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"They are courtiers, Fen. They all mean ill intent."
Fen smiled. "Most of it was mild. The servant that carried the cup made them burn, so I revealed the room and saw the malice coming from it."
"Fascinating. Do you remember what the servant looked like?"
Fen shook her head. "She was a woman. Blue dress, red sash. She had a tattoo of Sekhmet on her bicep."
"I'll send Kash back to find her if he can."
Khan breathed a sigh of relief as they passed through the gates and into the palace grounds. The twins had identical smirks on their faces as he helped Fen out of the carriage. He rolled his eyes at them. He didn't want to risk telling them the truth out in the open.
Khan knew that the palace Medjai would also be questioned about his arrival home, so he put an arm around Fen. She figured out what he was doing, and she cuddled his waist. He tried not to think about how her height made her fit snugly under his arm and pushed away the rush of protective feelings toward her.
Fen was always going to be a target, too, because of her position with him. Her physical danger wasn't something he had fully considered until that moment.
You utter fool, he cursed himself.
Once the door was closed to his chambers, Khan turned to the twins. They were still grinning like fools.
"I was almost poisoned tonight," Khan said, holding the cup out to them. "Kemes, we need to get this sample to Asten so he can analyze it for toxins. Kash, I want you to return to Hasina's and find a servant woman with a tattoo of Sekhmet on her arm. She gave me the cup."
"What? I mean… I thought you two were drunk?" Kashmet said, frowning.
"Don't act so disappointed. If it wasn't for Fen, you'd be reporting to the Pharaoh that I was murdered right now."
Kemes took the cup and sniffed it. "How do you know it's poisoned."
"My magic told me," Fen replied, lifting her chin in challenge. "It never lies."
"Okay, keep your dress on. Asten will hate being interrupted with whatever project he's working on." Kemes's smile turned mischievous. "I can't wait to see how flustered he gets."
"Play nice, Kemes," Khan warned. "We need him. You two can do your aggressive flirting later."
"Someone must have pretty big balls to try assassinating you in Hasina's home," Kashmet grumbled. "It's like these Ankharians have no shame at all."
"Gods, Hasina. You need to warn her too, in case she's a target as well," Khan said, his blood going cold.
"Or she is the one behind it," Fen muttered under her breath. The three of them turned to stare at her. "You really didn't consider that?"
"Hasina is a spoiled little brat, but she wouldn't kill me," Khan said. He looked to Kashmet and Kemes to back him up, but they didn't. They looked like Fen, suspicious and uneasy.
"I'll go see what I can find out," Kashmet said and disappeared back out the door.
"Here's hoping Asten is still awake," Kemes added and followed him.
Fen shifted under Khan's gaze. "I'm sorry to throw suspicion on your sister. She is…very jealous of you. I didn't need my runes to tell me that."
"I suppose we will find out," Khan replied. He had never been close to Hasina, but he didn't think she would hate him that much. Fen's warm palm cupped his cheek, her golden eyes gentle.
"You're a good person, Khan. We will find who did this."
Khan placed his hand over hers, holding it to his cheek. "I didn't get a chance to thank you for saving my life. Tell me what I can give you as a reward."
Fen's cheeks and the tips of her ears went red. Khan resisted the urge to kiss her again even though every part of him wanted that sweet mouth.
"I'd like something to make a statue of Freya and some new rune stones to scry with," Fen answered. She looked up at him from under her lashes, and he swallowed hard.
Kiss her.
