The middle sister’s eyes widened as her eyes flew to all my matches. Seb and Reed’s parents sidled closer to hear my words. “They are all your Soul Matches?”
“Yes.” I was unable to hide my smile. “The Fates have brought us together and bonded us. I could not survive without any of them.” The girls likely had more questions, but Mason led them away. He had yet to tell them about their mother’s and father’s deaths. I felt pity for him, but knew they would understand why he had decided their father’s Fate. I looked forward to spending more time with them.
I approached Ma and Pa Porter and bowed to them. The woman, Edwina, gasped. “Your Majesty, you shouldn’t bow to us,” she scolded. I hid the smile that wanted to twist my lips.
“I should. I am honored to be matched with your amazing sons. Each of them has provided more to me than I ever expected. I couldn’t have done this without them.”
Edwina clasped my hands. She was a plump woman who appeared to be only a mother at first glance, but I could see the Scholar in her. Her husband, David, was quiet and observant, much like Reed. He also had his son’s piercing blue eyes. “The Fates know what they are doing, child. I am so happy you are all safe. But now, you need to rest, all of you. That huge man and the remaining loyal House Heads are taking care of business outside this room. I don’t know what you have been through, but your souls need rest.”
I agreed with her and introduced myself to David. We made plans to meet again after we had recovered and matters were more settled. They departed after showering their sons with affection. Gillian, one of Mason’s close Military friends, led the young Brantley women away. He had cared for them while we were gone, and I could see the adoration the sisters held for the handsome Soldier. I wrapped my arms around Mason’s waist.
“I’m sorry about your mother,” I whispered. I had already given my condolences once, but I wanted to repeat it. We had tried to save our families and had been lucky with some of them, but not all. He held me close, inhaling my scent.
“And I am sorry about your sister. My sisters are very resilient women. They don’t blame me for Father’s death.”
“Good,” I replied. It still bothered Mason that he’d had to kill his own father, but Mason accepted the truth of things. He had known his father was evil and only death would stop him.
“Come,” I told my matches. “Let’s rest.”
We saw few people as we returned to our quarters. The guards had done their worst the night we escaped, tossing around furniture and making a mess. Several servants were righting furniture in our chambers, but they bowed and crept out as we entered. Bridget was spreading food over the table. The familiarity of her blush and ducked head brought tears to my eyes.
“Bridget.” I hugged her to me, “I am so happy you’re alive and well.”
Surprisingly, she hugged me back. “Miss Kiarra, I am more than pleased to see you. Many of us hid when that evil man came. He might have looked for us if you hadn’t returned so quickly. We owe you our lives.”
I dismissed her gratitude. I hadn’t been fast enough to save everyone. She finished distributing the food before she departed. I sank to the hard sofa with a loud groan, missing my family couch more than ever. Though we were hungry, we needed each other more. The men took their places around me, each of them touching me in some way, similar to the first night we made love. I sat on Ian’s lap this time. He hugged me, his face in the crook of my neck.
I could feel the words on their lips and in the shimmering of the bonds, but I shook my head before any of them could speak. “Don’t dare apologize. It didn’t go smoothly, but we won. I couldn’t live without any of you. We are alive and healthy; nothing else matters.”
Reed, perched at my feet, took my hands in his and kneeled. His bright blue gaze captured mine. “Kiarra mine, I am eternally grateful for your presence and the presence of these men in my life. My intelligence, my loyalty, and my curiosity remain yours. I choose you today and every day.” He kissed my hand, and I sat forward, meeting his lips with my own. Our kiss was aching and sweet, flavored with the salt of my tears.
Seb took Reed’s position, also on his knees. His hazel eyes met mine. “Kee, you have chased away my demons and eased my pain. I no longer worry that I will be lost because I have found myself within you and among these men. I choose you today and every day.” Our kiss was just as sweet and just as lasting.
Clay captured my hand next, and I met his emerald gaze. “Indrasa, you have held my heart since the moment I first saw you. I am whole and healthy with you. You have me, all of me. I choose to give myself to you today and every day.” His kiss was deep, passionate, and fervent as if he feared I would disappear.
Mason’s ice blue eyes, soft with an underlying heat, captured mine. “Kiarra, your strength overpowers mine. I am weak without you and your love. There is nothing I want more than to be with you today and every day.” His kiss was brief but hard.
My Shadow Spy’s dark eyes plundered my soul, his trademark grin slightly sad. “Lass, I thought I lost you today. Nothing could have hurt worse, not the torture I endured as a child or anything the Sorcerer could have done. You’ve slain my ghosts and given me hope. You are my choice, now and always.” His kiss was powerful and deep, as intense as his emotions.
Tears caught in my throat as I looked at them, meeting each of their eyes in turn. “I am nothing without you, without any of you. I love you each with all my soul, equally in different ways. You make me whole and tether my body and my soul in this existence. I couldn’t ask for anything more; I do not want to own or possess you. I do choose you, though, every day. I will always do so.”
Our vows shivered along the bond, resting upon us like a glittering golden snowfall. My matches moved toward me at the same time, and we held each other in one giant pile. Our pain and lingering fear drifted away, replaced by relief and comfort. Together, we were strong. I was at home, finally, in their arms. I was no longer adrift and no longer uncertain. I never would be again, as long as they remained by my side. It wouldn’t always be easy, but I would welcome the challenges as thoroughly as I welcomed the joys. Our souls met, touched, and healed. We had found our reflections. Our echoes merged together in six very different notes to create a beautiful harmony.
Epilogue
The coronation was a small affair. Kiarra and her Advisors invited only their close friends and the influential people in the city. Afterward, they sponsored an enormous party for the Commoners, Performers, and lower tiers. Dancing and feasting occurred in the streets and the upper tiers mingled with the lower tiers well into the night. The last rites for the many dead had been performed a week ago. Delia’s body had never been found, but Rowan told everyone it was for the best. The heavy pall of death and evil was lifting from Treleaven.
Kiarra fled the throne room after the ceremony, retreating to the small preparation antechamber. Her reverent hands placed the crown made explicitly for her into its special box. It would occupy the vault with the myzantium the Sorcerer had left behind. Both held immense power that needed protection.
Kiarra had no desire to ever wear the crown again. Its beauty was unparalleled, but it was heavy and unwieldy. She had enough weight on her shoulders without the added physical burden of the crown. It had appeared suspiciously out of nowhere, an artifact of Mellisande’s. The jewels had been replaced to represent her lovers' souls, each signifying the color of their eyes or their souls as she saw them. The monstrous moonstone in the center was the original from her ancestor's reign, though.
Magic wove throughout the Kingdom, healing the land and the people. The same power that granted Kiarra knowledge of her citizens convinced them she was their rightful ruler. Women found their bondmates and the families who had hidden their secrets for generations were accepted as the country’s history and future. Anders had returned home to his wife, and their baby girl was growing strong and healthy. Many citizens, both city and country, didn't argue against multiple soul bonds, especially not a
fter they met the Queen and her Advisors. Kiarra thanked the special magic woven into the dirt of Megreria and the Fates’ assistance.
The Queen’s Advisors cornered her shortly after she’d locked the crown into its case. Her mates had stayed longer in the throne room to discuss plans with the new Heads of the Houses. These ideas included renovations for housing, improved methods of schooling the children, education for the Commoners, and less restrictive exams. Kiarra made them promise not to linger long though. They had enjoyed little time together since the fight with the Sorcerer. Although mountains of work awaited them, she wanted an evening with only her matches surrounding her. She had grown to love their families and cherished the friendships she was making, but tonight was to be special. She had important news to impart.
Ian entered first, bowing low with a crooked grin. He looked resplendent in his fancy gray tunic with green trim. Each of her Advisors refused to represent only one House, so their new uniforms matched their skills, not just their Houses. Reed’s was marvelous, his blue tunic edged in red. It opened the people's minds when they realized a Scholar could master a Soldier's abilities. The tight cut emphasized his muscles, a testament that the color was not merely for show.
“My Lady,” Ian grinned with mischief lighting his gaze. “We are yours to command.”
“I like the sound of that," she replied and mimicked his smile. Her bondmates stood before her - all of them beautiful, all of them amazing, all of them hers.
Reed's bright blue eyes sparkled. “We have a present for you.”
Kiarra’s brows rose. “Really?” Her tummy fluttered, and she wondered if they had guessed her secret.
“Really.” Mason echoed. He strode toward her so quickly, she couldn't escape. He lifted her in his arms and swung her over his shoulder. All she could see was his tight ass. His thick forearms kept her thighs and the heavy ceremonial gown in place.
She squeaked. “What are you doing?”
Ian leaned over to look at her upside down. “It’s a secret, so you can't peek.”
“What will the people think when you carry me through the palace like a sack of potatoes?” Kiarra asked. She was relieved she had restrained her hair or she would sweep a path all the way to their destination.
“I have my ways,” Seb reminded her. They walked through empty corridors and secret passages back to their chambers. Far more people lived within the inner walls now, but they encountered no one. When the halls were too crowded to avoid others, her Planner led them through the hidden paths.
They neared their sextet of chambers, though the rooms surrounding hers were rarely used. Two more beds had been placed beside hers in the main bedchamber. They slept in the same room even if they didn’t pile on top of each other. Mason and Reed preferred their own sleeping space although they took their turns in her bed. Unfortunately, exhaustion had ensured only sleep happened. They'd only had a couple moments to themselves. One particular occasion flared in her mind, and her tummy flipped with sudden desire.
"Close your eyes," Reed demanded.
Kiarra rolled her eyes. She could see nothing but Mason's ass and she rather liked the view, but she did as he said. Their sitting room smelled of lingering food and her men’s scents, but she enjoyed returning here every evening. It smelled like home.
Mason flipped her gently, but she still squeaked as she flew a few feet and landed on something soft and comforting. Her eyes opened. The couch from her family’s unit was her landing pad. Moaning in pleasure, she spread lengthways along the familiar piece of furniture. The scent of lavender and age tickled her nose. The cushions sucked her in until she was so deep she couldn't escape, but she loved it.
Her bondmates stood over her. Five handsome men smiled and watched her with such love in their eyes, hers filled with tears. “Oh, thank you, thank you,” she squealed. She inhaled deeply. “Our little ones will love jumping on this. I did when I was little.” Oops. That wasn’t how she meant to reveal her surprise. Her bondmates stared at her with a renewed intensity.
“Are we speaking future?”
“Little ones, as in plural?”
“Is this an announcement or a hope?”
“Oh Fates, did I hurt you?” Everyone spoke at once; the last spouted from Mason. He towered over her prone form, his eyes filled with fear.
Kiarra giggled. “No. They’re still very tiny, only two weeks old, barely conceived, but I can feel their life spark.”
The Merchant computed in his mind. “That was the night…” he broke off and Kiarra reddened. No matter how sexually experienced she became with her men, she still blushed. Yes, that was the night they had ordered everyone to leave them alone. She’d taken all of her men, some several at a time. “So, any of us could be the father?”
Kiarra pulled at the loose fabric of a tear in the upholstery. “Actually, you’re all the fathers. It wouldn't matter which of you contributed; you are all fathers. This is more complicated though.” Her eyes turned serious. They were still young, but she’d forgotten her tea on numerous occasions, and she didn’t believe it would have mattered. For some unknown reason, the Fates wanted her to conceive. “Fate had a hand in this. Our twins have a little of each of you in them.”
“How is that possible?” the Scholar asked.
“Fate, not science, brother,” the Merchant replied blithely, not in the least surprised.
“But, still…” Reed argued.
“Fate,” Kiarra repeated, “wanted a piece of each of you in each of our babes.”
“Two of them?” Ian crouched to meet her gaze. His smooth, dark eyes were heavy with fear and love. Out of her bondmates, he worried the most about being a father, but they would all make fantastic parents.
“That's what twins imply,” Seb answered cheekily. “Boy or girl?”
“One of each.”
Her words started a chain reaction, and they each tried to hug her at the same time. Two of them settled for picking her up and resting her on their laps on the sagging couch. When they were all in contact with her body, Seb grinned.
“Does this mean we can’t…?” he didn't finish his sentence. His hand swept up under the heavy skirts of the beautiful gown she couldn't wait to remove.
“Fates no,” she breathed. “Touch me.” Her words were a command, and they complied. Kiarra smiled with blissful pleasure as their hands and lips trailed across every inch of her body. Nothing could destroy this sense of rightness.
Elsewhere…
The Mishokian wise woman fled spryly from the throne room after the ceremony. Her body shook with nerves; her thoughts spun. The vision visited upon her spelled trouble. She needed to go home.
“Imelda.”
The wise woman stopped. No one knew her name in this country, not even her grandson. The voice rang with power and consequence. She turned slowly, not surprised to encounter Queen Kiarra’s brother, the Soul Tender. Except Rowan Walton was no longer just a Soul Tender. Soul Tenders were unnecessary in Megreria as the land began to lead its people to their rightful bond mates.
Now, Rowan was much more. He made an imperious gesture with his hand, and Imelda followed, joining him in an empty room. Magic shimmered in the air, locking them and their words inside.
Rowan’s white eyes glowed, revealing his otherworldliness to her. When he had given her the dagger, she had guessed he had ascended to Fatehood. His presence now proved it. She fell to her knees, wincing as the cold stone impacted her aged bones. Her body was older than anyone guessed. It had seen centuries; it might see many more. Killing Synlair had only been the beginning.
“Great Fates,” she murmured reverently. She didn’t know Rowan's title. The former Soul Tender was no longer a he or a she; not a king or a lord, but something greater.
“You have done well in this Kingdom, but it’s time to return home.” The voice echoed through the chamber, a genderless manifestation of power. It vibrated within her bones and her mind.
Imelda nodded. “I have seen the vision.
My granddaughter has need of me.”
She didn’t raise her head, afraid to look into the being’s eyes. “Yes. Ezriel is coming into her growing powers. She will find the men who will assist her on her journey. She seeks to destroy Velkos. The time is right for him to leave this plane; Synlair's death has weakened him. There are problems though.”
Imelda restrained a sigh. There were always problems. “The girl doesn’t believe in her power, and your countrymen cling to their beliefs.”
Imelda didn’t answer. So many years ago, she had been one of five wives to a caravan leader of Mishok. Mishokians believed their women were merely vessels, not conduits or producers. The caravan magic couldn't live without a woman to sanctify it, but no male of her nomadic brethren believed that truth.
“I am ready to leave.”
“Good. Ezriel has already begun her journey across the Great Sands. She will start her search in Ristalin, but it will not proceed as she plans. Velkos has his spies in the city. You must be there to help her. Look at us.”
Imelda winced but obeyed. The Fates, all of them, lived within Rowan and spoke through his form. The Fates were the builders of worlds, the seers of destinies, the creators of lives. Blind, white eyes swirled with knowledge and power so intense, Imelda's ancient bones crackled under the force of their gaze.
“There is one believed dead who still lives.”
Imelda nodded. Her vision had shown true. “The sister.”
“Yes, the sister. Delia has a path, and it is yet unknown whether she will choose the side of good or evil. She can choose to work in the light, but Synlair's corruption upon her soul and the death of one of her bondmates will influence her choices. If Mishok is not saved, Kiarra and her matches will face a difficult road, one full of tragedy and fear. Their happy ending could vanish. Ezriel, Syndra, Delia, and you affect this Fate. The world lies in the hands of women. It always has and always will.”
Imelda nodded again. Her mothers taught her the true way of things. Women affected the future far more than men. Men could create life, but the women chose to bring that life into the world. One name caught her attention. “Syndra?”
Harmony of Their Souls Page 22
