Lake, Ciara - Xihirah [Xihiran Shifters 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) (16 page)

“Okay, but we should be quick. There’re many strange people here.” Mia nervously looked around. “We aren’t to be alone. I know where a close cleaning chamber is. Follow me.” Mia led Saleeya down a hallway hidden by potted plants. The guests’ cleaning chambers were clearly marked. Mia ushered them into one and locked the door behind them. “You go ahead first, Saleeya. I’m going to refresh my face.” Saleeya finished and came up to stand next to Mia at the mirror.

“You look radiant, Saleeya. Mating has caused subtle changes in you that I can detect only because I know you so well. How do you feel?” Mia smiled at Saleeya.

“Happy.” Saleeya fixed her face and hair.

“I’m so happy for you. Obviously Kael’s battering ram wasn’t so bad?” Mia giggled.

“No, it’s exquisite.” Saleeya watched her face turn red in the mirror. “Vitalion looked livid when we entered the Great Hall with Kliven. He’s displeased that we were gone. He’ll probably chew us out regardless of what Kael’s father said. Oh well.” Mia shrugged. “He better not do it in front of the Xihirians or he’ll be toast, or I should say burnt meat.”

“Hmm, meat sounds good. I’m hungry. Let’s go get something to eat.” Saleeya opened the cleaning chamber’s door. She held it open for Mia to step out. They ran directly into Vitalion.

His face red and blotchy, he leaned closer, his knuckles white with the force of his anger. “Miss Stayvel and Miss Tiller, so nice of you to both finally join us to do what you’ve been retained to attend to,” he ground out. Saleeya shivered at the jealous rage in his eyes when he fixed them on her. “Both of you will be reprimanded for your behavior. Especially you, Miss Stayvel, deserting your post without my permission. You’re foolish, stupid girls. I’ll see you both punished for your oversight and disrespect for me. When this venture is completed, you won’t work again for the government of Kriton or any other Council member’s world. Do you hear me?” Spittle ran down his chin, spraying across the small space between them.

Saleeya felt her face flame with anger. “Minister, we’ve done nothing wrong. We’ve attended the Council meeting and will continue to attend the meetings. My role is to assist the Council in correct communication to ensure there are no misunderstandings,” she stated between clenched teeth. “I’m doing that. It appears to me that you have forgotten your place. Perhaps you should remember that I’m not your personal secretary or assistant. You have Jarvin Manntree for that. I have performed and will continue to perform my function. Mia isn’t your assistant, she’s mine.” Saleeya jabbed him in the chest with her finger. “The Kriton government isn’t the only planet paying my fees. I’m not intended to be at your personal disposal. I’m an independent professional retained to offer my expertise to the entire Council. Mia and I accepted an invitation from the Xihirian Sovereign’s mate. We’re honored guests and should respect their extensions of hospitality. My duty’s to help smooth relations between Xihirah and Kriton. Mia and I have done just that.”

“How dare you.”

“You can try to ruin us professionally, but I’m sure the Kriton Congress and the Council of Planets will see your error. I don’t fear you or your threats. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to eat. We’re hungry from actually paying attention to the meeting instead of slipping into catnaps as you continued to do.” Saleeya struggled to regain control of her temper, her blood boiling at the tone and threats spewed from Vitalion.

Saleeya and Mia tried to slip around Vitalion. He grabbed Saleeya’s wrist, his fingers sinking in enough to send shards of pain lacing up her arm. “Let go of me,” Saleeya demanded, twisting to get out of his hold.

“You listen here, you animal-loving whore.” He twisted her arm more. “I see how you make eyes at that unpleasant Admoncor bastard. I see how he watches you. You disgust me with your admiration for that rutting beast. You had best beg my forgiveness for your unruly and disrespectful tongue. Perhaps you should put your skillful tongue to use in ways that’ll ensure my forgiveness. If you’re a whore, use your skill on someone who’s more deserving and human.” Vitalion repulsively spit into Saleeya’s face. He leered suggestively at both Saleeya and Mia.

Saleeya wrenched her wrist away free from Vitalion’s painful grip. Without thought, Saleeya slapped Vitalion across the face with her other hand. The slap echoed loudly in the hallway. For a moment, it looked as if Mia was ready to fight too. Saleeya thought for sure that Vitalion was going to strike her back. “You’re a bigoted, deceitful, and disgusting man. You label the Xihirians as animals. The truth is that you’re the rutting beast. If you touch me again, I’ll use your teeth as a necklace.” Saleeya grabbed Mia and rushed past him, returning to the Great Hall. The Council guests were being slowly ushered into the dining area. Saleeya could smell the aroma of deliciously prepared food wafting through the air, yet her appetite was gone.

Saleeya rubbed her aching wrist. She could already see the makings of a rather ugly bruise and cursed Vitalion again. The Minister’s grip had been cruel and hurtful. Saleeya could feel unshed tears in her eyes.

Mia touched her lightly on the arm to pause before entering the dining area. “Saleeya, are you going to be okay? Should we have a med look at your wrist?” Mia put her arm around Saleeya’s shoulders.

“No.” Saleeya shook her head. “It hurts dreadfully, but I can wait. I’ll go see to it after we eat and conclude for the evening. There’ll be a break for the day. Social events will occupy everyone’s attention. Then I’ll see to it.”

“Saleeya, we should report this to someone. Vitalion really hurt you. I don’t care who he is, he has no right to physically hurt you or say such nasty, suggestive things to you. How was he ever elected?” Mia angrily commented.

“Let’s go into the dining area and sit far away from Kael or any other Xihirians in case they notice something. I don’t want to start an incident,” Saleeya whispered.

As they entered the dining area, Mia pointed to a small, empty table in the corner of the dining area’s balcony. It was empty and set for diners. “Let’s go to that out-of-the-way table. We don’t need to be in the mix now,” Mia said close to Saleeya’s ear.

Only moments after Saleeya and Mia had taken their seats, a cheerful, high-pitched voice caught them off guard. It was the young, sweet-faced Kalinda.

“Hello.” Kalinda glided, almost bounced, over to where they were sitting. “Father permitted me to join both of you for the meal. I’m so excited to be here with you. He said I needed to stay with you once I found you both. I’m so happy to attend and be included.” Kalinda was abounding with happiness. Her eyes were very bright and Wolfton-like. She was a beautiful child.

Mia smiled back. “Sit down, Kalinda. We’re so happy for you to join us.”

“Do you see Kael, Thyson, or Father?” Kalinda looked around the crowded room. Excitement rolled off her.

“We’ve not met Thyson officially, but I think all three of them are standing near the serving preparation table. Will the waiters bring our meals to us?” Saleeya asked.

“No, Father told me it was a buffet and to wait until you direct me to go get our food.” Kalinda clapped her hands together. “Father said I’m grown up now that I have little siblings.” Saleeya rubbed her wrist under the table and smiled back at the cheerful child.

After most of the crowd had been up to the buffet tables, Mia asked, “Saleeya, do you want to wait here for me to get your food?”

“No, that would seem odd. I think.”

“What’s wrong with Saleeya?” Kalinda’s eyes widened with wonder.

“Nothing, sweetheart, let’s go get our food.” Mia led the way. Saleeya quickly changed the tone of their conversation.

Mia led Saleeya and Kalinda up to the tables to fill their plates. If not for the competing pain in her wrist, she would not have been able to wait to eat. However, the pain had somewhat negated her hunger. Mia helped Kalinda with her plate. Saleeya was too pained to help Kalinda and could barely fill and carry her own plate. To her surprise, her wrist was swelling and growing tenderer. Saleeya looked back behind her to make sure Mia and Kalinda were ready to make it back to their table. She turned to lead the way back to their table and bumped her wrist into a wall of familiar muscle. Saleeya cried out, her plate of food falling all over the floor and a pair of shiny black boots.

“Oh my Deity, I’m sorry Admoncor Kael.” Saleeya gritted her teeth in pain. Servants ran to Kael to clean up the mess and assist both Saleeya and Kael. The expression on Kael’s face chilled her. Saleeya assumed he was angry with her. “How clumsy of me. I’ll uh, I’ll clean it up. Deity, I’m such a clumsy oaf. Please forgive me, my lord,” she prattled. The look of fury in his eyes was enough to chill her to the bone.

“What’s wrong with your arm? Bumping into me hasn’t caused this.” He pointed to her swollen wrist. “What has happened to you, Saleeya?” Kael demanded in his deep rough voice. When she looked up into his face, his eyes were shimmering. The room quieted, and Saleeya stared back into the fierce eyes of her mate. The entire group watched their dialogue.

“I slammed it in the cleaning chamber’s door,” she offered in weak explanation. Kael ignored her response, looking over her head to Mia.

“Did you see how Saleeya injured her arm, Mia? Or you, Kalinda? She seems rather confused as to what actually happened.”

Fear raced through Saleeya’s heart, and she looked imploringly at Mia, who gestured with a barely perceptible nod. She couldn’t tell him, not right now. If only she could wait... Mia remained silent and shook her head. Kalinda looked confused.

Kael eyed the trio of women. “Come with me.”

Servants removed the dining plates from Mia and Kalinda’s hands. Kael turned to leave, motioning them to follow him. Kael’s gaze met his father’s as he led the women from the Great Hall.

All three females followed Kael in an uncomfortable silence. Kalinda’s giddiness had entirely evaporated. Saleeya realized that Kalinda’s drastic mood change wasn’t a good sign. The walk to the Med Clinic was a distance away in the direction of the family wing. Kael led them at his usual brisk walk. They entered a brightly lit room that served as a Med Clinic. State-of-the-art equipment outfitted the room. Kael pushed the vid-com’s button to request that a medtor come immediately to the clinic. After calling for assistance, his brightened gaze turned to bore into Saleeya. “Mia, you and Kalinda wait for us in the adjoining room,” he ordered. Saleeya swallowed at the look in his eyes as her friends left her. “Mate, I know you wouldn’t lie to me. What happened and don’t for a moment think I’m going to let it drop.” Kael leaned back against the counter, his arms over his chest. He looked down at her and waited for Saleeya to respond. Unable to hold back, tears quietly rolled down her cheeks.

“Oh, Kael, right now my wrists hurts too much for you to be mad at me. Please let the medtor help me first. After, I’ll explain,” Saleeya pleaded with Kael. “I don’t want to disrupt…”

The arrival of the medtor proved a welcome distraction. Saleeya sighed, the pain growing worse with each passing beat of her heart.

“Hello, I’m Medtor Zodric Fanstal. I serve the royal family.” Noticing Saleeya carefully held her arm, the medtor asked, “Let me take a look at your arm, Princess Saleeya.” Saleeya gave him her arm. More tears rolled down her checks. Her face felt flushed.

“Poor child, I think it appears to be fractured.” The medtor ran cool fingers over her flesh. A telling glance at Kael, who straightened, turned Saleeya’s stomach. “Why didn’t you come to me right away? The swelling indicates significant injury, and the extensive bruising reveals some passage of time. It’s unfortunate you’re not yet a fully transformed Xihirian. You would heal rapidly with a partial shift. Nevertheless, don’t worry. We’ll fix it all up after we scan it to look inside to see the extent of the injury. Come over here. Place your hand and arm on this table under the scan.” A computer screen came up as he scanned her arm and hand. “It appears you have a spiral fracture, caused by a severe twisting motion. You haven’t been around any heavy equipment of late have you?” Saleeya just looked at the medtor.

Mia reentered the room and spoke up, relief thick within her voice. “I couldn’t stay out, I’m worried for Saleeya. The Kriton Minister grabbed her wrist. He wouldn’t let her go. Saleeya twisted out of his hold and hurt her wrist. Vitalion was rude to us both and suggested that Saleeya…”

“Medtor, please excuse us.” Kael waved the medtor from the room and turned to Mia. “Suggested what exactly?”

“Kael, please, it’s not…”

“What did he suggest, Mia?”

Mia ducked her head. “That Saleeya use her tongue to stimulate him in a sexual way. He called her an animal whore. Saleeya yanked her arm away and slapped him. She refused to go to the Med Clinic until after our meal to not cause a disturbance.” Mia added to soften her response, “We were afraid of creating problems. With the talks so delicate, we didn’t want to cause a scene or disrupt the talks. So, I agreed to be silent until a more appropriate time,” Mia reluctantly confessed. Saleeya could feel her face burning hotter and hotter with each word coming from Mia’s lips. All she could do was look up into Kael’s irritated face. Kalinda slinked back into the room too. She moved to the side of the room, watching with bright eyes. Obviously, she was careful to be out of the way of the clinic door as if she thought Kael might run out the door to go rip Vitalion to bloody shreds. Instead, the door flung open, hitting the stone wall, bouncing back. Kliven entered the Med Clinic, as feral-looking as his son. Kliven stood next to his son, taking in the three women. He had obviously heard Mia’s impassioned explanation. Saleeya made a mental note to be mad at Mia for hours.