Rital of Proof (29 page)
Authors: Dara Joy
Jorlan, who had been gazing into the fire, swiftly turned his head. His aqua focus fixed on the water. Before she even had a chance to take a sip, his palm came the top of the cup.
Green gave him a quizzical look.
Casually, so as not to alarm the others by his behavior, he bent near her ear. "Do not drink it. It is tainted," he whispered.
She glanced down at the water, then back up at him "Are you sure?" she whispered back.
"Yes."
They stared at each other for a long moment. He offered no explanation, no basis for the conjecture; he simply expected her to trust him without asking why. Should she?
Green placed her goblet back on the table. "This water does not seem right to me, Sweeney. Has the cistern been checked?"
"Yes, my Lordene. There is no cloudiness in the water, nor any odor. Our regular testing methods recognized no harmful organisms."
"This may not be so simple." She met Avatar's knowing look. "The methodologist must have had a molecular analyzer. Where was her station?"
"Up in the Victorias, Marquelle," Avatar answered her.
The
Sweeney paled. "If it is the water, we shall die of thirst out here without a supply. What do we do then, Marquelle? The river water is not drinkable."
"Perhaps we can make a temporary arrangement with one of your neighbors, my Lordene, at least until the problem is solved," Miara suggested.
Miara didn't know that the neighboring plantation was owned by a branch of the D'anberes. In no way could Green make an arrangement with them. "That won't be necessary. Fortunately my foremothers were smart women. There is an alternate water source secretly hidden in the far eastern slope. It is less convenient so the water will have to be ported until we can clear the main cistern."
Relieved, Sweeney nodded and rose tiredly to her feet.
She returned shortly with another goblet and additional hameeri for Green. "Drink this, Marquelle—until we know for certain."
"A rather extravagant substitute." Green sipped the expensive liquor.
"What makes you suspect the water supply, Marquelle?" Miara also poured herself another cup of hameeri.
Green pointedly stared at the goblet of water she had placed back on the table. "I never disregard what is right
next
to me—no matter how innocent it appears."
Out of the corner of his eye, Jorlan keenly watched her. His name-giver was too clever by half.
It was indeed the cistern.
The water had been laced with a toxic biocrobe, specifically designed to cause vague yet lingering symptoms. Someone had purposely sabotaged their water supply. And the toxins were from a very sophisticated source.
A source only found in
Biocrobes were used for targeted purposes—usually they were designed to feed on other biocrobes or on naturally occurring Forus organisms that were dangerous to humans. In terms of illness, they were administered only as a cure—never as a cause.
There was worse news.
Green had read the pocket envoy. The Septibunal was calling her and Jorlan back to
Green knew exactly how to interpret that weighty pronouncement.
It meant that their fastening could be dissolved and Jorlan stripped of all his titles and his rank in society. He would be without protection. In addition, there would be a huge forfeiture penalty from both the House of Tamryn and the House of Reynard for their part in conspiring in perjury to the Septibunal. Jorlan himself might very well be part of that forfeiture.
They could all be ruined.
Since she had forgone the Ritual of Proof, only she and Jorlan knew the truth. Her word would be all she had on the floor of the chamber.
All she had against whatever evidence they had to the contrary.
There was only one person who could be behind this.
Claudine.
Green slammed her palm against the wall of the bathing chamber. It was always Claudine! She never stopped and she was becoming bolder and bolder. If Jorlan hadn't determined that the water was tainted, she might have lost many of her tenants, which in turn would have left most of the hukka crop unharvested. There was an extremely short window for optimum harvesting of hukka—right before it flowered and became toxic.
She was already heavily extended. Jorlan's bed price had almost drained her coffers. Anya Reynard was hurting as well, she had needed Green's money to pay back Claudine. She-Count D'anbere was very aware of their situation—she had caused it. Claudine also knew the loss of this crop would be devastating!
Green suspected that Claudine had arranged for her to leave
The woman worked fast, she'd give her that.
Green glanced at the missive again.
Due to the grave nature of your sojourn to
Duchene Hawke
Rumor? What rumor
? Green closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Duchene Hawke was subtly giving her a message without violating her position. Green would remember her kindness. Duchene Hawke was telling her not to return until she had a well-laid defense in order.
And that defense included a child from Jorlan.
Preferably an heir.
It would be much harder for the Septibunal to revoke their vows once an heir had been added to the Tamryn roll. Such an heir would ensure a next-in-line for their houses. Even if Claudine's scheme ruined them, if her heir was already born, the Septibunal would consider her birthright as separate and inviolate.
For the Duchene even to hint at this, the evidence they had must be entirely condemning.
Green glanced into the room, seeing Jorlan; he was fast asleep in the middle of the bed. He was tired. It had been a long day fraught with so many emotional pulls. Their ride down the river on the jinto leaf, their unorthodox lovemaking, and the concern over this troubling illness.
Jorlan.
He was still not safe from Claudine! Green passed a hand over her eyes. Their estates were not safe.
She must protect them; it was her responsibility both to her foremothers and to all the people who depended on her to survive. She had to produce an heir—and soon! Even if she lost her holdings they would fall to her heir. A Tamryn.
Green sighed, knowing what she must do. Their relationship was just beginning to blossom—this would damage it, she was sure. Jorlan would feel betrayed and forced and utterly controlled.
But there was nothing to be done. She had to act now. She knew that with every fiber of her being. He would just have to come to terms with it. She needed to discover why he claimed he could withhold his seed. After what she had seen of his ways, she was not so sure he had spoken out of ignorance. Any man who could wield two meteor-blades at once with the grace of a Gle Kiang-ten master just might know what he was talking about.
Resolved, yet saddened, Green lowered the flamelight and slid into bed next to him.
He immediately rolled toward her, wrapping her in his arms in his sleep.
"Jorlan," she whispered, her lips pressed his forehead.
"Mmm." He cuddled his face into her throat and went on sleeping. She smiled faintly. He was a contradiction of fire and gentle rain. Her fingers sifted through his clean hair—still spicily fragrant from his recent bath. The vigorous strands settled softly into place. Even in the darkened room she could see the black, glistening sheen of it.
His warm breath teased her skin, rhythmic puffs that were perfectly relaxing.
Only she could not relax.
Not now.
Too much depended on how she combated Claudine's wiles. There was so much at risk, including her Jorlan.
She glanced down, watching him as he slept, peacefully unaware of all the currents around him. Currents that had the potential to drown the Tamryns and the Reynards.
" Jorlan... ?" she spoke low in his ear.
His lashes flickered against her neck as he clung to his sleep.
Her lips pressed against his forehead again. Green wanted to awaken him gently. She wanted his guard to be down.
Or as down as she was likely to get it. She pressed up against him.
He took a few sleepy nibbles at her throat in an attempt to get playful before his breathing fell to an even rhythm once again.
She whispered in his ear. "Wake up, wilding, I need to speak with you... "
Jorlan's lashes flickered again. His mouth opened on her throat and softly laved the tender spot.
Green smiled. He obviously had not understood the word "speak." In his sleep-haze, he thought she had something quite different in mind. "No, sweet dragon. I need to ask you something."
"Hmm?"
He didn't remove his mouth, which now moved up her neck and was lightly sucking on her lobe.
"What did you mean when you said you will not give me an heir? Males cannot prevent that."
He stopped nibbling. She could feel his breath hot on her skin as he stilled and tried to awaken.
She immediately began stroking his back in long, light sweeps, knowing that such an action would lull him back into a relaxed mode. It was something she had learned of his Sensitive's nature. When awakened from slumber, he was very susceptible to touch and massage. It seemed to enervate him and all his focus pooled into whatever he was feeling. On a few occasions, he had become drowsy yet unbelievably aroused at the same time. The fascinating juxtaposition was one more facet to his intriguing response to stimulation.
Was it any wonder that throughout the ages, scores of odes had been written about the enigmatical Sensitive?
"I... " He inhaled the scent of her skin; a low moan rolled from his throat. Green continued to stroke his naked back, still warm from his sleep. Her foot slid between his legs.
"Mmm, what are you doing with your foot?" He sighed against her breast. Then his teeth scraped sensuously along its edge.
"What were you going to say?"
He took a deep breath. "I can prevent it. Green," he finally admitted. Green looked down at him in dismay. Did he realize what this could mean?
"How?" She tried to keep the worry out of her voice.
He raised his eyes to hers. "I can tell the cycle of your natural rhythms. I know when...
how
you are responding to that cycle."
"That is impossible! No one can just know such things."
His palm cupped her breast. "It is possible." He flicked the peak with his tongue.
"But... you... that is... you
do
release, Jorlan."
"Of course."
"Then there is always the possibility that—"
"No. I know you have been off your peak cycle."
Green gasped. He was right. How could he know that? "I have never heard of this!"
"No?" He seemed surprised. Then she felt him grin against her chest. "Perhaps I will teach you something then, my name-giver."
Green frowned at him. "Men do not just know these things, Jorlan."
"Really?" He playfully bit the side of her breast. Without thinking, she brushed her thigh against his. "Ah, I love the feel of you... " Jorlan, so relaxed, almost seemed to fall back asleep again.
Green absentmindedly stroked him as her mind raced for answers. "Tell me how you know this," she prodded him.
"Hmm?"
Green arched warmly against his body. "Your way of knowing?" she asked.
He yawned. "It is simply the cadence of nature..." He yawned again.
There was nothing simple about this. "Are you saying that you somehow
intuit
my cycle?"
He hesitated. "I cannot put it into the correct words exactly... but, yes."
"It's never simple," she murmured to herself. He bit her shoulder and stretched out against her, promptly falling back to sleep. Sometimes it was impossible to wake a man.
Sometimes that was a good thing.