“What? He said all that?” Ty had stared at the little creature, wide-eyed.
Asher nodded. “Not in so many words—Gruff tends to communicate more with emotions and images—though he has been known to speak as well. Lisa’s chewchie, Isabel, is more vocal than he is. But of course every chewchie has his or her own unique way of communicating. And you’ll need to get used to them because every citizen of Helios Beta has one.”
“Really?” Ty raised his eyebrows in surprise. “They all have these little pets and talk to them all the time?”
“Gruff! Gruff-gruff!” This time the fluffy creature sitting on Asher’s head sounded positively angry.
“Gruff wants me to let you know he is not my pet,” Asher said dryly. “He’s my companion—just as Isabel is Lisa’s companion. He says please don’t insult him by calling him a pet again.”
“Or what?” Ty demanded, frowning.
“Well…” Asher shrugged. “He’s been known to bite.”
“He’s never bitten me.” Lisa had come over at that point and settled on the couch beside Asher. Snuggling under her mate’s muscular arm, she smiled at Ty. “Don’t let Asher give you a bad idea of chewchies, Commander Ty’rial,” she said. “They’re really wonderful. “They feel our emotions and then magnify them and send them back to us. Also, they can relay images and messages and they’re wonderful companions when you feel lonely or blue.”
“I’m sure they must be,” Ty said in his best diplomatic tone. “They seem…charming,” he added as Gruff and Isabel left their respective owners and went to sit on the back of the couch together. The two fluffy creatures hummed happily and began grooming each other with long pink and black tongues.
Lisa shook her head and sighed at Ty’s wary expression.
“There’s just no way to explain the significance of chewchies to someone who doesn’t have one of their own,” she said sadly. “I wish I could give you an dea of how much these little guys have changed our lives.”
Asher nodded seriously in agreement.
“The only change more significant would have to be our bonding,” he said, pulling Lisa tighter against him.
Lisa squeaked in mock protest and then giggled, rubbing herself against Asher rather provocatively, Ty though with some surprise. Such overt displays of sexual desire were usually kept for the sleeping chamber. But then he noticed that the two chewchies were doing more than grooming each other—much more by the look of it.
“A-hem.” He cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “Perhaps I should go.”
“You might have to,” Asher rumbled apologetically.
“Sorry about that.” Lisa giggled as she pressed even closer to her mate. “Once the chewchies get going, it’s kind of hard to say no.”
“We can talk more later—before you go,” Asher told him, but it was clear his attention wasn’t on Ty at all. He was nuzzling beneath Lisa’s chin and Ty saw the sharp points of his fangs skating dangerously along the vulnerable flesh of her throat. Clearly he was preparing to bite his bride, which would give her an instant orgasm.
If Ty wished to avoid seeing much more than he wanted to of his old friend’s new relationship, he needed to go now.
“That’s fine,” he said, getting up hastily. “Um, is there anything else I ought to know about the Chorkay before I leave?”
“Just that they all have blue skin and three eyes. Oh, and the women have three breasts and two vaginas,” Lisa volunteered and giggled. “Oh, Asher, don’t! Not yet, anyway…”
“They what?” Ty had exclaimed. But then, seeing that their love-making was imminent, he waved his hand to negate the question. “Never mind. I’m sure I’ll find out for myself. Thank you.”
And he had let himself out of their suite in a hurry, before he could see more than he’d already been subjected to.
Five
When he got out into the long curving metal hallway, Ty had shaken his head. The erotic love-play he’d witnessed at his old friend’s suite had bothered him. Not because he’d never seen its like before—erotic play in all its forms as well as the proper pleasuring of a female had been some of his earliest lessons at the slave station.
No, what bothered him was the fact that Asher, who was usually so professional and subdued, had acted in such a fashion in front of him. His old friend had changed—and not for the better, in Ty’s opinion. It wasn’t just that he had a bride and seemed deliriously happy to have her, when he and Ty had always used to scoff at the idea of getting bonded. It was the fact that he now apparently had a telepathic pet, which spoke into his mind and influenced his actions in a way that couldn’t be good for future missions.
This was a surprising and not-very-pleasing turn of events. Still, Ty felt he had learned some valuable lessons in the short time he spent with Asher and his new wife. First and foremost, he ought to be careful of the chewchies. Though it was clear he would need to be respectful, since they held such a high significance with the Chorkay, it would be better to avoid getting one himself.
The second thing he’d learned was much more welcome. The fact that the Chorkay looked so different from what he considered the norm should help him keep professional distance between himself and the new Potentate he was going to serve.
After all, there was no possible risk of him falling in love with a blue-skinned, three-eyed, three-breasted female with a bossy telepathic pet and two vaginas.
Right?
Except now, walking down the long hallway that led to the Grand Balcony with the Potentate in tow, Ty wasn’t quite so sure.
For one thing, Ellina was quite pretty—beautiful even—despite or maybe because of the third eye which rested in the center of her forehead, slightly above the other two, more normally placed ones. They were all the same rich, vibrant blue as her skin and hair—a lovely color which stood out, even in the ocean of blue and bluish-green shades of all the Chorkay people.
As for the three breasts and two vaginas, he hadn’t seen any evidence of those yet—not that he expected to, since she was always modestly dressed. And her chewchie—she called him Lor—seemed to be well behaved and quiet, unlike Asher’s chewchie, Gruff.
It was the fact that he found her attractive and wanted to protect her, rather than simply wanting to do his job, that caused Ty to worry. The professional distance he had tried so hard to keep between himself and the little Chorkay female had somehow broken down the moment he saw her crying.
Her tears had touched something in him—a part of his heart he had thought was inviolate—and Ty hadn’t been able to resist holding her and comforting her. She wasn’t like one of the haughty Yonnie Six Mistresses at all—which was what he’d been expecting. Oh, she wore a mask of royalty and pride when she was in public. But in private, she was lonely and vulnerable—a girl thrust into a difficult situation with no one she could trust.
Ty thought of how she’d admitted to eating nothing but honey bars, which she knew were safe, for weeks to be certain she wasn’t poisoned. Poor little female! Despite himself, his heart ached for her. To feel so cornered—so alone—it was a terrible position she found herself in. The fact that she was supposed to lead her people and show only strength, yet she couldn’t even be sure of staying alive must be terrifying and frustrating in the extreme.
Well, I’m here now—I’ll keep her safe, he told himself. But only because it’s my job. Not because I care for her in any way other than a professional one. And besides, I’ll be leaving as soon as I have her new Chorkay guard completely trained and vetted. So there’s no need to worry that I might form a permanent attachment when I’m only here on a temporary basis.
Feeling a little better about his position here on Helios Beta, he led Ellina and the rest of the Kindred warriors who surrounded her down to the end of the long hallway, shouting, “Make way! Make way for the Potentate of Helios Beta—the Goddess in the Flesh. Make way!”
Six
The hallway terminated in a vast set of golden do
uble doors. As the guards posted beside them pulled them open, Ellina took a deep breath and put on her most regal expression.
“Grandmamma, I’m about to greet the people and drink the Cup of Wisdom,” she murmured to Lor, who instantly perked up and relayed the message.
“You’ll do fine, my child. I have faith in you,” came the whispered reply.
Ellina frowned. Did her grandmother sound a bit weaker than she had earlier? Probably not—it was just her nerves. And anyway, it was good to know she had the older woman’s support during this first important ceremony.
She had seen her grandmother greet the common folk many times—though she had always been located at a far point and watching from a distance so that the two of them weren’t close enough together to kill with one blow. She remembered the straightness of her grandmother’s spine and the proud tilt of her head as she addressed her people.
This was to be Ellina’s first such public address and she couldn’t help the flutter in her stomach as she stepped out onto the Grand Balcony to stand by Lord Kikbax’s side.
The Grand Balcony, like all of her kingdom, was located deep beneath the surface of Helios Beta. But one would scarcely know it, looking out into the vast natural cavern which had been enlarged until it was able to hold every citizen from the capital city at once, as well as the many visitors who had come to see their new Potentate.
The balcony overlooked a sea of faces, all tiny dots from Ellina’s perspective. Directly below it, on a raised platform, were the nobles. Almost all of them had skin tones that were darker shades of blue than the common people. They had been breeding for years, attempting to get as close to the Sacred Blue color as possible.
And yet, when they do have someone with the Sacred Blue skin tone, they revile her, Ellina thought bitterly. But of course, it wasn’t the color of her skin that drove them to despise her. It was her other oddities.
“Your Highness.” The High Priest bowed to her slightly as she stepped up to take her place beside him, a look of displeasure on his heavy face. He was dressed in his full priestly regalia with a long yona feather cape in every shade of blue and a heavily jeweled golden breast plate, which bulged out over his considerable belly. “You certainly took your time getting here,” he said, not bothering to hide the censure in his voice.
Ellina heard a low growl behind her and realized that Ty was looming over her shoulder glaring at Kikbax. If she didn’t say something to the High Priest, her Kindred guard certainly would. Which would no doubt cause a problem, since he had already dressed down Kikbax’s servant.
“You forget yourself, Lord Kikbax,” she said, giving the older man a cold look. “I am not subject to your schedule—I come when I am ready.”
The High Priest looked surprised and not a little displeased at her reply but apparently decided that now was not the place to have a reckoning.
“Well, since you have deigned to arrive at last, is Your Majesty ready to drink of the Cup of Wisdom?” he asked instead, motioning for his servant to hand it to him. It was a huge, solid gold chalice, so heavy it had handles on either side of it to grip with. The High Priest grunted as he lifted it to show her and Ellina saw that it was half full of deep red wine.
“I am.” Ellina nodded, her heart beating hard. But Ty was suddenly at her side.
“As soon as I taste it and make certain there is no poison or impurity,” he said smoothly, reaching for the cup.
“What? No!” Kikbax drew back the golden chalice protectively. “The Cup of Wisdom is sacred. None but the lips of the Potentate herself must touch it.”
“And in a perfect world, that is exactly how it would be,” Ty said smoothly. “But my Lady’s life has been lately threatened and so extra measures of precaution must be taken. From now on, I will be tasting everything she is given to eat or to drink before it touches her lips.”
“But…but this is blasphemy!” Kikbax sputtered. “You are not even a Chorkay but only a common off-worlder. You cannot taste of the Cup of Wisdom!”
Ty leaned down from his great height and stared Kikbax in the face.
“High Priest,” he said, in a voice so low it was almost a growl. “I may be a common off-worlder, but I have sworn an oath to keep my Lady safe from harm and that includes the possibility of poison. Your continued insistence that I fail to protect her might be seen by some as an admission of guilt—an open statement that you want the Potentate to take risks with her life and the welfare of all of Helios Beta.”
“What?” the High Priest exclaimed, glaring up at the tall Kindred. “Why, how dare you? You…you Kindred—how dare you insinuate that I would put poison in the Potentate’s wine?”
“I never said that,” Ty said mildly. “I only said that it might be seen that way—especially if someone else had slipped something harmful into that cup and you refused to let me taste it for her to ascertain if it was safe or not.”
“Why…I would never…I…you…” The High Priest blustered but it was clear that Ty had carried the argument. After a bit more fussing, Kikbax stepped back into the shadows where the common people couldn’t see and sulkily handed over the two-handled Cup of Wisdom. “Be careful,” he snapped, as Ty took the heavy cup lightly by its golden stem, holding it as though it weighed no more than a regular water glass. “The wine must not be spilled or it will cause ill luck for the entire planet.”
Ty didn’t answer. He simply lifted the cup and set the golden rim to his lips before taking a long, considering swallow.
He seemed to take a very long time and when he lowered the chalice, there was a slight frown on his face. But when the High Priest demanded, “Well?” in an angry, offended tone, the big Kindred simply shrugged.
“An excellent vintage,” he remarked mildly, handing the Cup of Wisdom back to the High Priest.
“Very funny!” Kikbax snatched the chalice out of the Kindred’s hands, the deep red wine sloshing agasinst inside the golden bowl of the cup. Striding forward to the edge of the balcony, he announced in a loud voice, “People of Helios Beta, today you will greet your new Potentate, Y’res the Fourth. You shall witness as she drinks from the Cup of Wisdom and asks Thufar to grant her insight as she rules us all.”
Ellina kept back, waiting for the High Priest to announce her, but she couldn’t resist motioning for Ty.
The tall Kindred leaned down so that his ear was near her mouth and she whispered, “Well? So it’s safe?”
He gave her an oblique look.
“Now it is.”
“What? What does that mean?” Ellina demanded. “Was it poisoned before? What did you do to it?”
But Ty only shook his head.
“The High Priest is announcing you. Just be certain you place your lips exactly where mine were—by the big ruby—and you’ll be fine.”
Ellina wasn’t exactly reassured by this but at that moment, Kikbax was intoning, “And now, please welcome your new Potentate, The Goddess in the Flesh, Y’res the Fourth!”
Lifting her head high, Ellina strode further out to the edge of the Grand Balcony and looked down. Standing by the golden balustrade, she lifted a hand and waved to the sea of faces which were now her subjects.
The crowd responded with a swelling roar of approval, the immense sound rising and echoing through the vast cavern like a thunderous wave breaking against her ears.
“Very well, very well,” Kikbax said sourly and it occurred to Ellina that the High Priest wasn’t pleased with the common people’s approval of her. “And now,” he continued loudly, when the sound had died down a bit, “The Cup of Wisdom!”
He thrust the chalice into her hands and Ellina barely had time to grip it by its handles before he let it go. Immediately, the vast weight of the heavy golden cup dragged at her wrists.
She staggered and gripped it tighter, feeling like he’d thrust a lead cannon ball into her hands rather than just a cup. The tendons on the underside of her forearms stood out in stark relief under her skin and she was somehow able to hold
onto the chalice—just barely.
But try as she might, she couldn’t lift the heavy thing to her lips—it was like trying to lift something twice the weight of an adult male up to her face. Though Ellina kept in good shape and had never considered herself weak, she simply could not do it. Her arms trembled and a gasp escaped her lips as she tried.
“Do you need help, Your Highness?” Kikbax smirked at her and Ellina glared back. She well knew that the High Priest was supposed to support the Cup of Wisdom while the Potentate drank from it—that was part of the ceremony. For him to make her beg for his assistance was a grave insult—one he clearly thought he would never have to pay for.
But suddenly, the two-handled chalice became light in her hands.
“I believe the Potentate can manage without you, priest,” Ty rumbled behind her.
Looking down, Ellina saw that he had reached from behind with his long arm and was supporting the weight of the heavy golden cup with one hand under the round disk of its base.
The move was unobtrusive and no one in the crowd would be able to notice his assistance. All they would see was the fact that the Potentate was drinking from the Cup of Wisdom by herself—with no help from the High Priest. It was a bold gesture—one which publicly signified her independence from Lord Kikbax and Ellina was glad to make it.
“Thank you, Ty,” she murmured.
“Of course, my Lady,” he murmured back. “Are you ready to drink?”
“Yes.” She nodded and he raised the cup to her mouth with ease. Carefully, she placed her lips exactly where his had been—by the large, thumb-sized ruby embedded in the golden rim—and took a long drink of the sour-sweet wine.
When she was finished, Ty lowered the chalice and helped her hand it back to the scowling High Priest.
“That’s fine,” he snarled, when he had it in his hands. “You may go now, Your Majesty.”
Guarding the Goddess Page 4
