Haydn sagged back against Royce, relief making his knees weak. Royce’s arms came up to wrap around him, and for one sweet, blissful moment, everything was right with the world—before an enraged voice made his blood go cold.
“The Pelugians must take responsibility for this!”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Royce muttered, releasing Haydn and turning to Taube. He raised his voice. “Your Excellency, let us not be hasty. Clearly there’s something wrong with the Duke of Westcliff, and it wasn’t intentional—”
“Not intentional?” Taube growled, pointing at his ripped suit. “I don’t care! This—this beast nearly killed me!”
Devlin growled in his manacles, his glowing eyes fixed on Taube balefully.
“See?” Taube said, his voice becoming progressively louder as the people who had run out of the ballroom started returning. “I’ve allowed this thing into my home, tolerating it for the sake of the peace, and I was nearly murdered for it!”
“I will not tolerate you slandering my family and kingdom,” King Stefan cut in, pushing to the front of the crowd and glaring down at Taube. “If anything, you’re the one who has to take responsibility, Taube. I came here in good faith, thinking that I and my family would be safe here. Instead, my nephew has been poisoned in your house!”
“How dare you—”
“Enough.”
Taube and Stefan went silent as Lord Ksar’ngh’chaali stepped forward.
The crowd quieted a little. Haydn understood why. This off-worlder may not have a biological designation like they did, but there was little doubt that he would have been an alpha had he been an Eilan. It was in the way he carried himself: self-assured and haughty, like he expected everyone to do as he said.
“Your lordship—” Taube attempted but shut up under the foreigner’s flat look.
“I don’t have time for your petty squabbles,” Lord Ksar said, his strange silver eyes finally stopping on Devlin, who was still growling under the weight of three Xeus alphas pretty much sitting on him. “I understand this isn’t normal?”
“No,” Royce replied before Taube or Stefan could. “Although Xeus alphas are known for their aggressiveness, they should not be able to turn into this form out of their moon cycle.”
Lord Ksar stared at Devlin for a moment and said, “I can’t sense any rational thought in him. His mind is that of a wild animal.”
Right. Lord Ksar was a telepath.
An uneasy murmur rippled through the crowd.
The foreigner looked thoughtful. “Send for a doctor. Have them examine him and tell us what’s wrong.”
Taube scowled. “The beast doesn’t deserve medical attention! It injured dozens of my security guards! It should be put down—”
“Send for a doctor,” Lord Ksar repeated.
Royce touched his earpiece. “Medics are already on the way.”
“It’s not necessary,” Stefan spat out. “I can tell what’s wrong with my nephew. Clearly he was poisoned. I recognize the drug—there’s only one thing that can turn a man into a beast. It’s called kerosvarin. It was outlawed in Pelugia hundreds of years ago, but its symptoms are obvious and unmistakable.”
Haydn frowned. He did recognize the name of the drug, but…
“You mean the drug that changes one’s genetic code?” Royce said.
Stefan sneered at him. “Yes. It’s one of the most invasive medical drugs to ever exist. It basically amplifies one’s designation traits, and alphas become little better than beasts. It has no cure. My nephew was poisoned by the Kadarians in this very house!” He looked at Lord Ksar. “I demand justice!”
Another murmur went through the gathered crowd, people’s unease obvious.
Haydn certainly shared the sentiment. Poisoned. As much as he’d hate to agree with his father, his words made sense. A Xeus alpha would never be able to shift into his beastly form out of his rut unless there was some foul play involved.
“Ridiculous!” Taube said with a harsh laugh. “We would never—”
“Has the duke eaten or drunk something since his arrival?” Lord Ksar said, ignoring Taube once again.
Haydn cleared his throat. “Yes. He drank a few glasses of wine. We were offered drinks by a male waiter.” He looked around, but of course it was impossible to find their glasses among the wreckage of broken glasses on the floor. “I don’t remember his face I’m afraid.”
Royce touched his wrist, frowning. Are you all right? his gaze said.
I’m fine, Haydn mouthed at him before returning his attention to the Galactic Council official. He seemed thoughtful.
“Gather all male waiters,” Lord Ksar said, the tone of his voice brooking no argument.
Taube set his jaw mulishly. “With all due respect, Your Lordship, but you don’t give orders here. I will not allow my staff to be put under suspicion for the sake of that animal.”
Haydn clenched his fists.
Royce heaved a sigh and raised his voice, addressing the Opal House’s steward. “Garrick, gather all male waiters.”
The steward swallowed, looking from Taube to Royce and back. Haydn felt a pang of sympathy for him. Being caught between a rock and a hard place was never easy. Taube was his boss now, but it was highly likely that Royce would win the next elections.