Chapter Fourteen

“Thank you, Lady Bethany, you always know what to do.”

Bethany smiled warmly at her neighbor, Bridget. “That is unfortunately not accurate, but I am happy I could help in this situation.” She took a sip of her tea from the delicate china tea cup and glanced at the bright green parakeet in its golden cage in the corner of the room. The older woman had knocked on her door early this morning in a panic after finding an empty cage. She tended to forget to latch the door properly and would periodically come begging for help in locating her precious pet, Oscar. Luckily, Bethany’s hearing proved to be an immense help pinpointing the bird’s location. This time the parakeet had been nesting in the closet on the top shelf. One time, it had managed to escape the flat, and she had to chase it all over the building before cornering it in the top stairwell.

“I need to be getting to work. Is there anything I can do for you before I go?” She stood and carried her cup to the kitchen.

“After all the excitement I think I’m going to sit here and rest until my stories come on.”

“Then I’m off. Have a wonderful day.”

Waving goodbye, Bethany left her neighbor’s flat and walked down the hall to her own. She still had some time before work, but she might as well go in a few minutes early. After a quick stop to grab her purse, she relocked the flat.

The sun was already bright and warming up the day when she stepped out of her building. She glanced up to see not a cloud in the blue sky. Any rain in the forecast would be holding off at least for the morning.

She hadn’t seen Davis for two days. They had returned from the Highlands and either he had agreed she wasn’t in any danger or he had taken the excuse to distance himself from her, but either way he no longer considered himself her bodyguard. She knew he hadn’t left the compound because her friends Celeste and Kate had visited her yesterday and filled her in on all the places he’d been spotted and the gossip running rampant throughout the clan about his purpose for still being there. It ran the gamut from him being a spy and part of a clan takeover, to him defecting to their clan. Bethany had simply stated he was here on council business because of the turmoil in the clan. She had continued to say, once a new leader was determined, she was sure he would return to his own clan.

Bethany saw no point in worrying her friends over the possibility of Bryant having had an accomplice who might or might not be still active. It was still just a theory Davis had. There had been no more incidents she knew of. Certainly, none involving her.

She nodded and smiled at the clan members who greeted her as she strolled down the pavement to the office building. A vote had been scheduled in two weeks to decide the fate of the clan and its leadership—despite Aaron’s claims the right to rule was his and his alone. It looked like he would have no choice but to go along with the clan’s decision. He didn’t have enough of the guards backing him to enforce his claims. She couldn’t help but be a bit worried over his reaction if he didn’t win the vote.

Entering the building, she smiled as she approached the security desk. “Good morning, Walter. How is Colleen and the precious bundle she is carrying?”

“I believe she is in full-on nesting mode, Lady Bethany. She’s been a little whirlwind decorating the nursery.”

She signed her name in the security log. “That is wonderful. Tell her I said hello, would you?”

“I will, and welcome back. It’s a pleasure to see you return to work with us.”

“Thank you.”

Bethany crossed the lobby to the elevators and rode to the design floor. Her return was greeted with more fanfare than she had anticipated. In truth, she hadn’t expected more than the occasional welcome back but she hadn’t anticipated everyone’s insatiable curiosity about Bryant, Davis, or her knowledge and role with both. One after one, they’d approached or stopped her as she haltingly traversed the maze of gray cubicles to hers tucked away in the corner. A few circled her small cubicle peppering her with questions as she put away her things in the bottom drawer of her desk and scanned the workspace for anything which may have been added or removed during her absence. She absently answered them with inane murmurs and evasions.

Kate arrived to shoo them all away and commandeer Bethany’s attention. She sat on the corner of Bethany’s heavy metal desk with her arms folded and peered down at her.

“Didn’t expect the curiosity horde, did you?”

Bethany shook her head and gave her a wan smile.

“Tell them to mind their own business.” She waved an elegant hand with red-tipped nails in their direction. “Now, that’s them. For me, I still want all the juicy details.” She leaned in close and gave Bethany a wide-eyed expectant stare.

“I already told you and Celeste about Bryant and Davis.”

“Did you? I get the feeling there’s more than what you told us. Are you holding out on us?”

“Holding out on who?” Celeste appeared in Bethany’s cubicle wearing a short lilac skirt and peach silk blouse, holding a tray of beverages. She placed them down on the desk and handed one to Bethany. “Here’s your tea, and Kate your coffee is the one on the right.”

“I’m cutting back on my coffee intake. Since I’ve already had two cups this morning I better not.”

“Oh, poo, I didn’t know.” Celeste pouted.

“I made the decision this morning.” Kate waved her hand in the air dismissively.

“Would you like my tea? I had my fill this morning. I helped Bridget with her bird, and she gave me a cup after I had already had one at home.”

“Sure, why not, I’ll give it a try and see if I can convert.” Kate lifted the cup and wrinkled her nose after taking a sip. “Really doesn’t compare. There’s no kick to the system.” She shrugged. “Well at least there’s some caffeine in it. Wean me off the coffee.” She glanced at Celeste. “There is caffeine in this, right? Never mind, don’t tell me. I prefer to blindly believe there is.”

Bethany chuckled, and Celeste just stood there staring at Kate as she gulped the tea.

“I suppose I better get to work. I’ll see you two for lunch, and Bethany be forewarned I will expect more details about your little jaunt to the country with that sexy American.” Kate raised her cup in salute as she sauntered away.

Celeste watched her for a moment before turning back to Bethany. “What’s she talking about?”

Bethany forced a smile and a shrug. She hadn’t told them about sleeping with Davis or believing him to be her mate. She wasn’t ready to share that information yet. They were her best friends, but just thinking about discussing it made her cringe. She knew they would be supportive, but they both had men trailing after them. How could they commiserate on being rejected—not just by anyone, but your mate? The one who was supposed to love you above all others. The one who was meant to desire and cherish you. Not the one who awakened you and calmly walked away as if it meant nothing.

“I better get going, too. Tootles, see you at lunch.”

Her friend sashayed away. Bethany swiveled her chair back to her desk. Burying herself in work was just the distraction she needed. At first, the multiple conversations, tapping on the keyboards, opening and closing of metal drawers overwhelmed her senses, but soon she relaxed into the familiarity of the noise and tuned it out.

A few hours later, a murmuring drew her attention from the computer. She peeked over the top edge of her cubicle to see a cluster of people by the windows staring down. The rough texture of the cubicle wall scraped against her palms as she strained higher to see. Something was happening. She sighed and briefly thought about slumping back into her chair and ignoring the commotion. If it concerned her, eventually she would find out. Did she really want to involve herself in more drama right now?

Before she could decide, Maureen, one of her co-workers sidled up to her. “You’re friends with that Kate in legal, aren’t you?”

Bethany refrained from stating the obvious. Maureen knew she was. “Why?”

“She got sick. They’re carrying her out now.”

Bethany surged to her feet. “What! What happened?”

She ran to the window with Maureen trailing behind her. “As I said, she’s sick. They called the healer in, and they’re transporting now.”

Pushing her way to the window, she looked down to see one of the guards carry Kate out of the building and approach a waiting guard’s vehicle. She looked unconscious. Watching intently to detect any movement from her friend, her heart clenched in her chest. The guard bent and placed her in the backseat. Kate hadn’t moved.

Bethany whirled away and ran to her desk to grab her purse and pull out her cell phone. She hesitated briefly between the stairs and elevator. The elevators would take too much time. She dialed Celeste as she jogged down the stairs. The staccato of her heels tapping the concrete steps echoed up the stairwell.

Celeste picked up on the first ring. “Oh my gosh, Bethany, there’s something wrong with Kate!”

“I just heard. I saw them put her in the car. What do you know?”

“She started vomiting and collapsed is all I heard. The healer arrived and is taking her to medical.”

“No idea why?”

“No.”

Bethany entered the lobby and jogged across as fast as heels would allow. “I’m leaving the building now. Where are you?”

“Oh, of course, I’m coming too.” Celeste disconnected the phone.

Bouncing to a stop, Bethany balanced on one leg to remove one shoe and then the other. She stuffed them into her purse as best as she could. The heels hung over the side. She clutched her purse under her arm and sprinted out the door and down the road. The rough cobblestones scraped against her bare feet, and were hot from the sun, but her only thought was to reach her friend.

Medical resided in one of the smaller buildings by the entrance. Risharden didn’t often get sick, so it wasn’t much more than a couple of rooms on the ground floor. The healer’s flat took up the remainder of the floor.

Bethany ran across the square to the brick building. People turned to stare, but she didn’t care or stop. The guards she had seen taking Kate from the office building were exiting as she ran up. They held the door. She didn’t pause to question them what they knew. The door opened into the empty waiting room.

Opening the door to the examining room, she searched the room. Elizabeth, the healer, looked up and exclaimed, “Lady Bethany!”

“How is she?” Bethany stared at her friend lying unconscious on the exam table. Her skin was stark white. She released her tight grip on the door handle and approached the table.

Elizabeth frowned and returned her attention to Kate. “She’s been poisoned.”

Gasping, Bethany grasped the edge of the table. “Poisoned?”

“Yes, she’s ingested fallibar. How or why, I do not know. My concern is how much?”

“Fallibar? Is it…deadly?”

Elizabeth briefly glanced up. “It’s a plant native to our home world. We transported samples with us because it is used for medicinal purposes in tiny doses. See these purple striations around her mouth? That tells me it’s fallibar.”

Elizabeth’s competent hands continued to examine Kate. Only the small upward and downward movements of her friend’s chest telling her she still lived kept Bethany's panic at bay. Who could have done this, and why? Who could possibly want to hurt Kate? Had her friend come across something at work? She was a lawyer and privy to secrets.

The heavy outer door squeaked as it was opened, and Celeste called her name. “In here, Celeste.”

Celeste hesitantly opened the door and peeked inside. When she spotted Kate on the table, she burst into noisy tears. Bethany walked over and hugged her.

“Take her outside.”

Bethany frowned, but followed Elizabeth’s instructions and steered Celeste out of the room with an arm around her shaking shoulders. She didn’t want to impede Elizabeth’s examination by arguing or disturbing her with Celeste’s sobbing. Comforting her friend by giving her a shoulder to cry on and rubbing her back, she kept glancing at the exam room door trying to listen for any clue to Kate’s fate.

The pale green walls displayed landscape paintings. The brown-cloth chairs were comfortable enough. An assortment of plants, from tall green leaves to bright red flowers, were strewn about the room. All were probably meant to comfort and soothe, but she had to fight the urge to spring to her feet and demand entrance to the exam room.

Although it seemed like hours, the constant glances at the clock told her it had been less than one when Elizabeth stepped out of the exam room. Celeste had calmed down to hiccupping sniffles and clutched Bethany’s hand with her own.

“I’ve given her medicine to counteract the poison. I won’t know for sure until she wakes, but I believe she will make a full recovery.”

Bethany fell back against the chair and closed her eyes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

She opened her eyes and leaned forward, staring intently into Elizabeth’s earnest gaze. “Can we see her?”

Glancing back and forth between Celeste and Bethany, Elizabeth pursed her dark red lips. The smooth, caramel skin of her forehead wrinkled in thought. She gave a sharp nod. “As long as you don’t disturb her. She needs rest now.”

Bethany nodded and stood, pulling Celeste up with her. “Is she awake?”

“Not yet, but her pulse and breathing are much stronger. I need to notify the guards outside.”

Celeste gasped. “The guards? What for?”

“I doubt she put the poison in her tea herself. Someone poisoned her. The guards need to investigate.”

Celeste fell back into her chair, knocking Bethany off balance. She stumbled and flailed an arm out to steady herself with a palm against the wall.

“Tea?” she whispered.

“Yes, I took the cup off her desk and tested the contents. The fallibar was in the tea, along with some other ingredients I haven’t identified yet. Until I do, I cannot be certain about her recovery.”

Elizabeth walked away. Celeste hyperventilated behind her, but she couldn’t turn her body to offer her solace. She was frozen in place.

The poison was in the tea Celeste had brought. The tea meant for her.