by Laurie Roma
“Which one? Nay, wait. Let me guess...Tynan,” Dominic said with a wink.
Aeron let out a low growl as he and Jasyn shifted closer to Liandra.
Both Karos brothers chuckled.
“Are congratulations finally in order?” Ronan asked.
Jasyn’s brow rose. “Finally?”
Ignoring his challenging tone, Liandra nodded. “Aye, unofficially. We thank you for your well wishes.”
“Seriously, does everyone know?” Aeron grumbled.
Ronan’s glowing gold eyes dimmed a little. “Since Dominic and I once knew love, perhaps it is easier for us to recognize it in others. Embrace it. Cherish every moment you have together.”
Liandra tried to hold back her tears of sympathy as she realized how true his words were. Since Ronan and Dominic had lost their mate and their brother, they spoke with the experience of their own painful loss. She had never met their mate, but she had heard stories of how happy they had been together before a senseless act of violence had changed their lives forever.
The very thought of losing her mates tore at her heart. It made her realize how foolish she had been to consider giving them up for even a single heartbeat. But they were hers now, and she promised herself that she would never take a moment she had with them for granted ever again.
When Braden came back over to join them, she grabbed hold of his and Jasyn’s hands, not caring who was watching. Aeron stepped in front of her and reached out to touch her cheek, but he stopped himself before he made contact. Ignoring his hesitation, she leaned into his touch.
“I cannot wait to start our lives together.”
Love shone in Aeron’s eyes as he smiled down at her, then he stiffened as his gaze tracked over to something behind her. “I think the wait might be over,” he said softly. “Your fathers are heading this way.”
She took a deep breath and braced herself before she turned. The crowd parted for her fathers as they made their way across the great hall with her mother, and the Kings and Queen of the Forest Palace following in their wake. Their trailing entourage seemed confused by her fathers’ behavior, but one look at their faces told Liandra that something had upset them. She had been prepared for their displeasure, but she didn’t understand the fierce gleam of determination in their eyes.
They looked like they were on a mission.
Braden and Jasyn shifted to stand in front of her, but she placed her hands on their arms to stop them. This was the one thing they couldn’t protect her from. The time for hiding was over, and it was her turn to stand as their shield. She was no coward, and she was determined to prove it to everyone.
The time had come to claim her mates.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Stepping forward, Liandra forced a serene expression on her face as she waited for King Arik and King Falon to reach her. As they drew closer, she smiled in greeting and was thrown off guard as both of her fathers returned her smile with one of their own.
“There she is!” Arik kissed both of her cheeks, then pulled her into a tight hug before relinquishing her to his brother for the same treatment.
“You look lovely, daughter.” Falon’s smile turned to a look of censure. “You should have come let us know you had arrived. You were late, and we have been waiting for you to start the feast.”
They had known the moment she had stepped into the great hall, and she hadn’t been late, so the reprimand was completely unnecessary. Added to that, they had never required her to check in with them at a celebration when they already knew she was there. Liandra hated that the tone of his voice immediately made her want to apologize anyway. It was instinctual, a trained response she had developed as a youngling. There was a long pause as he waited for her to say she was sorry, and when she didn’t immediately comply, his brows furrowed.
She had never questioned her reactions to them until recently, but now she was struck by differences between the way her fathers treated her and her brothers. From the moment she had been born, she had been trained to follow orders, while the males of her family had been taught to lead. Part of that was her fault for never challenging them, but things were changing...starting now.
“I would have come speak to you if I had known you were waiting for me,” she conceded, then she made a point of glancing toward the window where the fading light signaled the setting sun. “The celebration was supposed to begin at sunset. If you wanted me to come down earlier, you should have sent for me.”
Kyriani’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “I do not believe one can be late to their own party.” She embraced Liandra and stroked a hand down the length of her hair. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Aye, mother. Thank you for arranging all of this for me.”
“It was our pleasure, sweetling.”
She felt comforted by the connection with her mother and smiled easily as she turned to greet the Kings and Queen of the Forest Palace. Teje, Sonin, Auro, and Anya had always been warm and friendly toward her, and because their families were so close, she was completely at ease with them.
Anya hugged her close. “Bright blessings on your day of birth, Princess Liandra.”
“Thank you. It is so good to see you again.”
“Your mother and fathers hid the new fabric and the box of tyri that we brought for you,” Auro teased, mentioning the special fruit that only grew on trees located near their home. “You have to make sure they share it with you.”
“I am honored you have brought me such treasures.”
“Speaking of treasures, your dress is absolutely marvelous,” Anya gushed.
After conversing with her mother and Queen Anya for a few minutes, Liandra finally realized that her fathers had expertly maneuvered her away from Braden, Jasyn, and Aeron after they had greeted her. The action had been deliberate on their part, of that she was sure. Now, Arik and Falon stood like a barrier between her and her mates.
She didn’t like it.
When she glanced around, she blinked in surprise when she saw that Allie and all six of her brothers were standing with Braden, Jasyn, and Aeron. Raven and her mates, Savitar, Kadan, and Tristan, walked over to join the group and exchanged greetings with Ronan and Dominic. Despite their friendly banter, they were all on alert since they could sense the growing tension.
She appreciated the show of support, but their large group was starting to draw the attention of the rest of the guests. Several people blatantly stood watching them, listening to every word with avid attention. It wasn’t the time or place for family drama, but her fathers had sought her out for a reason.
Without ceremony, Tynan shoved Braden forward a step, then grinned when he received a fierce scowl for his effort. Jasyn and Aeron immediately moved next to Braden, while the rest of her family and friends surrounded them. Her mates were looking at her with such love, such trust that her heart filled with pride. Their belief in her was absolute, and as she met their gazes, she felt all of the tense energy drain from her body. She was no longer nervous about what had to be done.
She just wanted to get it the hell over with so she could kiss her mates.
“Fathers, I—”
“Good news, Liandra,” Falon announced, interrupting her. “Teje, Sonin, Auro, and Anya have just invited you to stay at their palace for a few weeks. It has been a while since you have visited them, and this is the perfect time to see the beauty of their home in full bloom.”
“I am sure Prince Ronan and Prince Dominic will be happy to escort you. They can show you all of the new improvements they have been implementing in their city while you visit with them. You expressed an interest in traveling more, so this is your chance,” Arik added as if he were doing her a favor. “You can leave with them in a few days.”
She stared at her fathers in disbelief.
They thought they had already decided her future for her and had obviously selected Ronan and Dominic as her potential mates. It wasn’t surprising that her fathers desired an alliance with the Karos family, but t
hey wouldn’t be using her to achieve it. She cast a quick glance at Ronan and Dominic, who were standing next to their mother wearing identical stunned expressions.
Apparently, they hadn’t been informed about this little matchmaking attempt either.
Kyriani and Anya were both glaring at their mates, making it clear that they weren’t aware of this plan to send Liandra off with the Karos brothers. It helped calm some of her anger to know that her mother hadn’t been part of this little scheme, but she would have to set her fathers straight.
Teje cleared his throat. “I thought you were extending the festival for another week.”
“She does not need to be here since she attended yesterday.” Arik shot Liandra a look that warned her there would be a lecture coming about her behavior.
“This is not what we discussed, mate,” Kyriani clipped tone was cold as ice. “They might have offered to host her, but that does not mean Liandra has to go.”
“It has already been decided,” Falon said dismissively.
Her resolve strengthened, Liandra’s voice was calm and composed even though her temper made her want to snap and snarl. “Nay, I will not be going with them.”
Her fathers’ shocked expressions would have been amusing if their utter disbelief wasn’t so damn insulting.
“What did you say?” Arik growled.
“I said I am not going. If this is some misguided attempt to encourage a mating between me and the princes, I can assure you that is not going to happen.” She sent an apologetic smile to the Karos brothers. “I mean no offense.”
Dominic smiled at her. “None perceived, princess.”
“How in hellfire did we get dragged into this?” Ronan asked his brother on a loud whisper.
Sonin sighed. “You have been alone for many cycles.”
“We worry for you, sons,” Auro added.
“I simply said that Liandra would be a wonderful addition to any family,” Anya hedged as she shifted on her feet.
“This just goes to show no matter how old we get, our mother and fathers will never stop trying to meddle in our lives,” Dominic muttered as he turned to glare at his own mother and fathers. “You worry about us, or is this about your desire for grandbabies? I swear, your quest to continue our family line has clearly driven you mad. Liandra is like a sister to us.”
“I completely agree.” Squaring her shoulders, Liandra tried to mimic the regal pose of her mother. “I have already made my choice. I have chosen Braden, Jasyn, and Aeron as my mates.”
“Nay,” Arik stated as if that one word was enough to deny her claim.
Her jaw clenched against the urge to shout. Did her fathers truly think that was all they had to say to dissuade her? She felt Braden, Jasyn, and Aeron’s anger through their bond, and the fact that they had expected this sort of dismissal made her own temper spike. Arik reached out for her, but she jerked away from him and moved to stand with her mates.
Grabbing hold of Jasyn and Aeron’s hands, she said, “I love them. I had not planned to tell you like this, and I apologize if this has come as a shock to you, but you have forced the issue by bringing this up here and now.”
Falon shook his head. “You are too young to know what you feel. They are the only males you have ever really been around besides your family, which is why it is necessary for you to spend some quality time with males like Prince Ronan and Prince Dominic.”
Out of all the scenarios she had imagined, this was definitely not one of them. Her fathers’ dismissal of her feelings as if she were too weak-minded to know any better hurt more than she could say. She wished she could hurl out the explanations bottled up inside of her to prove them wrong. Everything the Goddess of the Moons and the God of the Sun had told her would make her fathers regret doubting her, but damn it, the words just wouldn’t come out.
That would have been too easy.
Frustration ate at her as she struggled to find a different way to make them understand. Braden, Jasyn, and Aeron were holding back, letting her take the lead. Despite their need to protect her, they trusted her to secure their future together. It went against their natural instincts, and only made her love them more.
“The commanders were supposed to be guarding you, not taking advantage of you and filling your head with foolish thoughts,” Arik said coolly.
“You are wrong,” she told her fathers, speaking more forcefully than she ever had before. “They are males of honor, and you know it. This is not some foolish dream, nor am I asking for your permission. It is not your decision to make. It is mine. I am telling you that Braden, Jasyn, and Aeron are my mates.”
“And she is ours,” Braden stated, unable to stay silent any longer. “We know we do not deserve her, but that does not change anything. By some miracle, she has chosen us. She loves us as we love her. We would have kept our distance if that was what she wanted, but as long as she wants us by her side, that is exactly where we will be.”
Aeron met Arik and Falon’s hard gazes with one of his own. “She knows her own heart, and to insinuate that she does not is an insult to her. Offend us all you want, but do not upset her.”
“You dare to give us orders?” Arik growled.
“When it comes to Liandra, aye, we do,” Jasyn growled back. “We have not mated her yet. Out of respect for you and your family, we knew we had to declare our intentions before we bound her to us. But she is our mate, and we will defend her against everyone...even you.”
Falon scowled. “She is our daughter. She does not need protection from us.”
“She does if you try to force her to mate with someone she does not want,” Braden countered.
Arik focused his ire on Liandra. “Whether you like it or not, you have a duty to this family—”
“Father,” Zarek interrupted. “Mating should be about more than just duty.”
“You are fooling yourself if you think differently.”
“You would be wise to watch your words, mate,” Kyriani warned, lifting her chin.
Arik sent her an aggravated look. “You know what I mean. Liandra knows she has a duty to find mates who are her equal, and the Mazer brothers are not of royal blood.”
“She has no equal,” Aeron countered.
“Allie was not born of royal blood, but you have accepted her into the family,” Cael pointed out.
“Your mate was brought to you by the gods. Besides, claiming a female with no title is vastly different than claiming a princess. Have you even considered how you plan to take care of her?” Falon challenged. “Do you think you can continue on as commanders when you have a royal mate to safeguard?”
Liandra held tight to Jasyn and Aeron’s hands as they continued to argue with her fathers. When all of her brothers entered the fray, their voices rose in anger and frustration. She had obviously made a mistake asking for their help because they seemed to be making it worse. Her fathers were being stubborn, but she heard real concern for her in their voices. It hurt her to see that she was upsetting her entire family, but it also hurt to feel her mates’ wounded pride as they worried about how they would provide for her.
Everyone in the great hall was silent as they watched the heated exchange, but they didn’t matter. Unable to contain her emotions any longer, she was ready to scream to get her family and her mates to stop arguing, but Braden demanded her attention before she could act.
“Lia, look.”
She spun around, and her eyes went wide when she saw that the red chest was glowing again, this time, with more intensity. She had almost forgotten about the gift, which should have been impossible. Then again, the gods seemed to be fans of timing things perfectly to make the biggest impact. Excitement surged through her when small tendrils of light began emanating from the box, searching for something.
Searching for her.
Pushing through the crowd, Zarek said, “What is that thing?”
She was about to tell her brother that she had no idea, but to her surprise, the moment she opened her m
outh, she suddenly knew exactly what was inside of it. Nothing. There was nothing inside. It wasn’t the object itself that was the real gift, it was what it represented. When the blood of the gods had been mixed with her own, they had created a physical symbol for something that was hidden away inside of herself.
Liandra just had to be brave enough to unlock it and set it free.
“It is a gift from the gods.” She spoke softly, but her words were enough to shut everyone else up. “It is an awakening of light, of knowledge, and magic that I gladly accept.”
As she reached for the glowing chest, Arik’s voice slashed through the quiet. “It could be dangerous. Do not touch it. Step away, Liandra.”
Turning her head, she looked at her fathers. Their worry and anger were clear to see. They loved her, she knew it, felt it, but they didn’t understand. Her mistake had been in thinking that she had to convince them. All she needed to do was embrace who and what she was, and she would lead by example.
“Braden, Jasyn, and Aeron are my true mates. I was born to love them, and loving them has set me free. You do not listen, but I can show you the truth.”
When she touched the glowing chest, it exploded into a brilliant display of light. Warmth flowed through her, seeping into every cell. Braden’s hand clamped down on hers, and she felt Jasyn and Aeron grab hold of her shoulders. They were concerned for her safety, but there was no need.
Nothing could harm her with the light surrounding her.
She felt their fear shift to awe as they sensed the transformation happening within her. She looked down at her arms and saw that her skin was glowing, and her long hair whipped around in a storm of wind that rose up from nowhere.
Streams of light began to flow out of her and into Braden, Jasyn, and Aeron where they touched her, infusing them with the same power that pulsed within her. Accepting the truth had allowed her to unlock the magic within her. And by sharing her love, trust, and blood with them, she had helped them reclaim their own birthrights.
