Finally, she snapped the book shut and sighed heavily. Each man sat forward, Reed included. She smiled at them, but the tilt of her lips carried sadness. Slowly, she rose to a sitting position and stretched. The fabric of her shirt pulled taut across her breasts, her hair glistening as the loose locks spilled down her back and over her shoulders. The waning sunlight painted shadows across her face.
"Hey," she said shyly, greeting the three men she hadn't seen most of the day. "We have much to discuss. Ian, can you have some food delivered? I don't want to risk being interrupted once I start talking. While you're gone, I will use the bathroom and change into something more comfortable. These clothes are too hot."
"Certainly, Lass." Ian rose and kissed her cheek before he stepped into the hall. She hugged Mason and Clay briefly before disappearing into her bedroom.
"Has she been reading all afternoon?" Clay asked after her door closed.
Reed nodded, stretching his stiff muscles as well. "Yes. She started shortly after I came in this morning, around the eleventh hour. She just now finished, and she hasn't taken any breaks."
"What about her temperature?" Seb queried.
"Her temperature?" Mason demanded. "Is she sick?"
"I don't believe so," Reed responded. "Ian mentioned she felt warm this morning when they first woke. Seb took her to the conservatory, and she got hotter. When I checked her before lunch, she felt warmer than normal, but not feverish. Her condition hasn't changed since she's been sitting here, though, so I don't think she's ill. She hasn't complained of any other symptoms, and her heart rate has remained steady."
Ian reentered the room with a large tray of sandwich ingredients. He must have run to the kitchen and asked for a plate. Setting the food on the table next to the leavings of their midday meal, his eyes darted towards Kiarra's room. He frowned.
"I told the guards no one is to bother us. Has she come out yet?"
Reed shook his head, sensing Ian's worry. The emotions of the other men cascaded in reply. When one of them felt something strongly, it heightened the same reaction in all of them. The elevation was likely a response to Kiarra, but it was unnerving. He monitored her state of mind behind her closed door. She was calm. He informed the others of this, and they nodded when they realized the same, some of them too worried to check for themselves.
Finally, the bedroom door opened and Kiarra emerged. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright. She had changed into the same dressing gown she had worn the other morning. From the couch, Reed noticed her chest and neck were reddened as well. He rose in concern and Mason echoed his action. Mason was closer, though, and reached her before he did. Mason pressed the back of his hand to her forehead.
"You're burning up, Kiarra."
"I know." She waved a hand to dismiss their worry and moved away from him, preparing a dish for herself. Reed and the others watched nervously. "It will go away in a minute, but I need to eat while I talk. I'm starving."
"What do you mean, it will go away?"
Kiarra slapped a piece of meat on her plate. Reed had never seen her upset before. "Please, give me a moment," she pleaded with a sigh.
They followed her movements in silence and Reed attempted not to hover, but the tension in the room was unbearable. Something was amiss, and none of them were dealing with it well.
Chapter 13
Mason
Mason didn't know if Kiarra was sick or if she suffered from some other malady, but his entire body tensed in frustration. He watched her helplessly; he despised feeling useless. She calmly put food on a plate and returned to the sitting area, eyeing the seating arrangement.
"I'm going to ask you all to reposition yourselves. It might sound odd, but I need to be touching all of you while I speak."
No one protested. They would all relax more if they were in contact with her body. Clay took Reed's position, and Ian took Seb's, those that had been on the couch all day gladly relinquishing their spots. Kiarra settled between them on the sofa. Reed and Seb both sat on the floor, looking up at her. Mason hesitated. Kiarra rose and smiled at him, patting the cushions between Ian and Clay.
"Come here, Mason," she directed and he complied. She lowered herself to his lap, and he sighed in relief. Although her body was unbearably hot, the simple act of touching her reassured him. It didn't matter that he brushed shoulders with Clay and Ian, or that Seb and Reed practically perched on his feet.
Clay clasped one of Kiarra's hands, Ian rested a hand on her thigh, the brothers pulled her bare feet into their laps, and Mason wound his arms around her waist. She echoed his sigh of relief, nearly melting into his muscular form. Mason’s eyes widened as her fever fell slowly, but obviously. The reaction was inexplicable. Surrounded by their body heat, her temperature should be rising; his was.
"Care to explain why you're cooling off like a winter evening?" Mason asked, his voice tight. He didn't possess unlimited patience when he was worried about the well-being of those he loved.
Kiarra shoved a piece of meat in her mouth and chewed before speaking. "Queen Mellisande taught me a few significant lessons. I'm feverish because the five bonds are burning me up from the inside. I need all of you close to me. Skin to skin is better, but this is acceptable." Mason and Ian were the only ones not touching bare flesh, and they didn't hesitate to change that. Any action they could take to ease Kiarra's suffering, they would. Mason slid a hand under her dressing gown, resting a large palm on her stomach. Ian gently pushed the skirt to the side and placed a hand on her knee. Reed graciously arranged the robe again, so he and Seb weren't staring at her panties from their vantage point. Unbelievably, Kiarra cooled further.
"I didn't believe it at first," she began slowly, her tone thoughtful. "I thought for sure my grandmother was crazy. By the way, so many greats exist in front of her title, too many to say. I'll just refer to her as my grandmother to make the retelling easier. When I retreated to my room, I wanted to test her words. I had been touching Reed and Seb all afternoon, explaining why the fever didn't progress, but it didn't abate either because the three of you were absent. The minute I stepped into my room, I became hotter and sicker. I had no choice but to believe her story."
Mason leaned his head on Kiarra's shoulder. Her naturally warm flesh under his hand was soft and smooth, and when she breathed, her breasts brushed his knuckles. Although she cooled, his heat continued to rise from their proximity.
Reed cleared his throat, his Scholar brain active. "Why did the fever only start today? Why didn't it begin when we first met?"
Kiarra shook her head, fragrant hair brushing Mason's cheek. "I can't give you the scientific or medical explanation. The fever is attributed to the amount of time we've spent together; it's also because of the damn book. The jewel on the cover carried a spell. The enchantment catapulted the bond into working faster. The bond was already affecting us, but the stone hastened the process within my body."
Reed grimaced. "I'm sorry."
Kiarra shook her head again and brushed her free hand through his crazy hair. She didn't wear a breast binding, and when she leaned forward, her breasts spilled over Mason's hand. Desire struck him. He gritted his teeth in an attempt to control his body. He wouldn't be able to hide his erection from her in their position. Several deep breaths prevented the automatic reaction to her nearness.
"Don't be sorry," she soothed. "It needed to happen." She sighed and leaned back again. "I have so much to explain. Do any of you want food before I begin? We might be here a while."
The men shook their heads. Mason was a little hungry, but he didn't want to leave Kiarra. He wouldn't be surprised if some of the others felt the same. Kiarra pinned Ian with her gaze. "Did you make certain we wouldn't be overheard?"
"Aye, Lass, the room is secure," Ian confirmed.
"Good." She leaned back, resting her head on Mason's shoulder and arranging herself more comfortably on his lap. Her bottom wriggling against his groin forced his jaw to tighten again, but she stilled finally. He stifled
the desire to peek inside the gaping V of her dressing gown, feeling a little like an adolescent boy with the chance to view his first pair of tits. He was certain Kiarra's would be magnificent. Instead, he closed his eyes and inhaled her scent. It was an intoxicating combination of lavender and something less definable; the olfactory stimulation didn't ease his simmering longings.
"I'm not sure where to begin," she admitted. "Clay was correct in his account last night, but his explanation was only the beginning. Grandmother's parents hailed from a nation on the other side of Mishok. In their home country, almost every woman married more than one partner. The females were considered conduits for their partners' magic. Their talents weren't wild or utterly supernatural like the fairytales we heard as children. Our ancestors couldn't control the elements, or see the future, or create balls of fire. They could, however, move rapidly while in combat or learn new concepts faster. They could maneuver silently, hear better, and receive intuitive visions of a sort - especially if the premonitions pertained to their partners' safety. They could close their eyes and visualize a grand masterpiece, like a citywide water system or the perfect placement for a settlement. They could compute numbers more efficiently in their heads or decipher ancient texts."
Kiarra paused for a moment and let her matches absorb the information. She spoke as if everyone accessed all the abilities of the Houses, yet increased threefold. Her image portrayed the grandest ambition of every first tier patron.
"Every woman mated multiple men? Wouldn't that unbalance the ratio of females to males?" Clay asked, computing numbers in his Merchant mind.
"Not every woman claimed five partners. Most commonly, women had two; only a few had one. Occasionally, females partnered together, but one of the pair possessed masculine energy and served as a male when transferring abilities." Kiarra paused, furrowing her brows. "That scenario is more confusing to me. Anyway, only females born to the royal family, those next in line to the throne, had five mates. The partners usually specialized in a specific ability, similar to one of each House as our society is arranged. For some reason, more boys than girls were conceived in the country, preventing an imbalance." Clay nodded in understanding and Kiarra continued.
"Grandmother belonged to the ruling family. Her mother, the daughter of the current Queen, claimed five partners. Unfortunately, a rebellion began in her own grandmother's time and carried on into her mother's childhood. Evidently, males became upset over not being allowed to marry more than one woman. They were angry their partnerships gifted the female with more aptitude than the males. The men also received an increase in their skills, but the elevation only affected their inherent ability. The female claimed a skill boost in all the abilities of her partners.
"Certain power-hungry men believed the energy distribution unfair and decided to force marriages or intimacy with women in the hope that such acts would increase their talents. Their attempts backfired on them and created worse complications. The women's souls were fractured, and the men grew dark, their souls twisted from a corrupted bond and their partner’s pain. My grandmother's people believed in the Fates but not the five Saints. The Fates were their Gods. She says the corruption is the Gods' punishment for trying to take what they were not freely given."
Kiarra handed her plate to Seb, and he released her lower leg momentarily to set it to the side. Her hand still rested in Clay's lap, and Mason's palm flexed on her stomach. Her tummy formed a cute bump when she sat. Mason preferred the softness to the impression of ribs under her skin.
"The country of her birth, Baldony, was in a state of turmoil and nearing war when Grandmother's parents left. They found Megreria, which was actually a part of Acclesh at the time. The two halves of the kingdom barely interacted because the mountain range split the nation physically down the middle."
The men nodded in understanding. Their country was somewhat isolated. Acclesh bordered them on the north, but tall, wild mountains formed the majority of the border. The three remaining boundaries were coastlines, two with towering cliffs which made mooring a boat impossible. Megreria was small, and the inland didn't boast many natural resources unless one farmed or hunted the bears and wildcats in the mountains. That Megreria used to be a part of Acclesh surprised Mason. The Military man in him speculated over the takeover and subsequent split. He listened intently to the rest of Kiarra's story.
"Several families made the journey, most of them women already paired with their partners. Many of them had children. Some of these females were extremely powerful and their bondmates equally so. The Accleshians helped happily, according to Grandmother. I'm not precisely sure when Acclesh ceded the country to the Baldonian refugees, creating the free kingdom of Megreria. However, they did develop a treaty with the Accleshians, both those who stayed here and those across the mountains. Trade happened frequently and without restrictions between the two countries until Mishok began trading and Megreria could mostly support itself.
"The new nation prospered under the rule of Grandmother's parents. They were gifted with a long life, and Mellisande was their only child. Many Accleshians remained on this side of the mountains, happily adopting Megrerian citizenship. They built their homes here and participated in the booming agriculture and commerce. A faction of Grandmother's people believed mixing the two races would dilute the power of their race, but Grandmother argued vehemently against their protests. She mentions that Acclesh brought its own skills to the table. She also hints that Accleshians might possess a similar culture, or were open to its citizens adopting select practices after experiencing the benefits."
Kiarra cleared her throat, her voice starting to waver. Reed rose and poured a cup of wine. She accepted the drink gratefully and took several sips before offering the glass to the rest of them. Each of them sipped the wine. Mason didn't like the taste of alcohol, but he shared the goblet as well. The mutual action seemed natural and right.
Kiarra shifted on his lap again and leaned to the side. Clay supported her shoulder. Seb moved his hand up her leg, caressing her calf. It brought the Planner closer to the couch. Mason had never been so near to other men in his life except when gripped in combat, but it didn't disturb him. He enjoyed the comradery, and he felt their emotions humming on the same wavelength. They were all focused on caring for their woman.
"Grandmother found her five partners when she was about my age. She didn't take the throne for ten years after meeting her bondmates. Treleaven was under construction at the time, but the Houses hadn't been formed yet. Grandmother believed the city's design originated because of a vision. The society wasn't primarily built on the concept of the five Houses, but the city accommodated the intention perfectly.
"Grandmother worried because she knew her partners would gift her with impressive power. She didn't want a repeat of the revolution which had occurred in their homeland. One of her bondmates, what we would consider the Information Exchange House, hailed originally from Acclesh. He possessed all the attributes of one of our spies or Shadows, but he wasn't born in Baldony or Megreria. Another, her Scholar partner, was from Mishok." Mason nodded to himself, remembering the painting Reed had shown them. One of the Queen's partners had been darker skinned than the others. "The Baldonians were somewhat concerned about inbreeding because only a small contingent sailed from their homeland. Many considered it a boon that the Accleshians were amenable to living in Megreria and partnering with the people here.
"Anyway, the history of the country is not the most pertinent information, although it is interesting. Grandmother birthed three children, two boys, and one girl. The female was her Accleshian spy's progeny. The Military man fathered the Caden line. The other, my ancestor, descended from her Merchant partner. Ramona, the girl child, was the expected successor. Females gifted with five partners always ruled regardless of birth order; it was an undisputed custom. Caden was the male heir's first name; it only later became a surname. Caden was the oldest and didn't want Ramona to rule. He took the throne before Ramona had a chance
to fight back as she was much younger. My many greats grandfather, the Merchant's son, willingly pledged fealty to Caden, and Ramona's father fled to Acclesh with her."
The story captivated Mason. "What happened to your grandmother?"
Kiarra's sadness filled the room. "She went into hiding for a while. Caden was not a virtuous man. He forced himself on a woman when still a young man, corrupting his soul. He murdered his mother's bondmates one by one, except the Accleshian who escaped in time. Grandmother fled with Ramona's father. She wrote the last bit of her diary from Acclesh. Unfortunately, she didn't live long after her son took the throne. The death of her partners killed her slowly and miserably. The last few entries in the journal speak of her agony while still also trying to explain what was happening in Megreria. Caden formed the Houses, intentionally separating the abilities so they couldn't merge. He outlawed every form of multiple harem marriages in an attempt to ensure no female again became strong enough to rule. The women already bonded to more than one partner were hunted and killed or given the impossible choice of keeping only one of their mates. Some managed to escape to Acclesh before he found them."
Kiarra's voice and energy throbbed with pain and anger. The room reflected her outrage. It was a brutal tale. Their country had been built on subterfuge, lies, and blood. Mason had always been proud to be Megrerian, but now he experienced only shame. Sadly, not much had changed since the time of Kiarra's ancestors. He could identify several men who would hate to see a woman as an empowered ruler.
"Everett..." Reed whispered. All eyes focused on him. "This curse, this illness, which strikes men who steal other's powers by force, I believe Everett is afflicted. Every tale describes Everett as a normal child, somewhat spoiled and arrogant, but not evil. During his early teens, he changed. He grew malevolent, hurting others, causing fights, bedding women, and drinking."
Echoes of Her Soul Page 11
