Myna snickered. “That’s true. You didn’t turn me into a puddle this time.”
Sean’s cheeks went red and he looked away from the others as they snickered. “Not what I meant.”
“Myna, an hour at the most,” Fiona said. “No shenanigans.”
Myna sighed and shifted so Sean wasn’t poking at her as easily. “Agreed, Fiona.”
The group was leaving as the cooks came up to the edge of the tub. Sean looked at the three of them— his brain automatically catalogued their features, as he didn’t look away.
They were similar in body shape to each other. None were overly endowed in the front or back. The fact that all three had green eyes surprised him. While the sisters having the same eye color wasn’t too strange, Glorina also having green eyes was oddly improbable, he thought. Glorina had auburn hair, setting her apart from the other two. The sisters had roughly the same hair, but different enough to tell them apart— Lona’s was brown with blond highlights, and Mona’s was blond with brown lowlights.
Glorina shifted in place, her cheeks heating as she met his eyes. “You didn’t have to arrange for us to bathe with you today, sir.”
“He didn’t,” Myna said. “I did. This is for you and him. Sean can be reticent when a woman expresses interest in him.”
All three cooks nodded, it suddenly making more sense to them.
“Thank you, mistress,” Lona said, getting in first.
“Yes, we appreciate it,” Mona added.
Glorina looked a little sad as she got in. “I understand now. He’s never shown interest in any of us... the staff, I mean. When Andrea told us to go bathe, we were all a little surprised.”
“Do you know why?” Sean asked softly, not looking at them, but into the water. He felt their eyes on him and went on before one of them could speak, “I hate the idea of guys who think all women want them... that egotistical attitude that they’re god’s gift to women, who should be thankful that he acknowledged them at all.”
A snort of laughter became a full-blown laugh, joined by two others. Sean jerked his gaze up to see all three cooks laughing. Myna tittered as she watched Sean.
Myna calmed first, kissing his cheek. “You’re a gift, a god, and are wanted by all the women of this house.”
Sean sighed. “Maybe, but should I have acted like that? Gone around leering and trying to get them into compromising situations? That isn’t me. Never will be, either.”
Myna nodded, kissing his nose. “We know.” She looked at the cooks, who had sobered and nodded along with her. “It’s one of the reasons they became even more interested in you, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” Lona nodded.
“She’s right,” Mona added.
“You were always a perfect gentleman, even when one of us— the staff— did something we shouldn’t. Like my comment about your appetite being large,” Glorina said.
Sean chuckled softly as he recalled the moment and his awkwardness. “All the women around me like to make me blush, apparently.”
“But you never rebuked us or acted on it,” Lona said.
“We stated why we feel the way we do earlier,” Mona said, “but all of that with your humbleness…” She blushed.
“I remember the way you acted at the Den, sir,” Glorina whispered, her eyes closed. “You walked in as if you were intruding in our home. In moments, you gave us miraculous marvels that made our jobs so easy, and then tried to apologize when we thought we had insulted you. I don’t know if you can understand how it felt.”
“Hmm… Morrigan coming to you and begging for help, maybe?” Myna asked.
Sean considered what Myna had suggested, but the thought was so alien that he had trouble with it. A powerful goddess who’s done so much to get me to where I am, being so humble as to beg for help?
“Exactly,” Glorina said, moving a foot closer to him, her eyes wide. “You see it.”
Sean blinked at her. She was in arms’ range, just inches from Myna. “Oh, I’m not—”
Myna covered his lips with a finger. “You don’t see yourself that way, but we all do, Master. You bring back the dead. You’re willing to fight for a mere Bonded to eat in a common room, or face down a Lord to save a friend. Your energy, that you give to all of us so freely, fills us to the point we have to grow or burst. The Talents that most would hoard, you give away freely and then ask if we want more. What’s that but the most benevolent god in existence?”
All three cooks nodded along with her.
“And you don’t ask for anything,” Lona said.
“You want us to treat you like a friend, not even a Holder,” Mona added, “much less a god.”
“Never once casting covetous gazes at us or even hinting at more physical favors,” Glorina said softly. “You seem to recoil from even the idea that you should.”
“As we’ve all tried to tell you time and again, dear husband,” Myna purred gently, “you take what we know and turn it on its head. Handsome, powerful, humble, sharing, and more... What woman wouldn’t want to be beside you?”
Sean exhaled slowly. He looked at the cooks again, who were watching him with a mix of fear and hope. “What if I never return your love?” Sean asked them. “What if they never agree?”
“Then we will be beside you, serving you with all we can give,” Glorina said softly. “We will continue to hope, but even if it takes decades, we’ll not lose faith, sir.”
“We’ll have faith forever,” Lona said, Mona nodding along.
A thrum of energy came from them and Sean swallowed. “I’m sorry that you three felt neglected.”
“We never felt neglected,” Mona said quickly. “We just felt like we’d never get the chance to be equal to the others. But you’ve said it’ll be different now.”
“I’ll do my best, and I’m sure my wives,” he said looking at Myna, “will tell me if I’m failing.”
“Of course,” Myna nodded, kissing his cheek. “You asked us to help you.”
“Okay. Just be patient with me? And make sure you are, because Myna and the others can tell you it takes me a long time for things to sink in sometimes.”
Myna snickered. “Not everything, thankfully.”
Sean sighed as she wiggled her ass. “Bad kitty.”
The cooks snickered as they guessed what she was doing, hoping that one day, they could sit where she was.
~*~*~
“Are you okay, dear?” Fiona asked as the carriage rolled down the street.
Sean gave her a strained smile. “Getting my head wrapped around the idea.”
“There’s no rush, love,” Fiona said softly, kissing his cheek. “I’ve talked with all of them. They know it won’t be soon, if ever. Just you acknowledging that they’re interested and giving them hope is enough.”
“I…” Sean hesitated, then broached the question again, “Did you plan this?”
“Them falling in love with you?” Fiona asked. “I thought it might happen in time, but I didn’t think it’d be so quick.”
“Is that why they’re all women? I’d only briefly thought about it when you hired them, but now, I wonder.”
“I won’t lie, Sean. They were the best we could get for each position that would take the agreement for secrecy. The fact that they were all women was something I did consider when looking.”
“Why?” Sean asked.
“A few reasons. The biggest was that they would fall for you in time, and anyone who truly loved you would never turn on you. By the same token, any man in our home might grow jealous, and that would be a ripe breeding ground for treachery or other unsavoriness.”
“Fuck me...” Sean exhaled, closing his eyes. “No more, okay?”
Fiona, seeing his distress, touched his cheek. When he looked at her again, she nodded. “No more besides those who are currently in love with you.”
“Thank you...” Sean whispered.
“I’m sorry, Sean,” Fiona whispered back. “I didn’t think my little bonus would unleas
h this on you right now. I didn’t take into account just how deeply some of them felt.”
“A few of them more deeply than the others,” Sean said.
“Yes. Four I can think of easily, with one more reserved and uncertain.”
“Rosa? Yeah.”
“Did you need to take a quiet evening?” Fiona asked.
“Aria would be disappointed, and I’ve disappointed her enough,” Sean said.
“She would—” Fiona started, but cut off when Sean placed a finger over her lips.
“It’s fine. She’s one of our wives and the only one not carrying already. I want to see her smile like the rest of you.”
“As you wish, husband,” Fiona smiled softly. “This is another reason why we all love you.” Her gaze went to Helga, who was studiously not looking their way. “Helga?”
“Yes, mistress?” Helga said, looking at Fiona instantly.
“Thank you. None of us have truly thanked you as much as we should have for being there when he needed you most.”
Helga bowed her head. “It is my duty, mistress.”
“Perhaps,” Fiona said. “Can you feel our souls anywhere in the city?”
“I believe I can from anywhere on this world, mistress. Your souls are tied to his, as is mine. While I can feel him stronger than you or the others, I can still feel you all, even the little ones.”
Fiona touched her stomach. “Really?”
“Sorry, mistress. I meant the Fairies,” Helga corrected. “Your children are not able to survive on their own yet, so I cannot feel them as separate from you.”
“That answers a question I had,” Sean murmured. “What about the staff?”
“No, Sean. If I am nearby, I am sure I can save them like I did Mak, but I do not think I could capture them and hold them if they died away from me. They would go directly to your plane.”
Sean frowned. “Because they’re not Soul Bonded?”
“I believe so,” Helga said. “I am not certain, though. This is new to me.”
“To all of us,” Sean corrected. “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to be the god of.”
“Maybe Morrigan can tell you when you talk to her next?” Fiona suggested.
“Maybe, if she’ll even answer the question.”
The carriage slowing down had Helga look out the window at the snowfall. “We are here, sir.”
The moment the carriage stopped, Helga was out the door. A few seconds ticked by before she said, “It is safe.”
Fiona got out, moving to stand beside Helga as Sean got out. “Arliat, thank you.”
“Of course, sir,” Arliat smiled.
Sean felt a little awkward, knowing that she was just as hopeful as the others. He nodded and motioned to Helga. “After you.”
Following Helga into the inn, Sean heard the conversation cut off. Joseph calling out his name seemed so loud to him in the quiet. Sean chuckled and a smile touched his lips as he headed for the table. Crossing the room, a couple of others called out, wishing him well, and Sean returned the greetings to the people who did.
Tabitha had just dropped off a round, so she waited for them and, as they sat down, she asked for their drink order. Once they had ordered, she hurried away.
“How are you today, Sean?” Joseph asked.
“A little better,” Sean replied. “Did anything happen today?”
“Besides the snow, you mean?” Knox asked. “Not a blessed thing.”
Sean felt some tension leave him with that. “That’s good.”
“Well, there is one thing,” Saret said and all eyes went to her. “It seems love is in the air.”
Sean’s face went blank and his eyes widened slightly as he tried to figure out how she knew about his new predicament. Saret pointed to the apprentice table and everyone followed her motion.
Cartha was laughing lightly, her hand resting on Derrin Werrick’s arm. She leaned in slightly to him as she finished laughing, whispering something to him and making him blush.
“She is finding her own way, and it looks like she found a good man,” Saret said, giving Leith Werrick a smirk.
Leith chuckled and grinned at his son’s back. “Takes after his father.”
“That’s true. Your wife was the one who chose you, too,” Avery laughed.
The table laughed as Tabitha brought drinks for Sean, Fiona, and Helga. Sean relaxed, putting the thoughts of Sharpeyes and other troubles from his mind, enjoying the friendship he felt all around him.
Chapter Six
Sean took his seat at the table and gave the unknown Fairy that was there a smile. “Good morning.”
“Sir, it is an honor to meet you,” the Messenger Fairy said, bowing. “I’m Jott, sir. My clan works with the Bloodheart family.”
Sean looked at Jutt, who was smiling broadly, and Onim, who was wearing a sad, wistful smile behind them. “I remember a message being sent asking you to visit.”
Jutt stepped forward. “Sir, it isn’t often that one of us finds our pair before we are adults. Jott and I are paired.”
Sean felt a little worried because Jutt was still just a kid to him. “Aren’t you a little too young to be paired?” Sean asked.
Onim spoke up, “We are paired when we come into the world. Finding your pair is a reason to celebrate. They won’t officially be paired for another sixteen tendays, but we were going to ask if you’d be willing to accept Jott into the family.”
Sean blinked and turned to his wives. “Uh?”
Fiona looked at Jott. “Have they told you what it means, Jott?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jott replied. “I’d need to ask my parents first, but I know I am the pair to Jutt. We feel it.”
“Sir,” Ven said, “when we get close to our pair, we feel it inside… a hum and warmth that suffuses us. It is how most of us find our paired.”
“So there isn’t a mistake, then?” Sean said.
“No,” Ven said. “If they both feel it, there can be no mistake.”
“But they’re kids,” Sean said.
“Some children are betrothed well before they reach their majority,” Felora said. “This would be much the same, I believe.”
“Sean, do you think they will be… improper?” Onim asked.
Sean looked away. “It crossed my mind.”
All the Fairies laughed and Sean blushed more.
“Sean, we do not do as you do… not you, you, but you as in the other races. We only join when we make a child.”
“Oh...” Sean said, feeling like an idiot.
“You wish for your Bonded’s happiness. Jutt will be happiest having Jott with them.”
Sean exhaled. “Okay, if Jott’s parents agree.”
“Thank you, sir,” Jutt said, flashing from where they’d been to just in front of Sean. They had a wide smile on their lips. “We truly appreciate it.”
Sean smiled back. “It has to be approved, first.”
“It will be,” Jott said, fluttering over to be beside Jutt. “My thanks.”
“I’ll just go ahead and offer the Bond with it being contingent on your parent’s approval,” Sean said.
“Soul Bonded?” Jutt asked with wide, hopeful eyes.
Sean exhaled, then nodded. “If they are your paired, it would be for the best.”
“Sir,” Arla asked softly, “are you going to go back to the library anytime soon?”
Blindsided by the question, Sean paused. “I wasn’t expecting to. Why?”
“It’s nothing, sir,” Arla said.
“Arla, please continue?” Sean asked.
Arla, feeling all the eyes on them, looked down. “I was hoping to read more.”
“We can help,” Tiska said. “If you just ask one of us, we’ll pull a book down for you. I remember you reading the other day. We had no idea it was something you wanted to do.”
“Truly?” Arla asked, looking at Tiska with hopeful eyes.
“Yes,” Xenta replied. “We’ll even help you read at times, if you�
��d like.”
Both Jott and Jutt flew to stand beside Arla. “We’d like that,” Jutt nodded.
“After breakfast, I’ll pull the first book or two for you,” Cali grinned. “Tiska, can I spend an hour with them to help them read?”
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