by Megan Derr
That would by far be the preferable option, since forcing Teia to marry him was no better than forcing him to marry Tishasanti. But one problem at a time. Once Tishasanti was no longer a risk, then Penli would deal with himself. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "What do I have to do? What does this challenge entail?"
Kallaar's mischief returned full measure. "I'll send you a book that lays out the whole ceremony, and the part where you stand and issue a challenge. It will have the proper language as well. As to the challenge itself, there are three parts: stability, fortitude, devotion. Stability is the 'are you equal to the person you're challenging', which we've covered. Fortitude consists of five tests to prove you are fit and capable, physically able to live up to the promises you are making by issuing the challenge. Generally they're physical tests, like duels and such, but they can also be questions, performances—almost anything. There's a long list of approved tests that an impartial party, generally the king, decides upon. You must win four out of five. If you fail, the challenge ends. If you succeed, the last challenge is to prove your devotion."
"How am I expected to prove devotion?" To a man—men, really, because anyone who married Teia was also marrying Sendaar so far as Penli was concerned—he did not really know. One night and one morning, no matter how wonderful, was not enough for him to truly know them, or they him. For all he knew, they'd be furious at his interference.
But he could not stop thinking about them. How sweet they were, how much sweeter together. How distraught they'd looked every time they so much as thought about being separated. He might not be madly in love, but he'd be damned if he let two people who were in love be destroyed by a bastard who loved no one but himself.
Kallaar shrugged. "There is no single defined way. The gestures of devotion are unique to the challenge—to the person being fought for. You must decide how to show Lord Teia and the whole court that you are devoted to him and sincere in your cause."
Penli scrubbed at his face. "Dear me, that is quite the test. I admire it even as I detest it. Something so subjective is almost impossible to win. How is such a thing even decided?"
"My parents are one vote, Lord Teia is another, and the judges—selected by the queen, since the king chooses the challenges—are five votes. Best of seven votes wins. You must win all three parts to win the challenge. If you lose a single one, you lose the challenge, and the marriage continues as though it never occurred. If you are caught cheating, you automatically lose the challenge and the marriage continues. If Tishasanti is caught cheating, the marriage contract is terminated. There are further penalties for both sides, but that's the most important part."
"I see," Penli said with a sigh. "Well, so be it."
Kallaar's face filled with surprise—and then pure, unadulterated delight. "Truly? You're going to issue a Challenge of Suitor?" He slapped Penli's arms, clapped his shoulders, and hugged him tightly. "You're a prince at heart, if not in fact."
"I would do it simply for the pleasure of Tishasanti's expression, do not think me anything more than petty and childish," Penli said with a crooked smile, because the look on that loathsome toad's face Penli challenged would be a pleasure.
But he couldn't deny that foremost in his thoughts was the image of Sendaar and Teia pressed close against his sides, holding hands across his torso as though afraid they'd be torn apart forever if they dared let go. The way they had trusted him, if only for a little while, with their pain and fear. He could not, would not, betray the trust by ignoring the pain.
Kallaar laughed softly. "Hmm. There's a look I've seen before."
Penli quirked a brow.
Instead of replying, Kallaar just grinned more, all mischief and excitement. "I need to go tell my parents, they'll want to know it's coming so they can be prepared. They hate to be left out of such surprises, and I promise you won't be the only one wishing for a way to forever capture that look on Tishasanti's face."
"It's good to know I'll have royal support for my foolish actions," Penli said. "I had best go unpack all my armor and weapons; I get the feeling I'll be needing them soon. I don't suppose archery will be one of the challenges?" He hoped he didn't sound as wistful as he felt, that would be horribly maudlin of him. But he missed shooting—competing. There was nothing quite like the pull, the release, the satisfaction of seeing his arrow fly and land precisely where he'd aimed. The tension in the bow, gauging the shot, the breathless moment of release…
Kallaar snickered. "I think I know how you look in bed now. As to the challenges, I couldn't say, but I believe they know you're not half-bad with a bow." He winked, hugged Penli again, and spun away.
"Where is Ahmla, by the way? I've never seen the two of you apart."
"He's keeping Shanna distracted," Kallaar said, pausing at the door to look back. "My impression was you wanted a private conversation."
"I appreciate the consideration, Highness."
"Kallaar, please," Kallaar said with a sigh. "We are co-conspirators now, surely that permits informality?"
Penli's mouth quirked. "I suppose you make a good point. Very well, Kallaar, thank you for plotting with me. Now return to your lovely wife, lemon drop, before she finds us out."
"She will anyway. You can tell she'll be a good mother because she's already mastered the art of sniffing out trouble." Kallaar winked, waved, and then was gone.
Leaving Penli alone in the library with a heap of heavy thoughts he vehemently disapproved of. Hadn't he done enough hard thinking the past several years, trying to both stay out of His Majesty's web and keep Shanna as safe as possible? His arm ached with the memories of the night King Mercen had broken it—strictly speaking, a couple of his guards, but they were merely the dogs following the master's orders.
Mercy of the gods, what was he getting himself into? He was entirely too pretty, and far too adrift with his life—and there was the small matter of a warrant for his arrest—to be fighting for the right to marry somebody. Honestly, it was the stuff of storybooks, not reality, which was all contracts and dreary negotiation and stiff conversation over breakfast for the rest of one's life.
But that wasn't true. Even if every marriage he'd ever seen back home was like that, Shanna and her husband—and their lifesworn—were proving to be quite the exception. Even Kallaar's parents clearly loved one another. It was almost enough to make a man completely reconsider his opinion on the matter.
Well, his opinion hardly mattered anymore. He'd agreed to the foolish endeavor, so there was nothing for it but to go forward. He would save his pretty little pair from their dire fate, enjoy seeing the dire fate seethe with fury… and the rest would simply have to sorted out later.
In the meantime, he had plenty enough in the present to sort out, like making certain his armor still fit properly and getting all his blades sharpened. Unpacking his bows and arrows. Did he have suitable clothing for such a thing? What did one wear when issuing a challenge? Drat it, why hadn't he asked Kallaar that? Maybe it would be in the books.
Finally leaving the library, Penli headed for his bedchamber—only to be distracted by familiar voices.
He paused at the open area that looked out over a sprawling garden of rock, sand, and water. Rather, to look at the four figures inhabiting the garden: Tishasanti, Teia, Sendaar, and a man standing just behind and to the right of Tishasanti. The stranger was a handsome enough fellow. He looked as though he'd been roughhewn from the dark brown stone that filled so much of the desert, tall and broad, dressed casually save for a sword at his hip and bracers, his clothes scarlet with honey accents.
"I do not need a new bloodgiver," Teia said, voice firm but trembling ever so faintly.
Tishasanti sneered in that rage-inducing way of his. He flicked a dismissive look at Sendaar, who stood firm, but emanated the same misery as Teia. "Him? Please. We all know he was never meant to be a bloodgiver. He's a book beetle."
"He's my bloodgiver, and has been for years."
"No, this is a bloodgiver
," Tishasanti said, gesturing to the man on his right. "He doesn't look like his sword weighs more and a stiff breeze could knock him over."
The man in question did not seem pleased with the words, but he remained still and silent.
"This is a high honor, Teia—"
"Lord Teia to you," Teia snapped. "We may be engaged, but I've granted you no liberties. I'm aware you'll give me no say once we marry, but I do have a say now and I say that Sendaar is my bloodgiver and no matter how fine a man Master Omar might be, he is not the man for me!"
Tishasanti's skin flushed dark. "You ungrateful ass!" He grabbed Teia by the arm.
Sendaar reached for his sword.
Omar reached for Tishasanti.
Penli shoved a potted plant off the balcony, and clapped his hands over his mouth as it shattered across the tiles and sent all four men scattering with cries and curses. "Mercy alive. I am such a clumsy fool." He leaned over the railing, waggling his fingers as his braids spilled long and heavy over his shoulders. "I am so, so sorry, my darlings. Thank the gods nobody was hurt. You are all well, yes?"
"What are you doing, Penlington?" Tishasanti snarled.
"We're fine," Teia called up with a smile. "Are you all right, my lord?"
"Perfectly fine, my little melon." Penli wiggled his fingers again. "I was paying more attention to what was in my head than what was around me, tripped and down it went. I can't believe I was so clumsy. Thank goodness no one suffered because of me. One moment, sugared plums, and I'll be down to apologize properly."
He spun away and walked back the way he'd come until he'd found the stairwell he'd been looking for. By the time he reached the garden, Tishasanti was practically boiling over. He stormed over to Penli, grabbed the front of his shirt, and shoved him into the wall. "What are you playing at, Penlington?"
"Blossom, I've no idea what you're going on about. Do let me go, this shirt is made of Damarrian silk—do you know how easily it wrinkles?" When would people stop ruining his clothes?
Tishasanti slammed him against the wall again. "I'm not in the mood for your absurdities or your lies, you pathetic little snowflake."
"Oh, now, I am not the one with a nose that shatters like glass, am I?" Penli snickered—then caught the fist coming at him, slammed his knee into Tishasanti's groin, and knocked him to the ground. "And here all I wanted to do was apologize." He smoothed down the front of his shirt, doing what he could for the wrinkles. "Dash it, Tishasanti, I was going to wear this shirt to dinner. Now I shall have to change my whole outfit."
He didn't linger to figure out the garbled, guttural words Tishasanti snarled at him as he climbed to his feet, one hand still cupped delicately over his battered groin. Instead, Penli strode off across the garden, looking at Teia just long enough to wink without giving away anything to Tishasanti or Omar.
Once back inside the palace, he ducked down a servant's hallway, smothering his chuckles in the heavy folds of his jacket as he heard Tishasanti bellow his name, footsteps storming past his hiding spot. When the noise died down, and remained that way for several minutes, he finally slipped back to the main hallways and took a meandering route to his bedroom. Throwing open the door, he reached up to start removing the pin that held his collar shut—and stopped short to see unexpected guests.
Teia pushed away from the table he'd been leaning against, glancing at Sendaar for reassurance before crossing slowly over to Penli. "We wanted to express our gratitude, my lord, for the way you ended what would have an ugly altercation. I am sorry it's turned Tishasanti's wrath on you, though."
"Do not worry about me. His wrath is always on me, waiting patiently for a reason to show its full splendor, pet. Are you all right? Did he hurt you?"
"If he had tried, he would have lost a hand," Sendaar said coldly. "Book beetle I may be, I still know how to do my duty. At least then we would have had grounds for cancelling the marriage." He and Teia's grimaces were perfect matches, so adorably frustrated and grumpy Penli wanted to kiss their worries away and give them far better reasons to look adorable.
He finished removing the pin at his collar and set it in a silver tray on another table for one of his servants to collect later, along with all the other jewelry he began to remove. "I'm glad you're both unhurt. I had every faith you could handle the matter, Sendaar, but I felt it was better not to put you in such a position."
"Probably," Sendaar muttered.
"Speaking of your betrothed, I'm not certain you should be caught in the rooms of his worst enemy without a chaperone," Penli said.
Teia stepped close, finished removing Penli's rings, then curled his fingers into the folds of Penli's jackets. "If I had a chaperone, I wouldn't be able to express my gratitude the way I want." Penli didn't get to ask what that way was, and then the question was moot—and then forgotten, as he happily relearned the feel and flavor of Teia's mouth. He soaked up the heat of the eager little body pressed against his as Teia wrapped around him and deepened the kiss. He hadn't realized just how badly he'd missed this until he had it back.
And oh wasn't he the worst sort, to be so gleefully accepting the ardent gratitude of a taken man.
On the other hand, this was a man—men—he was going to be fighting ruthlessly for in a couple of days. It wasn't as though they gave a damn about Tishasanti, or Tishasanti about them. If promises of fidelity had been made, Teia and Sendaar would not have spent that night in the brothel with him.
Penli tangled one hand in those delightful curls, pulled Teia's head back, and feasted on the long, beautiful line of his throat. He dragged his tongue back up the trail of sucking marks he'd left and nibbled at Teia's ear before asking, "So what sort of gratitude were you hoping to express, pet?"
"What—" Teia moaned. "Whatever you want. Really just w-wanted to see you again."
"Good answer." Penli licked Teia's lips and kissed him again, not letting him go until Teia was begging with every movement and noise he made.
Eventually tearing away from Teia's perfect mouth, Penli pushed him back slightly and said, "Get naked while I tend our neglected companion."
Teia eagerly obeyed as Penli crooked two fingers at Sendaar, who'd already discarded his weapons on the chest at the foot of Penli's bed. As Sendaar reached him, Penli grabbed hold of the sash around his waist and reeled him in. Sendaar met him halfway, mouth hot and eager, matching every movement, soft pleased noises spilling between them as Penli fed at his mouth, sucked on those full lips and nibbled at his jaw before diving into another long, wet kiss.
Breaking away took more effort than he liked admitting, but he did at last manage it. "Get undressed, my lovely boy." Penli stepped away to do so himself, then went to lock the door before going to the sofa in the far corner of the sitting room, throwing a soft blanket down before taking a seat. Across the room, Teia and Sendaar waited impatiently, eyes fastened on him like looking away would cost them something.
"I've missed your mouths on me, pretty pets," Penli said. "Come make me feel better."
Teia grinned, and Sendaar gave a small but genuine smile as they joined him, Sendaar settling between him legs, Teia sitting next to him and immediately drawing him into more kisses. Sendaar kissed his knees, his thighs, shifting back and forth in a slow, torturous crawl, nipping at the soft skin of his inner thighs before spreading his legs a bit wider to tongue and suck at his soft sack.
Teia sucked on his throat, fingers brushing his nipples, pinching and twisting when Penli made approving noises. "I'm surprised you don't have them pierced."
"Darling, I'd have a terrible time thinking about anything else," Penli replied, and nipped at his lips when Teia snickered. Sinking his hand into those beautiful curls, Penli kissed him until Teia whimpered, until he trembled and rubbed against Penli's side.
Sendaar, meanwhile, had finally dropped his mouth over Penli's cock. He was making quick work of proving it was always the quiet ones who were the most devastating. Penli curled his free hand around the back of Sendaar's head, feeling
the rough scrape of hair just growing in as he urged Sendaar to take him deeper.
He complied easily, and Penli's head fell against the back of the sofa as he moaned, hips moving without permission, pushing him deeper still, fucking Sendaar's mouth, using it relentlessly. He lifted his head enough to look down and groaned loudly at the sight of Sendaar sucking him off. He dragged Teia into another kiss, tongue plunging deep, fucking that delectable, pliant mouth as eagerly as his cock was thrusting into Sendaar's hot, wet mouth.
Teia rubbed harder against him, panting and pleading. Penli tore away as his climax rushed through him, sinking deeply into Sendaar's mouth one last time before spilling down his throat.
Gently withdrawing his cock a moment later, he said, "Now suck Teia's cock."
Sendaar didn't even bother to wipe the come and spittle from his mouth and chin as he dragged Teia into a more suitable position and easily swallowed his cock. Teia moaned his name, hips working erratically as he fucked Sendaar's mouth.
He nearly shouted when he came, and had barely finished spending when he pulled his cock from Sendaar's well-used mouth and sank to the floor to kiss him. When he pulled away, Penli slid down to join them and took a few kisses of his own, until their flavors were so mingled it was hard to tell where each began and ended. Dragging slowly off Teia's mouth, he turned to Sendaar. "I believe someone is still wanting."
"Please," Sendaar said with a whimper.
Penli ran a finger down the side of his face. "I never leave a lover waiting too long." He winked, stole a quick kiss, then spread Sendaar on the ground and proceeded to give as good as he got. It only took a few minutes for Sendaar to come, between Penli's sucking and Teia's caresses, and he tried to cling awkwardly to both of them as he screamed his release.
"Well that is definitely a better way to spend an afternoon than my original plan," Penli said, leaning against the couch, the blanket he'd first grabbed spilling down to partially cover one of his legs and most of Teia's lap.
