Chapter 10

Kalzudaud

I watched with crossed arms through the glass window as my Caitlyn peered into a microscope and made notes on the tablet on the workbench next to her. Her hair was a soft, shiny wave of blonde around her slender shoulders, and pink glowed on her cheeks. She looked excited, which had to mean something good, and she was completely engrossed in what she was doing. If this was how she always looked when working, I had no doubt I'd find myself here to watch and admire her whenever I had the chance.

After our arrival, I had made sure she could bathe and put on the clean clothing that my servants had brought her. I had ordered them to complete silence around her so they could not tell her that I'd let her use the washing room in my quarters. That was such a breach in protocol that it had the entire palace in a tizzy, but she did not need to deal with that, not yet.

"Are you certain she can do it, sir?" Amaza asked from my left. As the royal advisor, Amaza had held a position of significant power for as long as I could remember. She had been my mother's right hand long before she'd become my sister's.

Now she fancied herself my advisor, and I let her think that even if I disregarded most of the advice she offered. She held her position because of her loyalty, because ousting her seemed like doing her disservice when she'd done so much good over the years. Her views had turned outdated these days; we did not see eye to eye on much of anything. It was something I knew grated on the woman, and now I wondered if it had grated too much.

I rolled my shoulder in a shrug, unwilling to give too strong an affirmative in case that made the target on my mate's back bigger. All this distrust, this suspicion, was taking its toll. I wanted to put this behind me and live happily with my mate and my heart-daughter. But I had a job to do, and for that I had to draw out the traitor and deal with them once and for all.

More courtiers were gathered behind me, all my prime suspects put in one room together so I could dangle the bait that now stuck in my throat like ashes. "Yes," I said, "Caitlyn will deliver. Sera will be saved." I spun around to catch expressions, but I'd made sure to use a room with plenty of cameras for this part of the plan. I would watch those recordings later to make sure I had not missed anything.

I'd spoken with the head of the Intelligence Agency while Caitlyn was washing up through the secure line in my room. There would be eyes on each of the Tarkan I'd singled out, and several that the head spy had brought to my attention himself. Whoever was after the throne had to have ties to the royal bloodline to make the claim seem valid. They would have to be female or intend to put a female they could control on the throne. That would be the only kind of ruler Daudiras' people would accept after Sera and I were killed.

The Secretary of State was a cousin, and the male had two adult daughters that he could put forward to become queen. He was a little dull and boring, usually far more interested in his budgets and his taxes. I'd never seen him step out of his lane to interfere with other politics, which had made him my least favorite suspect. The way his eyes were lingering on Sera now made me rethink that; something in his expression was making me extremely uncomfortable, but that could just as easily be the possessive mating instincts roaring through me.

Next to him stood a much younger female, and she was of the right age to be queen herself. It was my head spy who had put her on the list. Somar was so far removed from the royal family that I had not made the connection, but apparently a sixth cousin was still enough of a connection to make her dangerous.

I recalled that shortly after my sister's death, she'd followed me around and made some flirty remarks I had not wanted to hear. Now that made me think she'd tried to see if in my moment of grief she could convince me to make her my mate, which would have also opened the path to the throne for her. Yes, she was at the top of the list now. A female that conniving could not be trusted. Her expression was cool and did not change at my words, while many others managed to look relieved at the news that Sera might live.

Then I glanced back at Amaza and noticed the clenched fists in her long gown. She was always quite rigid and cool, with perfect poise and tightly closed wings, unless she was using them to emphasize her presence or a point. I could not figure out what her tension meant; it could just as easily be for Sera, an expression of relief rather than anger. Amaza had been like an aunt to Sera; she'd always made time for my heart-daughter for visits or play.

My mate caught my attention through the window when she tilted her head over her shoulder and waved rapidly with her hand. I had told her of my plan, and she'd laughed out loud. "You want to use me as bait?" she'd said, not in accusation but rather incredulously. I'd been a little distracted because we'd had the conversation while she was shrugging a soft blouse over her pale skin, the rest of her nude except for a pair of high-riding pink panties. My mate was both the sexiest female I'd ever laid eyes on, and the bravest, smartest woman I'd ever met.

"Excuse me," I said to the gathered courtiers, "It appears the scientist needs my help." My wings tingled as I tucked them along my spine; there were too many eyes on me as I exited the room. This was part of the plan too, to listen in on their gossip when they thought I could not hear. A covert earpiece would let me listen to whatever the hidden microphones would pick up as they watched me interact with Caitlyn.

The door had only just closed when the first one dared to speak. "Rumor has it that scientist was in the King's private chambers." That was hardly a rumor; the servants would have confirmed that to anyone who wanted to hear, it was so unheard of. Indeed, that speaker was laughed at as though he'd said something funny.

"That's old news," said a female voice that I was certain came from Somar. I had to force my shoulders to relax as I stepped into the lab; it would not do if I gave away that I could hear them. "He's sleeping with her, thinks she's his mate, probably." The note of bitterness in her tone was very poorly disguised, and the rustling noises that greeted her declaration indicated that her audience was uncomfortable.

"Kal!" Caitlyn said when she spotted me, her expression radiant at the sight of me. "This lab is amazing! It's got everything I need! I can't believe you managed to put it all together on such short notice!" My heart fluttered at her excitement, and I felt a hint of pride at being able to provide this for her. It was delightful to see her in her element.

Then her expression shuttered and her eyes darted to the glass window behind her, from which a dozen Tarkan faces were peering at her every move. "I'm sorry, uh, your majesty?" She was concerned about protocol now? That made me grin, and I decided on the spot to push some more, and to have fun in the process.

I waved my hand, "Oh, no! Never that, please. Come here, Caitlyn." Her spine straightened delightfully as I made the last a command, but she closed the distance between us at a jog, her mouth already tilting into a smile once again.

"No? Then what should I call you? What's appropriate?" she asked as she reached me. Heedless of the audience we had, I slid my hands around her waist. They were watching us with bated breath. No remarks or gossip left their lips now; they were completely engrossed in what we were doing.

"My name works for me," I told my mate, and then I dipped my head and kissed her. I gave our audience only a brief glimpse before I shut my wings around Caitlyn and shielded her from their greedy eyes. She surrendered beautifully, a little breathy moan, her small hands on my chest, and her mouth opened at the slightest brush of my tongue.

I could get lost in her this way and probably would have if not for the sudden voices piping up through my earpiece. "I told you so," Somar drawled in a bored tone. "He's sleeping with her." I could picture her fluttering gold-painted wings behind her shoulders and a sneer on her face that made beautiful features turn ugly. She was not bright enough to be behind the assassinations on her own. If she was part of this, she had a partner.

"That's not attractive, dear. He is the acting king in Sera's stead, you must not talk about him that way." That was Amaza who scolded the female. She sounded tired and put upon for even having to express the sentiment. Her words were quickly echoed by several others around the room, as if nobody dared to give of the impression that they were criticizing my actions.

"They say anything good?" Caitlyn whispered against my chin. She'd frozen in place when I pulled back, her brown eyes on mine as she waited for our next move. The kiss hadn't been part of the plan; we were improvising now. Silence had settled over our audience again, which drew my attention back to the soft curves of my mate, pressed against my body. Each point of contact made my blood grow hot and heat pooled in my groin. If we had no audience, I would have lifted her onto the nearest counter and driven her mad with desire. I'd have fucked her right there.

"No," I groaned. "Nothing worthwhile yet. We'll have to rely on the watchers." That was not my favorite part of this plan; I did not like relying on others for the safety of my mate. Caitlyn rolled a shoulder as if to say that she didn't mind, but I saw a hint of worry in her eyes.

The new com device the head of my guard had issued me vibrated against my flesh then. With a last press of our mouths, I unfolded my wings, but I kept my arm around her waist to hold her to me when she moved to draw away. "Yeah, go," I said to my com device as the call connected.

"Kal? Glad you made it. I've got Sera back in her wing under lock and key. All is quiet, and she's hanging in there, tough girl." Iru's voice settled some of my worry. He'd returned with Sera as agreed, and now I could finally take Caitlyn to her to make her own observations. We could finally attempt to heal my heart-daughter.

"Yes, she is. The toughest. We're on our way." I thumbed off the connection and met Caitlyn's eyes. She had her mouth set in a thin line, a frown on her forehead. She looked determined, and she looked like all the answers to my prayers when she turned to snatch the medical bag off the nearby counter.

"I'm ready, let's go."