POV: Lyra
I shook my cranial area again before I said, "No. The last thing I remember was the pain spreading from my left calf. And the signature of the poison."
"Signature?" Dr. Karr asked.
"Yeah. Being a Kaelari, I've never come into contact with Xytherium in any way. I've read about them but I've never studied their properties. Yesterday was the first time I got its signature. It registers terribly, doesn't it? What's it made of anyway? I know there must be xenon compounds, synthetic salts and tritanium. But what's the last thing I'm missing?"
The doctors were lost for words for a moment before Dr. Gina managed to say, "Th-Thioacetone, my Empress. It's a substance powerful enough to induce nausea even in small amounts."
I nodded in understanding, "Hm. Makes sense."
Dr. Karr furrowed his eyebrows in concern, "My Empress, the amount of Thioacetone in it is so little that not even a Lyrokan can detect the signature. And Xytherium is odorless, scientifically speaking."
All eyes were fixed on Dr. Karr, who was looking at me like I was some medical mystery. I sighed in despair and complained to myself in a hushed tone, "This again?! You've got to be kidding me!" Despite my soft voice, everyone heard me.
Orion, who was already at my side, pressed neural contact to my facial surface and said, "Relax, sweetheart. It's a good thing. Another first." He then explained that I was able to detect titanium and some other substances that were known to be 'scientifically' odorless, and that I was the only Kaelari known to be able to heal from titanium on my own.
Juan then said, "You never told me about detecting titanium, Lyra."
I responded with a shrug, "I thought everyone detected it."
Toby then muttered under his breath, "So that's why she always knew where those titanium blades were coming from." He pondered before looking around the chamber at those I had shielded in the past before declaring, "We are some lucky void-spawns Lyra saved."
I felt Orion's grip on my hand tighten, and I threw Toby a fierce look as I said, "You are going to get so badly hurt on the training ground for letting that slip twice."
Toby chuckled, "Oh, this one was on purpose, Lyra. And like I said, I can't wait for that combat session!" I looked at my best friend like there was something wrong with him.
Dr. Karr cleared his throat and asked in curiosity, "So, apart from titanium and Xytherium, is there any other poison that you're able to heal from, my Empress? Tanicia, Lumila..."
Orion growled at the insensitive way the doctor asked the question, making the poor male and his colleague flinch before they both bowed as a sign of apology. I turned to my match and started stroking his hand as I said in a soft voice, "Darling, it was just a question. It's alright. Breathe, okay?"
His eyes were still fierce as he pressed neural contact to my cranial area and placed my body on his lap, pinning my back to his thoracic cavity as his arms secured across my shoulders and around my waist. I looked apologetically at the doctors, whom my match just frightened, and said, "Not that I know of, Dr. Karr. It's just titanium and Xytherium now."
Orion's grip tightened around me as he said in a low voice, "And we'll keep it that way."
"Y-Yes, of course, Your Eminence. I apologize for my insensitivity." Dr. Karr uttered nervously.
Orion nodded curtly and said, "Don't let it happen again." I hit him on his biceps with the back of my hand, completely disapproving the homicidal tone he was using but he ignored my protest, pressing neural contact to my cranial covering instead.
Dr. Karr uttered with another bow, "It won't, my Emperor. We'll let you rest now, my Empress. Do let us know if you need anything."
I smiled at them sympathetically and said, "Thank you, Dr. Karr. Dr. Gina."
When the portal closed, I turned to face my match, "Orion, it wasn't a big deal!"
"Yes, it was, Lyra." Zelena said. "He should've been more careful when it comes to asking such questions, especially with what just happened to you last night."
Orion turned to her and said gratefully, "Thank you, Station Leader Zelena." His sights returned to his annoyed match as he said, "You don't know what it felt like to almost lose you, Lyra. You don't know how scared I was yesterday. How scared we all were. That question came out completely wrong."
I was trying to understand Orion's point when Juan added, "They're right, Lyra. The doctor shouldn't have listed the poisons out like that. You're a being, not an experiment."
I tried to imagine how I would've felt if a doctor had asked Orion or any of my friends that question, and I understood immediately. My body stiffened as I muttered under my breath, "Huh. I think I get it now."
Toby then teased with a hand cupping the side of his auditory receptor, "I'm sorry, Lyra. What was that?" I threw him a playful glare and the atmosphere in the chamber lightened up.
Orion's comm-device signaled all of a sudden but his grip on me remained tight as he answered the transmission. "Chief Dalloway?"
"Your Eminence, I am so sorry to bother you right now. But would it be possible for you or the High Commander to come to the security station? A female is confessing to have ordered a youngling to be terminated. And it so happens that the youngling in question was shielded by the Empress."
Due to the proximity between my and Orion's bodies, I could hear everything the caller was saying. My widened black orbs met Orion's black eyes as the Chief continued, "W-We don't know how much of it is true, my Emperor. She happens to know the crime in great detail and her story makes sense. But her demeanor is saying that she's being forced to confess. She denied confessing to protect someone else but we really can't be sure."
Orion asked, "How did she say the youngling was to be terminated?"
"A blade coated with a lethal amount of Xytherium, Your Eminence."
"Who did she hire?"
"A male designated Harrison Brown, now deceased. We did some research and found out that he was sent to the same medical station that the Empress was."
I was getting lost in thought as my hands rested on Orion's thoracic cavity. He continued to hold me firmly as he asked in a murderous tone, "What's her designation?"
"Agnes Fitzgerald, my Emperor."
My confused eyes snapped to my match's as I mind-touched, Wait, who?