Chapter 14
The door chime sounded, surprising Xivthar. He wasn't expecting anyone.
The two guards standing outside his chambers glanced at one another and then toward him as he pulled the door open. They were the same ones he'd seen in the Minister of Defense's chambers earlier.
"We have orders to stay by your side," the taller one stated.
"Whose orders?"
"The Minister of Defense, Sire."
Of course. His meddling brother.
Xivthar turned and headed to the nearest console to give Drake a piece of his mind. The guards trooped in behind him like a twin set of shadows.
"I was expecting your call," his brother said, his maroon face displaying a frown that was becoming permanent.
"What's with the guards?" he asked, Drake's appearance putting him on edge. Didn't he understand that his subordinates looked to him for confidence? And still his brother was walking around in public, letting his anxiety show.
"Just following your own protocol, brother. No one goes around alone."
"I'm hardly alone," Xivthar replied, throwing his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the professor sitting at the table behind him, dipping a finger into her bowl and gathering the remains of her porridge to surreptitiously lick it off.
The sight of her little pink tongue sent a rush of blood to his lower regions. The regent blocked the thoughts of what he wanted to do with that tongue from his mind and tried to concentrate on the conversation at hand. His brother wouldn’t let him live it down if his color morphed, giving his arousal away.
"She hardly qualifies as part of your pair. She's a possible Hareema collaborator."
Although he could feel his skin wanting to flush yellow, he held in his anger. His brother wasn't exactly wrong. Still, having two guards following him around meant he wouldn't be alone with the female.
He glanced back over his shoulder. She was taking a long lick on her index finger.
On second thought, maybe it was better if he wasn't alone with her.
"You're right. I shouldn't have sought to reprimand you."
Drake nodded. "Keep an eye on her, brother. She can't be trusted."
Xivthar waved the display away and ran a hand through the tendrils on his head. His brother's words were echoing in his mind.She can't be trusted.
Not yet. But after today, he hoped that would change.
He glanced over at her, hating how badly he wanted to spend time touching every part of the innocent little thing.
"Let's go," he barked, turning on his heel and walking away before he did something he might regret.
