"Everything all right?" Seb asked Mason, his brow cocked as he evaluated the pack of weapons.
Mason threw the bag down on the table, making a godawful clunking sound. His forehead glistened with sweat. He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he crossed the room in two long strides, kissing Kiarra hard on the lips. The fervor of his assault pressed her back against Reed's chest. The Soldier stood and evaluated the rest of the room after trailing a finger lovingly over Kiarra's cheek.
"Yes and no." The room waited, and Mason ran a hand over his head. "Nothing is wrong yet, but something may happen soon."
Ian studied the bag of weapons. "You have a bad feeling?"
"More than bad," Mason confirmed solemnly.
Kiarra shivered, but not with pleasure this time. It was fear. Reed wound his arms around Kiarra's waist, kissed her temple, and Clay's hand spread further over her thigh. He grasped her hand. Ian relayed what Reed had overheard, what Rowan told them, and that the Advisor intended to impart additional crucial knowledge. Reed was fascinated by Rowan's description of soul reflections, but he would save his questions for when matters weren't so dire.
Mason pursed his lips, his ice blue eyes glowering. He might look fierce, but Reed sensed the apprehension underlying his impassive expression. He was afraid for Kiarra, and his fear echoed into every man. The emotion spread like brushfire until the room drowned within it.
Kiarra took several gasping breaths, clutching a hand to her chest. "Please, tone your fright down. When you share the same strong emotion, it's overwhelming."
Reed pushed his face against her neck again, breathing in her scent. Her smell helped relax him. Mason shared a similar urge because he fell to his knees at her side and laid his head on the thigh Clay hadn't claimed. Kiarra breathed easier. "Thank you, that's better."
"Do you feel similarly with all emotions?" Ian asked.
Kiarra nodded, her hair swishing against Reed’s face. "Yes, but strong feelings are the worst. I can handle passion and desire as it simply increases my own. But an increase in my already present fear or a shared reaction of anger or sadness could render me useless."
Reed filed the information away. He possessed years of experience in stoicism. He could rein in his more passionate responses without too much difficulty, he hoped. The less cerebral reactions appeared more often and more vigorously in Kiarra's presence.
"Well, what do we do now?" Seb kept his tone light, trying to lessen the tension in the room.
"We are safest here until we know what's going on," Ian decided. "We need the knowledge my Advisor possesses. I believe his information will be the lynchpin in whatever plans we make and how we decide to progress regarding the Prince." The men shared nods around the room.
Bridget arrived with food while they waited tensely, but Ian directed her to leave the cart. None of them ate, too concerned about the possibility of poison. Kiarra remained sprawled across Reed and Clay while Reed glanced at the book he had snagged from the library. The beginning detailed a rather dull account of the country's natural resources, but he slogged through each word, afraid to miss anything. Mason sorted the weapons with Ian's help, Clay continued to read the physics test, and Seb leaned his head back on the other couch for a short nap.
They occupied the same positions when a firm knock sounded upon the outer door precisely an hour after the food arrived. Kiarra perked up from where she had been peeking at Clay's textbook with him. They all turned to her for direction.
"It's the Advisor and another man." She frowned. "I don't know him."
Ian tucked another dagger into his belt, and Mason shadowed him as they walked to the door. Opening the portal slowly, he peered to the other side before he admitted the visitors. The unknown man was a dark-skinned Mishokian in the black clothes of the Information House. Reed had never met him before, either.
"You all know Advisor Carson. This is my friend, Jeff. I sent him after the Prince." Ian clapped the other spy in a hug, and the Mishokian grinned, his teeth flashing white in his ebony face.
"This must be your Soul Match." The man called Jeff smiled handsomely at Kiarra, bowing low. Reed's chest burned with an unfamiliar emotion - jealousy. His hands clenched on the book he held.
"Our match," Mason growled roughly. Jeff chuckled, backing away from Kiarra before he touched her. Reed breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't explain why, but he didn't want the man touching Kiarra.
"The bond is still new, then?" the stranger grinned.
"Yes. Please ignore my matches' bad manners. The bond is too fresh for them to welcome another young man into the room." Kiarra greeted him with her own smile and introduced her matches and herself. The tension in the room lessened slightly, but an atmosphere of manly testosterone and possession filtered across their connection. The more distance Jeff put between himself and Kiarra, the more the discomfort eased. When he took a seat at the table across the room, the men relaxed further.
"You have information?" Ian turned towards the Advisor. Mason and the Shadow now stood behind the couch, each of them touching one of Kiarra's shoulders. Seb, feeling left out or merely wanting to be closer to Kiarra, sat at their feet. Both Reed and Clay moved their legs aside to make room for him. Kiarra threaded a hand through his wavy red hair, and he leaned his head back on her hip.
The Advisor evaluated them curiously. His eyes narrowed on the text in Reed's hands. "You can read Costinan? Have you always been able to?"
Reed shared a glance with Ian. Could they trust the Advisor with everything? Ian nodded, and Reed took a deep breath. "Not always, no."
The Advisor's gray eyes widened, and he shot out a rapid string of words. The language wasn't Megrerian, but they displayed similarities. Reed had never heard the dialect before, but he understood. Furthermore, his brain formed a response in the same language. He replied, and the Advisor grinned. The smile completely transformed his face from that of a stoic, suspicious older man to one much younger and more trusting. Carson glanced at Jeff and instructed the spy to say something in Mishokian. The exchange occurred the same way. Reed easily understood and answered. The Advisor rubbed his hands together in a gesture of satisfaction.
"What language did you speak first?" Seb asked curiously.
"Old Accleshian," the Advisor answered.
Reed's spine stiffened. "Accleshian?"
"Yes." Carson swiped a hand over his balding head. He wasn't that old, Reed thought, only fifty or so, but his body and face displayed the weariness of a much older man. "This room is secure. I made certain of your protection when we renovated the wing. What I tell you next will surprise you, but I assume you need the information to fill in the gaps in your knowledge. You've read Mellisande's journal?"
"Yes. How did you know?" Kiarra asked.
Carson grinned. "I'm the one who planted the key. I wanted to ensure you found it. Events have transpired the way the Fates intended them to. What the diary doesn't reveal and what no one else knows is that Mellisande's Spymaster was my great-grandfather, five times removed. Several other Advisors who have fulfilled this role throughout the last century are all Accleshian. So am I."
Silence filled the room. Reed wrote the report in his mind, placing the data into its position. "So, you are descended from Ramona?"
Carson nodded. "Ramona was still young when her father fled with Mellisande and the child. But, he planned the escape for some time because he suspected Caden would betray them. At the time, Acclesh was still deeply involved in Megrerian politics. We worked as sister countries, separate only in name. The formation of the Houses and the execution of those women with more than one bondmate were the primary reasons the nations severed ties. Acclesh refused to associate with Megreria after Caden took the throne. They were certain King Caden's laws angered the Gods and the Fates.
"Acclesh didn't want a war, either. They had their own problems and didn't want to instigate conflicts with other kingdoms. The Baldonian refugees were encouraged to make their life here on the peninsula. When th
ey arrived with skills, traditions which somewhat mirrored their own, and a belief in the Fates, they greeted them as brothers. Caden tore that connection apart in a matter of years. But Acclesh refused to leave everything up to chance, so we've been putting a Spymaster in place for generations. I believe only one King didn't assign an Accleshian to the position."
"I'm not Accleshian," Ian pointed out.
Carson's lips curled. "Your father's side of the family wasn't Accleshian, your mother was." Ian's eyes widened. Kiarra reached for his hand as he received unknown knowledge about his parentage. "I once knew your mother well and hoped to groom you for this position. Your father didn't trust me, though, and I couldn't interfere without making it worse for you - worse than it already was. I was sad to learn of her death. When I received word you killed your father and uncle and fled to Treleaven, I immediately searched for you."
Reed hadn't known Ian murdered his father and uncle, and judging by the other men's reactions, they hadn't as well. The surprise was fleeting, however, replaced by the righteous justice which seeped from Kiarra. Those men placed the scars upon Ian's back. Whatever he did to them, they had deserved it. She passed the emotion on to the rest of them, superseding his brief shock. He didn't think Kiarra overwrote his feelings, necessarily; he agreed with her viewpoint. He held her tighter, breathing in the scent of her hair. An Accleshian sat before them. Carson had the potential to answer so many questions.
Chapter 22
Kiarra
The news that Ian murdered his childhood torturers did not surprise or bother me. I had encountered the demons which still haunted him. The foul men deserved every second of whatever death he brought them. I would have killed them myself if they still lived. When shock filtered along the bond, I reminded my matches of Ian's scars. He was not a murderer. He had been a young boy, tortured and abused. Their demise was self-defense and wholly justified in my opinion.
That the man before me was Accleshian and related to me held far more interest. "So, you are my uncle?"
Carson grinned at me. Something about the soul bond I had forged affected him. He revealed a side of himself to us that he usually hid. I didn’t know how Jeff fit into the plan, but I sensed he was a friend. Ian and the Advisor trusted him. A tiny part of my mind implied he was significant in some way. I wondered how, but the bigger picture concerned me more at the moment.
"Yes, I am a distant uncle on your father's side. Your family in Acclesh is comprised of better humans than your father. My sister is the ruling Queen, and my daughter will take her place when she steps down. My sister has five partners, like our long-dead grandmother, Ramona. Houses don't exist in our country, but certain traits appear more predominantly in some people than in others. For example, one of my sister's husbands is a warrior. Another is a teacher. They all possess their skillsets."
I traded glances with my matches. Their interest equaled my own. In our kingdom, our relationship was an unknown, a trial, and an anomaly. In Acclesh, multiple partners might be the typical arrangement. "Does every woman claim more than one partner?"
Carson shook his head. "Unlike in native Baldony, the ratio of females to males is not as skewed in Acclesh. Still, women are fewer because some areas of the kingdom are savage, especially nearer the two mountain ranges. Our hill tribes are made up of mostly men. Many relationships are still one for one. Royals, specifically those destined to rule their generation, are the only women who claim five partners as bondmates, which is what we call them as opposed to Soul Matches." Bondmates had been the term my grandmother used as well.
Jeff's teeth flashed white again. "In my culture, the men marry multiple females."
I scrunched my nose. "What's the point of that?"
Jeff shrugged. He was an attractive man, quick to smile. His dark skin reflected the candlelight, and his curly hair was cut close to his head. I didn't experience any more interest in him than I did in Carson, though. Thankfully, my days of lusting over unknown men were over. My bondmates were all I needed.
"The men want to conceive as many children as possible; marrying multiple women aids in that endeavor. One female can be pregnant while another recovers from childbirth or nurses a baby. The majority of our tribes are nomadic. Including one woman who can gather, one who can sew, one who can cook, and one who can care for the children facilitates the smooth operation of the tribe."
My brows drew together in confusion. "But a man could do every one of those things." Jeff shrugged again, and we wisely dropped the subject. He couldn't convince me having multiples wives was better than having multiple husbands. The hordes of children must outnumber the number of adults in their country.
"Why does Acclesh continue to position their Spymasters into the Advisor roles?" Ian asked Carson, moving the conversation back to more important topics.
Carson shrugged. "In a way, Megreria is Acclesh's child. Your kingdom used to be part of ours. We didn't want to abandon it, especially since almost everyone in Megreria now bears Accleshian blood within them. If the Baldonians had procreated only with themselves after they fled their homeland, inbreeding would have occurred. The refugees weren't plentiful enough to reproduce without issue. Acclesh has been watching and waiting patiently for the Fates to place someone on the throne who can return the kingdom to its former glory. Caden and his line ruined Megreria. The Commoners and Performers endure poverty. The outer villages do not share the benefits of those in the cities. The rural people live differently than the city dwellers in many aspects. Your rule will allow them to live as they prefer and enable more women to find their bondmates. The structure Megreria is built upon is not completely broken, but it requires improvement. We awaited the return of magic."
Surprise trickled through the room. Reed's arms tightened around me. Clay clutched the hand not tangled in Seb's soft hair. "Magic?"
"Your Scholar can now understand almost any language. I am sure your other matches boast new abilities as well. What is that, if not magic? We were concerned the magic would never reappear. The Fates' selection of you and your mates is this country's saving grace. Baldony is gathering a small force, and if Megreria isn't at its strongest, it will fall to the other nation. Corruption will spread like illness."
Conviction settled within me. "Baldony is the threat, not Acclesh."
"Aye," Carson confirmed, his own Northern accent coloring his words. He glanced at Jeff. "The rumors of battles at the border are just that - rumors. A Baldonian envoy hired bandits to impersonate Accleshian citizens. When Acclesh found out, they routed the men and put me on alert. Prince Caden has been associating with an extremely dangerous Baldonian man to enact this subterfuge."
I shivered with apprehension. Everett was a danger all on his own. If he had powerful allies, Megreria faced a potentially disastrous future.
"How much of a threat is Baldony?" Mason asked, his warrior mind calculating strategy and heading down the same pathways as mine. His hand on my shoulder transmitted strength and reassurance.
Carson sighed. "I can't say with certainty. We've asked our seers, we've sent our spies, and we've employed Mishokians to gather information. From all accounts, they remain a weak country regarding resources and fighting men. However, such details might not matter. After so many years of corrupting the original bonding energy of Soul Matches, they have developed something worse - dark magic, evil magic. If we can remove the man traveling with Everett and dismiss him as a threat, the country may back down. Nothing is guaranteed."
I shuddered again. My men's hands reflexively tightened on me as fear slipped through me. I narrowed my eyes at Carson. "What would have happened if Everett ascended to the throne? What if I hadn't been chosen by the Fates and pointed out by the Soul Tenders?"
"A couple scenarios are possibilities. Acclesh might have invaded in an attempt to regain the crown or we might have been able to arrange an untimely death for the young Prince. His death becomes the more difficult option as we learn new information. If his Baldonian ally is teachi
ng him dark magic because his soul is already corrupt, he will be harder to stop or kill."
My intuition, newly enhanced, prodded me again. "Acclesh wants something from this union."
"Aye," Carson said slowly. "Not only do we want Megreria to reach its fullest potential, but there is more. Our seers believe our future queens will need access to the Megrerian population to find their Soul Matches. My daughter is only a bit younger than you, and already she is drawn to cross the mountains. I am fairly certain at least one of her bondmates is Megrerian."
"Why hasn't Acclesh sought a peaceful union with Megreria before now? Why wait until the Soul Tenders stepped in and identified a woman with five Soul Matches?" Reed queried. His chest rumbled against my back. His solid arms around my waist anchored me. The men felt no embarrassment being close to one another anymore. The shift filled me with joy. I sensed their connection to each other as surely as their link to me.
"I have two answers to your question. One, Kiarra isn't a random woman. She is a descendant of Mellisande, a true heir. She was chosen specifically by the Fates to be Queen. The same occurs in my country. Though my sister, the current Queen, has two daughters, my daughter will be the next Queen. Fate always chooses the next female, not direct parentage. The other answer is that we have tried. Every Caden in history believes an inherent evil exists within the prospect of women claiming more than one mate. I'm not certain if the trait is inherent or if they pass down some secret text or knowledge. Historically, the moment any Caden learns Accleshian rulers are females with multiple bondmates, they shut down any connection beyond the necessary trade. They don't encourage visitors or tourism. They don't want Megrerians to be exposed to Accleshian customs."
"Does your country have Soul Tenders?" Curiosity colored Clay's tone. I quirked an eyebrow, interested in the question myself.
"No. Soul Tenders seem to be unique to Megreria. Baldony is an unknown. They might have possessed priests who performed the same function as your Soul Tenders. Accleshians are more connected to their souls and their soul's magic. Typically, they can sense the identity and locations of their bondmates. An oracle isn't necessary to identify a mystical connection. We do have seers. Sometimes, they recognize bonds, but more often they foresee events in the future that may come to pass. Not every prophecy comes to fruition, but every seer agrees we need to heal the fracture between Megreria and Acclesh. Megreria needs to return to its original customs and roots."
Echoes of Her Soul: A Reverse Harem Fantasy (Soul Tenders Book 2) Page 19
