The Chosen One: A Reverse Harem Fantasy (The Airluds Trilogy Book 2)

by Nhys Glover

  Airshin had begun to clap too, in a slow, sarcastic way. "Impressive, sister. You sound just like Father. I can almost see why the kinglunds have sided with you. So... I will endeavour to keep my errant thoughts to myself. I would hate to be seen to undermine you in any way. A brother should be loyal, should he not? I, at least, know what it is to be dutiful."

  I cringed at his dig, but ignored it. "Then come inside out of the cold and you can tell us how you managed to find us. This place is a tightly guarded secret."

  Chapter Sixteen

  AIRSHA

  The tension was so thick I could barely breathe when I was around any of my husbands or Airshin. I understood my husbands' point of view, but I also knew that Airshin believed what he believed because that was what he'd been taught. With time, we could get him to question his indoctrination and possibly change his thinking. Until then, I would give him the benefit of the doubt.

  He'd told us that he'd joined the rebels in the hope of finding me. But though it had been easy enough to discover I was now being lauded as the Goddess Incarnate and that I was raising an airling army to support the rebels cause, no one was forthcoming about where I was. It had taken him all these moons to follow gossip and hearsay until he discovered me.

  That had to mean something, didn't it? That he went to all that trouble? Surely, if he just wanted a safe place away from the Godling and his revenge, he'd have stayed with the main rebel forces.

  Of course, my husbands believed he came to us to avoid actually having to fight in the rebel army. And I had to admit I thought there could be an element of truth in that too. Airshin had never been a brave person. If he could avoid conflict he would. Violent conflict, that is. He was happy to throw verbal daggers at me. But nowadays that was only done with subtlety and when my husbands weren't present.

  Like the morning I met him as I came out of our room. It was late and I'd slept in because love-making and active babes had kept me awake until the sun was almost up. Airshin was coming out of his room at the same time, though I doubt lack of sleep had kept him abed so late. He was enjoying not having to follow the army's routine, I guessed. Though, of course, he hadn't been doing that for some time now.

  "Their appetites must be a strain on you," Airshin said slyly as we walked to the kitchen together. "Keeping that many men satisfied must be onerous. Though whores do it, I suppose."

  "Neither keeping my husbands satisfied, nor them keeping me satisfied, is an onerous task. We are all very content with the situation."

  "I could hear how satisfied they were. I heard it most of the night." He yawned to make his point.

  "If we keep you awake you can move down to the dormitories with the recruits. That might be more what you are used to anyway," I said sweetly, knowing full well he wouldn't subject himself to such primitive arrangements, or such basic companionship.

  "Do not be so touchy, sister. I was just commenting on how lusty and loud you all are in bed. It is certainly a unique arrangement. I would not like to do it. Much better the conventional way."

  "With one man and many women? Yes, I imagine you would see it that way. Of course, to have your own harem you would need to be magical." I wanted to draw back those final words as soon as I said them. My brother needled me to breaking point, but referring to his greatest weakness like that was hurtful and uncalled for.

  "When did you become such a termagant? You were always bossy, but rarely downright cruel."

  I cringed a little at his rebuke because he was right. I had been intentionally cruel. But wasn't I just fighting back? He attacked me with words, I just returned in kind. He had all but suggested I was a whore!

  And so it went, him keeping quiet when the other men were around, but letting loose on me when we were alone.

  Dark had assigned him to the building project. We needed additional living quarters for the new recruits who would start drifting in again at the end of winter. This group of recruits had almost all been claimed, which meant we still had about twenty more airlings to find riders for. The airlings themselves were all tamed now. We could send out a call for more. But until we had riders for the ones we had we didn't want to do that. Of course, the more riders we had, the faster the airling training could take place.

  But having the facilities to handle thirty riders was already a major concern; more was out of the question for the moment. The rebel leaders were hinting that the trained riders could now join their ranks as scouts. Our answer was to say that if they wanted an army then we needed every rider here to help raise that army. That kept them quiet. Until our suncycle was up, anyway. Then they would expect their army, ready or not.

  A place for the recruits to eat was also on our list of requirements. Right now the lads ate in the large kitchen at the homestead. It handled the eleven of them, the seven of us and Bertil and her husband. But a new influx of recruits would be more than Bertil or the space could manage.

  Therefore, we needed an army cook and assistants, a kitchen that could provide food for up to a hundred riders, and space for them to eat. It was a huge task.

  I'd told my uncle and Beyen of our needs and both assured me we would have our cook and assistants shortly. The food to cook might be a little harder to come by, but as more of the kinglunds joined the rebels, the more resources became available. Beyen guaranteed enough fish to feed us all, at the very least. Fishermen up and down the coast were tithing even more of their catch to the war effort. And our part of that effort was expected to be of significant value.

  A couple of days after the winter solstice, which we celebrated with spirits, special foods, music and dancing, and the following day off, my men called an impromptu meeting while Airshin was busy building with some of the lads. Flea received a special invitation, which I considered ominous.

  When we had all gathered in the office around the huge table, free of maps for once, Dark got immediately to the task.

  "Flea, how much of Airshin's thoughts have you listened to?" he asked as he eyed me to keep quiet.

  Flea looked uncomfortable. She probably didn't like telling tales about what she overheard with her magic.

  "It's all right. It's a valuable gift to have and it'll keep us all safe. I asked you about the loyalty of the recruits over the last moon or so, this is no different. Airshin was an officer in the Godlings army. Just because he says he deserted doesn't make it so."

  "Oh, that isn't fair, Dark. You know he would have suffered a similar fate to Mother's if he'd stayed. It is more than likely he joined the rebels out of fear because he was my twin," I argued heatedly, ignoring his restraining glare.

  This was my brother he was talking about. Having his mind invaded for our purposes was not right!

  "It is just as likely the Godling sent him as a spy because he was your twin. He used your mother to flush you out; he may well be using your brother for the same purpose."

  I huffed indignantly. Of course, he could well have done that. But that would mean Airshin had agreed to do it, and my twin would never go that far. It was one thing to resent me for childhood sins, or for the problems I caused by running away and having magic, it was another to hate me enough to turn against me completely. He might be willing to stand by while I was forced to be yet another sister sacrificed to the gods, but he wouldn't actively pursue my death. To even conceive of such a thing was to cut away part of my heart. The last fragment that belonged only to him, and had since the womb.

  "Airshin would not do that. I know my brother," I held up my hand to silence the dissent over that statement before it came. "I know I used to think I knew him and was wrong, but now I look at him with different eyes."

  Rama swore under his breath and shook his head. "You're still ruled by your heart, Goddess. You can't see what a little prick he is. I'm sorry if that hurts you to hear, but it's the truth. We've all watched him and listened to him, over the last quarter moon. And if all he is, is a prick, then that's fine. We'll knock him into shape. But if it's more than that... we need to
know."

  I couldn't argue against his point. I might think he was with us, but I didn't Know it. And unless that Knowing came I was as open to being deceived as anyone else.

  Why didn't I have a Knowing about him? Surely, on something as important as this I should be allowed that gift. But there was nothing either for or against him. Mayhap he was neither our enemy nor our friend, which of course was the most likely scenario.

  Darkin took my silence as acquiescence and turned back to Flea. "Airsha won't think less of you for telling us. Will you, Beloved?"

  I shook my head reluctantly. I didn't like it, but I wouldn't blame Flea for using her gift to keep us safe. Even if it insulted my brother to do it.

  "No, of course not. As long as what you tell us is accurate and without bias. Or if it is, inform us of that fact. Sometimes we might sense something without it actually being said. And such inferences can be faulty."

  Flea swallowed audibly. "I'm sorry to say, your brother is here under false pretences. I've heard him say to himself things like, 'At last I have my in.' 'I have duped her.' 'This enterprise is larger than we thought.' 'My position is assured.'"

  "Who is the we? What position is assured?" I demanded, feeling my heart sink so low I felt nauseous.

  Flea shrugged. "Sometimes people's thoughts are very focused and I only hear the scraps of thoughts they have already considered. Like he already knows who the she and we are so he doesn't have to think about them. Sometimes, when people are emotional, they let me see a mountain of information in a short space of time. Like Zem. He has to keep bringing all that pain and anguish up to rethink again and again, because he can't put it to rest. Your brother's not like that."

  I found the mention of Zem interesting, but I didn't want to be sidetracked. I kept looking for ways the words could make sense without meaning he was here under false pretences.

  "What if the 'we' were some of the rebels who told him about the centre? They might have presented it as a fledgling project, which of course it is. But to Airshin it is more than he expected."

  My husbands nodded in unison, though none seemed convinced.

  "You're obviously the 'she' he spoke of. How do you argue away the fact he said he'd duped you?" Rama asked after a moment.

  "Mayhap he is more resentful than he lets on. Mayhap he is pleased he has been able to convince me he holds no hard feelings toward me when he still does. Having this safe haven may be important to him, and if he has to act like he forgives me to stay here, it might be worth it to him." I answered, hating that my brother might actually feel that way. It made perfect sense. I had seen him say and do things to fit in with others. Mayhap he had always thought of it as duping people.

  Again my husbands nodded.

  But Flea was shaking her head emphatically. "No, it's more than that. Though I think everything you've said is also true. He's up to no good. I've seen him taking inventory of the whole place, so he can tell the enemy exactly what we're doing and our schedule. I know that's what he's up to!"

  "Have you heard him think about the Godling or the Godslund army?" Darkin asked, trying to get accuracy rather than her feelings about the truth. Flea was a very emotional girl and that coloured how she saw the world. Obviously she had taken a dislike to my brother, as most people had, and that influenced how she interpreted his thoughts and actions.

  Flea grimaced. "Not here. No. It's like I said, he keeps his thoughts focused."

  That was odd. What did she mean, not here? Where else could she have heard his thoughts?

  "Have you met my brother before?" I demanded.

  Flea's eyes opened widely in shock and she shook her head emphatically. "Of course not, where would someone like me meet a man like your brother?"

  That was true enough. Though if he was with the rebels trying to find me, they might have crossed paths. But if so, why would she hide the fact? That niggling doubt I sometimes felt concerning Flea surfaced yet again. She had never been totally honest with us. Yet she had shown herself to be loyal when she helped Calun escape.

  But she might have done that simply because it was Calun and she thought herself in love with him. Or to gain our trust. She might have a much bigger endgame in mind.

  Yet, couldn't the same be said for my brother? Not that he had won our trust, but he was trying to do just that. Or he could simply be what he appeared to be, a man running from his powerful father, willing to accept any situation that would make him safe and moderately comfortable. If the rebels won the war he would become the twin of the Goddess Incarnate; if the Godling won, he could say he had simply hidden out while his father was bent on revenging himself against him. Once back in power Father might be willing to take back his son if he had not been seen to do anything to support the rebels.

  "What did you mean, not here?" Rama asked cautiously, clearly picking up what I had.

  Flea blushed bright red and scrunched up her face. "Look, what it comes down to is this. Either you trust me or you trust him. I know he's working for the enemy. You can't even send him away now because he'll tell the Godslunders where we are, and everything about this place."

  "What are you suggesting? We put him to death? Don't be absurd!" I almost screeched. I took several deep swallows to calm myself. There was no reason to get so upset. Flea was just being Flea.

  Flea burrowed into herself. Calun stormed into my head like an avenging god. He battered me for my unkindness. He knew I wanted to believe only the best of my brother but Flea hadn't volunteered this information until asked. She hadn't wanted to tell us any of it. So blaming her for any of this was unfair.

  I felt betrayed. Calun was supposed to love me, not her, and yet at the first opportunity he sided with Flea against me. Even knowing me as well as he knew himself, he'd misjudged me.

  Tears welled up. I threw up my barrier against him. To all of them. If they would side with Flea over me then they could all leave. I didn't want any of them!

  On shaky legs, I stood and headed for the door. "I will not allow my brother to die because a girl, little more than a child, tells us we should. If you all side with her over me, as Calun does, then... then I free you all to go where you will. Our marriage is dissolved!"

  I waddled out of the room, down the hall, out the front door, and down the path someone had cleared of snow. While tears blurred my vision, I called for Bay in my head and she hopped and flew across the paddock to my side. With utmost patience, she waited as I lumbered onto her back.

  I needed to be in the air. I needed my element. My brother was, at best, playing me to have a safe haven; at worst, playing me for the enemy. Calun attacked me and sided with Flea over me, proving I had been right all along to worry about his allegiances. And if he had turned on me, then the others would too.

  In a few hops, Bay was in the air. I hadn't considered how cold it would be. Hadn't even brought a coat when I came outside. Now I began to shiver in earnest. Where could I go that was warm? That was safe? My mother? I wasn't even sure where in Westsealund she was. Back to the Airlud's hovel? The Godslund army might be watching it. The cavern in the mountains where Jaron and I had hidden so long ago? I had such wonderful memories of that place. Yet at this time of the suncycle it would be freezing cold. Even the waterfall would have frozen solid.

  I flew on directionless, warm tears turning quickly to ice as they poured down my face. How could I have been so wrong about the Airluds. I thought they stood at my side no matter what. But all it took was one comparative stranger to split us apart. I should have trusted my instincts about Flea. I should have known she'd turn Calun and then the others against me. It was only to be expected. We barely knew each other, and yet we'd dashed headlong into a marriage. And not just any marriage. One I could not hope to maintain in my current state. I couldn't give my husbands the energetic coupling we had all become used to, and in their frustration they were turning against me. My brother was just the catalyst. If he hadn't come along when he did something else would have broken us apart.
>
  How was I going to live without them? How was I going to raise an airling army without them? Be the Goddess Incarnate without them? They were my anchors, my compass, my heart and soul. I was lost without them.

  I looked around me for the first time. I was already lost without them. The clouds had moved in below me, so no landmarks were now visible. How long had we been flying? Which way was home?

  I looked into the distance and saw a bank of milky white clouds, bruised purple on the underside, rolling in with some force. I should turn back. If we were caught in a blizzard I would be putting more than myself at risk. But I had lost track of our direction. Which way was home?

  Just as my panic conveyed itself to Bay and her gentle calm turn to unease, Jaron appeared alongside me. I had never seen anything so beautiful or so desperately needed in my life. But his furious face told me all I needed to know. He was not here because he was on my side. Yet if he hated me too, why was he here? Rama I could have understood. He would want to safeguard his childlings, or his daughter at least. But Jaron had no such intense protective urges toward my young.

  He looked behind him, and I saw terror replace fury. He frantically motioned for me to take Bay down. If he was frightened by the coming storm then I had been right to worry. I gave the command and Bay began to descend through the milky fog.

  The ground appeared out of nowhere, moving toward us too fast. But Bay expertly lifted the angle of our descent so we skimmed along the ground before touching down close behind Jaron.

  Once on the ground, where only a light covering of snow currently lay, Jaron frantically pulled at the pack on his airling's back. He yanked out rope, skins and blankets. How had he found the time to gather all that?

  I hated leaving the comparative safety of Bay's back, but I knew I had to. So I slid my leg over her and dropped to the ground while she was still standing. The jolt of the drop jarred badly, but I hardly had time to think about it. The icy wind passed through my winter gown as if it didn't exist. My hair, which had been in its usual harem knot at the beginning of the journey, now blew around me in white waves. I was so cold I could no longer feel my fingers or toes, while at the same time my cheeks burned.