—just realistic,” Hennessy said, his green-blue eyes flashing maliciously. “I mean, in order to breed her, I must be able to…er, raise the flag to a full salute, you might say. And if I must bear the sight of her mutations, that simply won’t be possible. No…” He shook his head decisively. “The lights must be off. Also, as soon as I get you with a healthy heir, I want it understood that will be the end of any kind of carnal relations between us.” He gave Ellina a sneering look. “You won’t miss them anyhow, since you haven’t the correct organs to appreciate any kind of pleasure.”

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