Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 144433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
"Maeve?" Zhur calls.
"I'm going to shower," I yell back. "Maybe I can wash off whatever this is!"
There's no answer, and I focus on scrubbing instead and examining the red welts. Heat makes it all hurt, so I change the water to ice-cold and soap everything twice, despite the sting. It feels like it's just making it worse, but I don't know what else to do. I hop out of the shower, glance in the mirror, and I could swear that the redness is spreading. Is my nose swelling? With a frustrated cry, I scratch at my neck and head back into the shower. Only the icy water seems to help, so I splash it on the worst spots and try not to touch them.
Zhur knocks on the door. "Maeve?"
"I don't know what this is," I complain as he opens the door to the bathroom. "I've never had this happen before."
His expression is grave. "Nassakth just sent a comm. He is furious. You have poisoned his wife."
Say...what?
CHAPTER
NINETY-SEVEN
ZHUR
By morning, Maeve's skin looks like one large red welt and several spots have started to blister.
"I am going to murder Kazex," I tell her as I dab a wet cloth on her skin. "How did he not know that plant was poisonous to humans?"
She grimaces as I towel her down. Her hands are bound, the fingers wrapped together because otherwise she scratches at herself incessantly. "He didn't know. Maybe it's just a human thing where we have reactions to plants. It didn't bother you or Nassakth. Maybe it's the same for whatever race he is."
"A'ani," I fill in for her. "His people are a cloned race called a'ani."
"There you go. If I was cloning anyone, I wouldn't make them have a reaction to poison ivy or whatever that plant was. Can you get my neck? It's driving me crazy." She lifts one wrapped hand and pats at it furiously.
I grunt at her words, but I still don't like it. Humans are far too fragile. I've never met a sentient species that required so much maintenance. Wetting the cloth, I dab at her neck again. "Nassakth stopped growling at me when I told him you had it even worse than Kim. She only has it on her hands."
"You should have let him come and kill me," she whines. "It'd be kinder at this point."
"Stop," I tell her, gently wetting her neck. "It is just a rash. Nassakth says he has a plant that makes a cooling salve and I can go get some from him. I just don't want to leave you."
Maeve's eyes go wide. "Are you serious? Fucking leave me. Go get something that will help this! Anything! It's making me crazy!" Her bound hands rub at her reddened arm, even as I swat her to discourage that.
I don't like leaving her when she's clearly miserable. But if this will help..."You're sure you'll be all right?"
"What's the worst I can do? Scratch myself raw?"
"Go into anaphylactic shock and die?"
That makes her pause. She rubs her lower arms and scowls at me. "Do you have to throw shit like that out into the universe?"
"You asked. I don't like the thought either."
Maeve squirms on the blankets miserably, trying to pat more itchy spots on her skin. She wears no clothing, because just the touch of fabric against her limbs makes the itching worse. "Yeah, well, no one has ever died of poison ivy or poison oak that I know of." She pauses. "I think there was a poison sumac, too."
"Sounds like everything is poisonous to humans," I grump. "But if you want his plant lotion, I will go get it."
"Yes. Please. Anything to stop the itching. If it doesn't work, I want you to come back and knock me over the head with a brick so I can at least sleep for a bit."
I roll my eyes. Now who is being dramatic? Maeve is terrible at being sick. I get to my feet and then lean over to kiss her reddened, itchy brow. "I will head to Nassakth's right now. Don't go anywhere."
Maeve laughs hysterically.
I head out to the air sled and set it to the last route taken. It lifts into the air and then zooms forward, crossing over fields and pastures. I keep my hands on the controls just in case of emergencies, but the sled knows where to go, and it allows me to think.
In a way, I'm glad I get to see Nassakth again so quickly. I need his advice. I have never had an advisor I could truly trust. There is Uba, of course, but he has served my family and his loyalty is not just to me, but to our line. He would not give me up to Rem, but I would also not be able to ask him about what I should do if I wish to abandon my throne for good. He would not understand.