Wild Rides

Chapter 29 - Empress Takes Bishop

Sighing, I prepared myself to jump right back into the stress and politics of our hellish mission. It was strange to no longer need to use my body to my advantage as that was often the most simple and straightforward way. This had turned from strip poker to a game of chess. My tattoos always helped me cheat at chess.

Within a moment, I was back in front of Li'hans who tried to keep the stress out of his face. Xoxo had definitely dropped a bomb on him. Taking a seat, I let him lead.

"Your friend was able to confirm much of what you said. However she is..."

"In a delicate state?" I finished.

"Yes."

"It's the hormones. The Rothulings would not have survived unless she was in a state of bliss so I had her eat Chazaa cakes so they would survive. Of course, getting thrown out in the storm was unexpected and we lost four."

He nodded solemnly. "There is much to regret in the last few days, but I am glad that you found my men in the market. The Olnari-"

"Xoxo."

"Xoxo," he nodded. "She said that Prince Grah'lil is deceased."

This was where I needed to tread carefully. It was a fine line between seeming eager to start a war and actually doing it. "That is true."

"You witnessed it?"

"I did."

"Can you detail what happened?"

I cringed. At the time, we were so high and delirious that it seemed less traumatic, but we had actually witnessed utter carnage and death. "Are you sure?"

His mouth turned further down. "We are alone for a reason. What you tell me may or may not be told to the other Troinek aboard."

"I don't think you should. I..." I sighed, staring at the table with wide eyes, recalling the mess of the event. Taking a deep breath, I looked at him seriously. "We went to have fun and drink. We wore blue as was suggested and were invited to a...private game of Strip Xelub. We...I ended up becoming intimate with a Caldum, while Xoxo...um...became intimate with the prince and the other two Caldum. We didn't know that the tap was spiked. Everyone in the bar was drugged with bliss. We thought they had just slipped it into our drinks."

I drew my brows together, thinking, and he readjusted in his chair, knowing that he was about to hear the death of his leader and probably his friend. "How many were in your private game excluding you and Xoxo?"

"Three Caldum, Prince Grah'lil, and the Roth. Five."

"Then what happened?"

"They wanted to try reyza."

His eyes widened briefly and he nodded for me to continue.

"It was a little fuzzy. I think the males were talking about the individual effects of the drug or some rumor about it," I supplied. By not revealing my true knowledge, my summary was further believable. Prince Grah'lil had definitely told us all the superstitions about reyza revealing true character.

"Do you remember how the others responded? How did you feel with it?"

I blinked a few times. "I felt...energized? Aware? I'm trying to remember. Xoxo felt a lot of...pleasure...and the Roth almost fell asleep."

"The others?"

"I'm not sure what started it. The entire bar was fighting when the waiter came to check on us. All of the males in the booth got so angry. It was like they all immediately hated one another when three of them had just shared Xoxo and we were playing a game. They started fighting. There was...so much blood...and screaming."