Chapter 15
“Her dose was minuscule compared to Baruke’s,” someone said near Fee’s feet.
She was lying down, comfortable, warm, in what was most likely a med bay. She didn’t feel any inclination to open her eyes.
“It has to be the grilko, Lenato, she only took one tiny sip of that.” Hal’s voice was a deep, comforting sound that allowed her to relax.
She had the feeling, though, that she would learn more about what was going on if she kept her eyes closed.
“That’s possible, but Baruke had eaten more on his plate than she had, so we can’t rule out it was in the food.” A third person, a woman, said. Fee recognized the voice as that of General Olna.
“Someone’s investigating?” the person Hal called Lenato asked.
“Multiple people.” Hal’s tone was clipped. “Between Balcoan Security and Battle Center’s Balcoan station, we’ve got plenty of boots on the ground.”
“The Balcoans will probably get more out of the staff than our people will,” Olna said. “And we’re in a strange situation as Fiona isn’t technically Grihan, so if the Balcoans challenge our jurisdiction to investigate, we’re on shaky ground.”
“If she isn’t Grihan, what is she?” Hal asked, and Fee could hear the challenge in his voice.
“You’re right.” Olna sighed. “No offense meant, Vakeri. If we get any complaints, I’ll push back.”
“At least we got Baruke the help he needed in time. He’ll make it.” Who Lenato was came to her at last. The chief medical officer who’d raced over to help the leader. “I have to admit all my nerves were for dealing with Fiona. I have no idea how well Grihan medicine works on her.”
“Eazi has a file, developed over the last year or more that Fiona and her friends have been with us.” A fingertip brushed her cheek, and Fiona slowly opened her eyes.
“I was very grateful to receive it—” The medical officer stopped mid sentence. “You’re awake.”
“I’m gathering thanks to you?” Her voice was a little rough, but she realized that she felt absolutely fine.
She smiled up at Hal and noticed the hard, squeezing sensation in her throat was gone, and as she struggled with the sheet to sit up against the pillows, she realized she felt as if nothing bad had happened to her at all.
“You might have been in worse shape than you are now, but given how little of the poison you ingested, I don’t think you’d have been in danger of dying, regardless.” The chief medical officer was a thin, older Grih, with kind eyes.
Hal threaded his fingers through hers. “You really gave me a fright there.”
“Me, too.” Eazi’s voice was a low murmur in her ear.
“Well, I’m grateful to feel so recovered,” Fee said, squeezing Hal’s hand. “I’m sorry that everyone was worried.”
“It isn’t your fault. What we need to work out is why you and Baruke were targeted.” Olna stepped closer to the foot of the bed. “It’s puzzling.”
“Maybe it was to stop us meeting,” Fee said. “We were talking about setting something up just before the food arrived, or rather, I was talking about it, and Baruke was avoiding any commitment.”
“Why was that?” Olna wondered.
“I thought it was because he didn’t want to explain why the contracts we entered into for the parts and supplies to build Paxe’s new battleship weren’t being honored.
I assumed he didn’t want to have to get tough with the suppliers, because they are Balcoan and it would be a bad look for him, as head of Balco. ”
“You think there’s another reason, now?” Hal asked.
“Maybe he was being threatened?” she said.
“He looked nervous to me when I broached a meeting. Either way, I don’t think someone overheard me talking to him about us meeting and ran out quickly to find some poison.
I think they knew we would be at the dinner together—it probably wouldn’t have been difficult for anyone to find out—and they knew I had already requested a meeting and Baruke was stalling.
Chances were we’d discuss it again, or even hold an impromptu meeting at the dinner.
Whatever they put the poison into, it would have been in one of the first things we were given by the waitstaff, and that was the grilko. ”
“If they knew about the meeting you’d already tried to set up, they’re in Baruke’s inner circle,” Hal said.
“We’re already leaning toward an inside job,” Olna agreed.
“Can you tell me why you only drank a small amount of the grilko?” Lenato asked.
She smiled. “It tasted foul.”
“Thank goodness you hated it,” Eazi said.
“I wonder whether it tasted bad to you because you were able to pick up the taste of the poison, or whether you just hate the taste of the grilko,” Hal said.
“I’d be interested to know the answer to that question.” Lenato tilted his head. “Would you be up for tasting it again?”
She didn’t want to, but it would be interesting to know if she could taste the poison. She was already able to see things the Grih couldn’t see, it would not be completely out of bounds if she could taste things they couldn’t taste.
“I’m prepared to give it another try.” She looked down at herself, found she was in a soft shirt and pants. “Am I cleared to go?”
“We’ll let you have a shower and then I’ll do a final check. If your vitals look good, you can go.” Lenato stepped back. “And I’ll find a sealed bottle of grilko to give you a taste of, as well.”
Fiona made a face and got herself off the bed as everyone except Hal filed out the room and closed the door.
As soon as they were alone he pulled her close and hugged her tightly. “When you hit the ground . . .” He kissed the top of her head. “It was not something I’d ever like to see again.”
“It came on suddenly,” she said. “One moment I was watching Lenato tend to Baruke, the next my throat felt like it was in a vice.” She shuddered at the memory. “It was frightening.”
“Go shower, I’ll wait out here.” Hal kissed her lightly again.
He was keeping watch, she realized as she stepped into the bathroom, and she had to admit she felt better knowing that he was out there, on guard.
By the time she was showered and dressed in a new shirt and pants she’d found neatly folded on the counter for her, Lenato was back, a bottle of lavender grilko in one hand.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Good,” she said. “I’ll need a big glass of water handy in case I just really don’t like the taste of grilko.”
He grinned as he broke the seal and poured a small amount into a glass, and Hal topped up the water glass that was sitting beside her bed.
She took a very cautious sip. Coughed.
“Disgusting,” she said, gulping water.
Lenato shrugged. “Well, that’s one thing checked off the list.”
“Where’s Baruke recovering?” Fee asked him. “Is he here in this hospital?”
“Yes.” Lenato screwed the lid back on the grilko. “Do you want to visit him?”
“Well . . . ” Fee shrugged. “If someone didn’t want us to talk to each other, it would surely be safer for both of us if we did just that. So there would be no point any longer in keeping us apart.”
“That’s . . . not a bad idea,” Hal said. “Is Baruke up to talking to Fiona?”
“He’s much improved, although he’ll need to be in the ward for at least another day, maybe two.” Lenato lifted his hands, indicating the uncertainty.
“I’m surprised his people didn’t move him to a Balcoan facility,” Hal said.
“I think his mind went to the same place as ours.” Lenato grimaced. “That it was an inside job. He’s made the decision he’s safer with the Grih than with his own.”
“I think he’s probably got that right,” Fee said. “If he’s up to it, I think we’d both be doing each other a favor if we meet. And I am really interested in what he has to say.”