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.”
�
��Now, Baron Tolland…” the High Priest said, frowning a bit.
“Well, it’s true,” Hennessy exclaimed. “You know she doesn’t. We’ve all seen it in the purification chambers when we visited the Holy Mists—for all she tries to hide it. Anyway, back to the subject at hand,” he went on. “After I get an heir on you, I will be free of any obligation of fidelity. At that time I’ll take a concubine of my own—possibly two or three—I’ll be able to afford them since you will, of course, be paying me a generous monthly allowance. We’ll live separate lives except during state functions when I will be by your side to guide you in all that is correct and right. Someone must, I suppose.”
He shook his head as though Ellina was a half-wit who must be taught how to act in Court and this job was his burden to bear.
“And of course, once you become pregnant with an heir, I will take the more difficult decisions out of your hands, my dear,” the High Priest chimed in. “For once your belly starts to swell, you’ll want nothing more to do with the difficult business of governing. A female’s heart turns to motherhood at that time—as well it should—so you need not worry about doing anything but sitting at the head of the banquet table from time to time and looking royal.” He smiled at Ellina benevolently, as though he was doing her a huge favor.
Hennessy cleared his throat.
“Well…now that everything’s settled, I really must be going.” He looked around Ellina’s apartments and made a face. “Might I suggest you spruce things up a bit in here? It’s dreadfully plain. I don’t want to be embarrassed if I’m ever obliged to invite friends over once we’re joined.” His chewchie—a bluish-green beast the color of his eyes—screeched in agreement.
“Just a moment.” Ellina found her voice at last as the two men began to rise from her table. She had been sitting there, rendered speechless at their gall. The sheer temerity of planning her life for her! “Just a moment, if you please,” she said again and Lor screeched loudly for their attention.
“Yes, my dear?” Kikbax said, frowning just a little. “Do you have a question or a comment?”
“I most certainly do.” Ellina’s voice shook with anger. “I cannot believe that the two of you think you can come in here and take over my kingdom—take over my entire life—and I won’t raise a shred of protest!” she exclaimed, glaring at them.
Kikbax and Hennessy exchanged uneasy glances and the High Priest said, “Now, Ellina, my dear, please don’t let your emotions control you this way. You know what we’re suggesting only makes sense. Why, Baron Tolland here has the most stellar bloodlines of all the nobles—his skin is almost Sacred Blue so it’s very likely he’ll help you conceive an heir who will become the next Potentate.”
“I am not being emotional—though I would be completely within my rights if I was,” Ellina said, speaking calmly and clearly, though her blood was rushing loudly in her ears and Lor was still screeching with anger. “If you think that I would ever accept Hennessy as my consort, you clearly don’t know me,” she told Kikbax. “I don’t care what color his skin is, I find him utterly abhorrent.”
As she spoke, Lor launched himself from her head and landed on the table in front of Hennessy’s own chewchie. The two of them began to fight, rolling over and over in a ball of fur as they clawed and bit at each other.
“Well! How dare you insult me like this?” Hennessy stared at her, his eyes wide with outrage.
“I insult you?” Ellina could hardly believe him. “After you sat here and demanded that we keep the lights off if you should breed me, because the sight of me makes you too ill to get your puny shaft up?”
“I beg your pardon, it is not puny!” Hennessy stormed at her.
Ellina glared up at him.
“Don’t forget, Hennessy, I’ve seen you in the Holy Mists, too,” she said coolly.
“That is enough! I won’t stay here and be insulted by this…this freak.” Rising, Hennessy threw down his napkin and reached for his chewchie, who had gotten the worst of the fight with Lor. It scampered up his arm, hissing and he turned as though to leave…only to run directly into a broad, muscular chest which had suddenly appeared in his way.
“What did you call my Lady?” Ty’s voice was a low, dangerous growl and the look he was giving Hennessy could have melted solid plasti-steel. He must have come in quietly while the three of them were arguing, Ellina thought as she gathered Lor to her and checked him quickly for injuries. He seemed to be just fine.
“What…who…who is this?” Hennessy sputtered, backing away from the big Kindred.
“This is my Kindred bodyguard, Commander Ty’rial,” Ellina said coldly. “And I believe he takes exception to the fact that you have insulted your Potentate.”
“I most certainly fucking do,” Ty growled, glaring down at the much shorter Hennessy. “You will apologize to my Lady at once or pay the consequences.” He pointed at the floor. “On your knees and beg her pardon.”
“What? I absolutely will not bow to that fr…er, to her,” Hennessy finished rather weakly, obviously checking himself as he glanced at the angry Kindred. His chewchie danced and squeaked angrily on top of his head as he spoke.
“You know, I believe it’s a punishable offense to offer an insult to the Potentate,” Ellina remarked. “With the penalties ranging from imprisonment to death. Depending on how offended she is,” she added. “And I must tell you, Hennessy, I am very offended.”
“What?” Hennessy’s almost-Sacred Blue face turned pale. “But you can’t do that! You can’t actually kill me just for speaking my mind.”
“She can and she will—I will enforce the Potentate’s will myself, if you don’t apologize now,” Ty growled. He pointed at the floor again, expressively.
Stiff with anger, Hennessy got down on one knee, like a male asking a female to join her life to his.
“If my words have offended, please forgive me,” he said in a wooden voice, his eyes blazing with outrage all the while. His chewchie was screeching so loudly Ellina could hardly hear the words. It was clear from the little creature’s actions exactly how sincere Hennessy’s apology was. Still, it was better than nothing.
“Very well,” she said. “You may go. But do not ever speak to me again in the manner you did today, or there will be consequences. Severe ones.”
The High Priest had been standing by, an astonished look on his round blue face as this all transpired. But when Hennessy got to his feet and began to storm away, he reached out a hand for the younger male.
“Wait, Barron Tolland!” he exclaimed but Hennessy only shook off his hand and slammed out of Ellina’s apartment. Clearly, he wasn’t interested in being placated.
Turning back to Ellina, the High Priest frowned reprovingly.
“Now, my dear—you mustn’t get so upset! You know Barron Tolland never meant any harm—he and I both only want what’s best for you!”
“No, you want what’s best for you,” Ellina snapped back. “Which would be if I was neatly tucked away someplace, pregnant and powerless while you ruled Helios Beta. Well, you can forget it, Kikbax, because it’s never going to happen!”
Perhaps she had gone too far. The Potentate and the High Priest were never supposed to be at odds, after all—they were meant to work together for the good of the kingdom. But Ellina couldn’t help herself—she was too angry to watch her words. Too hurt and insulted to be careful of what she said.
The High Priest’s face grew positively purple with rage and his chewchie screeched angrily.
“Now, see here, Ellina” he blustered. “You can’t go running off your new consort like this! You’re going to need a male of noble blood with skin as near to Sacred Blue as it can be when your Heat Cycle truly gets started. And what will you do if he refuses to breed you?”
“First, you will address me as ‘Potentate’ or ‘Your Majesty,’” Ellina said coldly, holding Lor back from launching himself at the High Priest’s chewchie. It would be unseemly for the two of them to fight. “Not, ‘my dear’ or
by my first name, which is much too familiar and which I have not given you the right to use. Second,” she continued, as Kikbax’s face grew ever more purple, “I would never have Hennessy Tolland as my consort, not even if I was burning with Heat and was desperate. Which, by the way, I am not.”
“You’re not?” He looked baffled. “But you must be. I was so certain…” He trailed off, frowning.
Ellina lifted her chin. “My Heat Cycle is nowhere near and if it should come into play, I will choose my consort—not you, Lord Kikbax,” she said firmly. “Now, thank you for coming to lunch, but I think it’s best you go now. I would like to have my apartments to myself.”
The High Priest gave her a long look—half angry, half frustrated—then offered her a short nod in lieu of a bow.
“Your Majesty,” he said shortly and turned to go.
Ellina remained seated in her chair with Ty behind her, watching as the High Priest of Thufar stalked stiffly out of her apartment. She had a feeling she had just bought herself a ton of trouble, as her grandmother liked to say.
But really, what else could she have done?
Thirteen
“What else could you have done?” Ty asked reasonably, when he had heard the whole story. Well, most of it, anyway—Ellina couldn’t bear to tell him everything—not the part about how Hennessy had said he couldn’t breed her with the lights on, anyway. That was too humiliating—too demeaning.
“I don’t know.” She shook her head, her shoulders sagging as she paced back and forth in the living area. “I’m sure my Grandmamma would have found a better way—a more diplomatic solution—but I just got so angry.”
“And you had every right to be,” Ty said grimly. “That was nothing less than an attempted coup—albeit a bloodless one.”
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