She didn’t care. She’d slept with Aodhan, was living with the man in his suite. Why should it bother her to touch him in front of people? “What happened? Did you find out who let the elhydra in?”
“No. But we’re tracking that person now.” Aodhan’s hands were hot on her waist as he shifted her. Thaddeus was still in the room, and Theo listened from the corner of the couch. “Someone led Jambu to do what he did. Sent him letters designed to incite him to act as he did. That is someone we need to find.”
“Another traitor in your resort?” Mallory looked at the man holding her. “And that person is responsible for the elhydra?”
“We don’t know yet. But the targets of the attacks were most likely your family. It was the private pool, used only by the Heads of House and their immediate families. That’s a highly limited number of targets.” Aodhan’s hands tightened around her waist. “That means that you and your sister, cousins, need to be extra careful. The females of any royal House hold a lot of power in their hands. If someone could eliminate all of you, then Rydere and Barlaam, it could send our people into a panic until the remaining Heads of Houses could step in to restore order. You must be careful, kitten. You are pretty high on the list of potential targets.”
“Why me?”
“Because of me, I’m afraid. It all comes down to the ascension of the daharana. Or royal seat. Rydere and Barlaam are, through great-grandparents, related to nine of the ten Dardanos Houses. Jierra is related to eight.; me, seven, and Jambu seven. Theo, five. Barlaam as a healer, cannot be the heir, although he can father one. Because he hasn’t yet and neither has Dahr Rydere, that puts the list of ascension as Jierra, Jambu—though that’s void now, any child you and I may have, and the first-born child of Theo and your sister. Do you understand?”
“Not really sure why you or Theo can’t be the direct heirs. So tell me—who faces the biggest threat and in what order?”
“Dhan Emily as she could be carrying the highest heir right now. Jierra as she is the established heir, your young cousin Jade as she can also be carrying a high heir through Barlaam. Then you as you could be carrying someone related to…to dammit! To all of the Houses. I am not related to Theo’s House in any way. Nor to the Jareth. Except through my Rajni bond in that your sister is with Theo and your cousin with Cormac. Your brother with Jierra. And your cousins Emily and Jade the House of Dardanos, itself.”
“I’m sorry. What does that mean? For all of us?” Mallory had a devil of a time following what he was saying. With a total number of people less than 200,000 wouldn’t many of the royal families be related?
In the Beginning... Page 39
