“No, you three will do what you think is right,” she said, smiling. They would go and fight the Elvasi as long as they could.
And they would die.
I have to do this.
I have to make it back from this.
Failure is no longer an option…for any of us.
She cut her palm, then walked to the door and smeared her blood on it, demanding it let her through to continue on this journey.
It creaked and opened slowly, revealing the snowy landscape that waited for her.
She stepped out alone, and the door closed with a boom.
It’s just me and you now, Kristanya.
40
Rainev
They rode for nearly three more weeks after leaving Mave at the crossroads. Rain spent the entire journey worried for Alchan and watching—watching and waiting for his time to strike. He saw how Lily lost her tongue whenever she spoke to Alchan and blushed a light pink when he looked at her.
How his husband was so oblivious was beyond Rain, but Alchan was either pretending he didn’t see or was truly a fool. This pretty, curvy female was so entranced by Alchan’s dominance, she sometimes forgot she was working on something. Rain thought it was the cutest thing he had ever seen. He felt damn guilty for thinking she could ever be a threat to his relationship with Alchan. She was unobtrusive, kind, and gentle.
Rain also saw how she looked at him. There was the beginning of genuine love there, and while Rain could never offer her everything romantically, he was fine fulfilling the needs in her life he could. He could support her and try to make her happy—everyone deserved their own slice of happiness. He could speak up for her—his submissiveness was mostly by choice, personal preference. He wasn’t trapped like she was. So, when Rain saw her looking at him with innocent love in her eyes, he smiled and hoped she saw the love he could give back to her.
“Here we are,” Alchan said back to them. Lily yawned and pushed away the blankets Rain had laid over her. Rain smirked as she glared at him. He liked taking care of her, even when she got a little indignant. He stood first, extending a hand, so she could stand as well.
He was born outside of Anden, so the last couple of years were his first time seeing Anden. The Capital was the crowning jewel—a massive city and castle carved into a mountain, sprawled out in the giant, fertile valley with a beautiful, mirror-like lake in the center.
“It’s…Are we going to live here one day?” he asked.
“Oh, yes,” Alchan answered, happiness and sadness in his voice. Rain reached out and touched his husband’s back. “I grew up in an estate on the far end of the valley, but I spent time in the palace with my grandmother and aunts. I moved in when Luykas arrived from the Empire. He moved in with me. Our grandmother gave us adjoining rooms, so we could get to each other if anything happened. It also gave us privacy. Two dominant males and all that.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Rain said, leaning over to kiss the back of Alchan’s head. “Are we going to go into the city today?”
“We are,” he whispered, sounding apprehensive under his normal strength and surety.
Rain knew much of Alchan’s story. They spent late nights talking about everything his husband had gone through, but there was one thing he never had confirmed.
“Have you seen it at all since the end of the War?” Rain asked, hopping into the seat next to Alchan as they moved.
“No…no, I haven’t. I’ve never seen the city empty like this and never saw what sort of damage the Elvasi probably did.”
“How…how did you know your family was gone, then?” There was a hole in the story. He felt terrible asking, but he also wanted to know what he was walking into. He could ask Alchan anything and hoped this wasn’t finally the thing that crossed the line.
“The assassins who killed them came after me. When they were defeated…we searched their bodies and found all of these…trophies,” Alchan explained, reaching out with one hand to tap the emblem Rain wore, a silver pin with a sword and wings, the symbol of the royal family. “I was able to claim them. Lost some over the years, and they break from wear and tear, but…that’s how I knew, how I know my father was dead, even though I’ve never seen him on Al Moro Nat.”
“Fuck your father,” Rain said, shrugging. “Who cares about seeing that fucker? I hope that it hasn’t bothered you all these years.”
“No, it hasn’t,” Alchan promised, giving Rain a smile.
As they moved down the road and neared the edges of the valley, Lily began to sing softly. Rain looked back to see her patching some breeches for him. She had a soft but beautiful singing voice, he rarely heard. He knew better than to say anything, or she would stop for at least a day. He turned back to the front and laid his head on Alchan’s shoulder, looking down to see something unsurprising.
His husband was rock hard, but he had not been only a moment before. Rain and Alchan stole moments on the road, but it wasn’t enough for a male like Alchan—especially a male like Alchan, who had two people he wanted to fuck into oblivion right next to him, all the time and couldn’t do much about it. Rain had watched for those signs during the trip and found them. Rain had seen how his husband sometimes watched Lily. She had a bounce to her that probably drove his husband mad. A few times, Rain felt so bad for Alchan’s need, he handled it himself. Rain was surprisingly okay with Alchan wanting Lily. It would give Rain a much-needed break if he ever needed it and would give Alchan even more enjoyment in his life, something Rain felt his husband never had enough.
I bet fucking a female is a completely different feeling from a male, so it’s not like she and I really compare. And that’s how all Andinna families are. If a male is tired, another male can meet the female’s need. In a strange twist, Alchan is the female in this dynamic. If it works out, I’ll need to tell Mave. She would laugh.
Even better, it wasn’t only Alchan who was a fool. Rain hadn’t been able to ask her, but he was certain Lily had no idea how Alchan reacted to her. It would be downright comical if it wasn’t so pathetic. Lily could finally have the family she craved if she spoke up, and Alchan could finally have the heir he needed if he said something, yet neither of them spoke to the other more than necessary.
Rain just watched and waited, hoping his moment to strike came soon. It had to because they were entering the Capital, and Alchan could die soon. Leaving this open, without resolution, wasn’t something Rain was willing to allow. If Alchan became the Avatar of Lariana, there was no way Rain would be able to convince Lily to go through with her feelings. He could potentially be terrifying. Rain was still unsure of this whole thing, but he thought Alchan would survive whatever was going to happen. He believed in his husband and king.
He couldn’t believe otherwise because it was too painful to consider for longer than a moment.
“Do you think Mave is…doing her thing now?”
“Yes,” Alchan answered softly. “I’m positive. She would have made it to her destination two weeks ago, and the moment she told any of those priests or priestesses what she wanted, her timer would have started. There are rules,” he explained.
“How do you know? Have you ever considered it?”
“No, not me or Luykas. We had to be educated in many of the practices of our priests and priestesses by the High Priestess of Lariana. She taught us everything I know about the priesthoods.” Alchan paused, darkness passing through his eyes. “You almost met her once,” he said, visibly swallowing.
“Really?”
“She was…she gave her life for us in Ellantia. Arjana. I didn’t even recognize her, thanks to everything that had happened to her and the situation we were in. Then she told me her name, and I remembered. I still wish I could have saved her, but I wasn’t going to force her to go if she didn’t want to.”
“I didn’t know…” Rain was a little lost. “Have you been keeping that to yourself all this time?”
“No,” Alchan assured him. “Luykas and I had a drink in her name that ne
xt Al Moro Nat…two years ago now. It’s right around the corner.”
“It is,” Rain whispered, nodding. Ellantia felt like a hundred years ago. It was both an age ago and yesterday.
They rode to the stairs leading to the palace, Lily’s singing dying off. Alchan sighed, looking around.
“Well, I guess we can camp right here,” he said. He was out of the wagon before Rain could move. Alchan held out a hand and helped him down, even though it wasn’t necessary. Rain then watched Alchan do the same for Lily, even touching her lower back to make sure she got down safely. He still didn’t mention it as they made camp, and Lily made a meal for them. Once the tent was up, Rain caught his husband and held him.
“Come here,” he murmured, letting a hand drift down. “Let me help you out.” He leaned into Alchan and licked his neck, teasing the male with a reminder of what Rain could do with his tongue.
Alchan growled and grabbed his hair.
“You are insatiable,” the king accused, then kissed him.
“No, you are. You’re the one always ready to take me at a moment’s notice,” Rain reminded him. “I’m just willing to take everything you have to give me.”
Alchan growled again, but nothing went further. Rain’s hand was removed from Alchan’s body.
“She’s awake,” Alchan whispered in his ear. “I don’t want to be like that with her. She would have to listen. I would rather she was asleep or we’re a little farther from camp. You know that.”
“I just figured you wouldn’t want her to have to see it, though I’m sure she’s already seen a lot.” Rain sighed. “Fine.”
“Rain.” Alchan’s tone demanded his attention. “I don’t want to make this trip worse for her by fucking you and making it awkward like that morning in the kitchen. I’m feeling guilty enough right now.”
“Why do you feel guilty?” Rain murmured, nipping his husband’s ear. He already knew, but it would be infinitely easier if his husband just admitted it. This was, however, the first time he got Alchan to admit something of his feelings about this situation.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” Alchan said, groaning. “Don’t press.”
“We’re here, and you could die soon, so I would rather the truth came out,” Rain retorted. “I’m your Consort. Your husband. Whatever it is, we can weather it.”
Alchan looked toward the tent door, then back at Rain.
“Let’s go for a walk,” Alchan ordered. Rain followed him, kissing Lily on top of the head right where Alchan could see. Alchan’s eyes went wide, but nothing more.
“We’ll be back in a moment,” he promised the little female he protected and cared for.
“I’ll be here,” she promised in return. Smiling, she reached out and touched his cheek. “You two stay safe.”
“We will.” Rain followed his husband, who stood farther away. “So…”
“Don’t hate me, but if you want to know, I’ll admit it.” Alchan groaned, looking back one more time before pulling Rain to follow him down a different street, out of sight of the little ahren. “I want her.”
“Oh,” Rain said, his eyes going wide. “Does anyone else know?”
“I told Mave. That’s one of the reasons I kept her around, even as things went to hell. I wasn’t comfortable being around Lady Lilliana, so I wanted Mave as a contingency plan.” Alchan leaned on a wall, looking at the sky. “I’m sorry. I know you are with only me, and I feel as though I’m betraying something between us. You…are so important to me. You are a male who gives me what I want and what I need. I love you and I want you.”
Rain walked closer, letting Alchan pull him into his chest between his outstretched legs, then leaned his forehead onto Alchan’s chest.
“But I want her. I think it’s what we are. She’s so…supple and soft and bendable.” Alchan moaned as Rain reached down and once again proved just how much Alchan wanted the female. “She would do anything, and that appeals to a really dark place in me.”
“Have you ever considered your way of doing things might appeal to her?” Rain asked softly. He found his time to strike, and it felt like losing a leash. “I know something you don’t, my wonderful king and husband.” He looked up and nipped his king’s bottom lip before capturing that mouth in a kiss. “I am an Andinna male. I know how this goes. Take whoever you want, just as long as you stay mine as well because I will always be yours.”
“Excuse me?” Alchan raised an eyebrow, his words disbelieving.
“You heard me. She and I talk about everything. You think you haven’t come up?” Rain pulled away, leaving his lover bereft. “I’ve known, Alchan. I’ve watched you this entire trip. I always watch you, anyway, so it wasn’t hard. I’ve known how you react to her. You think I don’t notice my husband get hard when he watches her ass bounce? Or her tits? She’s very…curvy. She doesn’t do it for me, but I care about her. Her circumstances speak to me, and I want her happy, but she’s living under Leria’s badly executed intentions.”
“Rain, what are you trying to say?” Alchan said with an edge.
“I shouldn’t say all this, but…” Rain shook his head sadly at the confused expression on his king’s face. “You two are hopeless, and it’s sad. Really. Alchan, if you walked up to her right now and beckoned her to your bed, she would go. Not because she’s been ordered, but because she genuinely finds you attractive. You’re the first Andinna who has ever done that for her. And you know what else? I would be okay with it if that’s really what you’re worried about. I would have no problem watching you fuck her until she’s limp and exhausted, just as long as you were still willing to take me the next night or maybe even right after.”
Rain started to walk away, but Alchan grabbed him.
“Are you playing with me?” Alchan snapped, glaring. “Are you…trying to get me to hook up with her, so I have kids?”
“Kids aren’t even the problem,” Rain snapped back. “How dare you.”
“Then why are you meddling in this?” Alchan snarled.
“Because I love you, and one day I’m going to die, and you will have at least a thousand years left. You have the right to be happy every moment of every day. You shouldn’t have to deprive yourself of something because you are scared of yourself when you have no reason to be. I’m tired of watching you hurt yourself, Alchan, and I refuse to be someone you use to hurt yourself. Consider this my blessing for you to court Lady Lilliana, or rather, my wonderful, beautiful female, Lily. I’m not asking you to fuck her right now, but I’m tired of watching you kill yourself slowly because you are too scared to just ask her what she wants.”
“If I asked her, would she tell me what you just did?” Alchan was still glaring, but it had softened. Rain had known this would be touchy. Alchan and females were oil and water.
“Unless you scared her, yes,” Rain snapped but put a hand on Alchan’s chest before either of them thought to move and prove it. “Maybe you should give me a chance to tell her it’s coming, so she knows it’s not unwelcome. She might be worried you’ll be angry because of Leria’s machinations.”
“Ah…” Alchan groaned. “The Leria problem…I understand now.” His husband turned away. “Rain, I’m…” When Alchan turned back, he threw his hands up. “I’ve never been with a female. Even if this did work out…I don’t know…I mean, I know how it works, but I’ve never done it.”
Rain raised his eyebrows and tried to accept that bit of knowledge. “Well, that’s something you might want to talk to Lily about.” Rain was grinning as he turned away.
Finally. We might actually get somewhere now.
“I’m going to stay and…handle this,” Alchan muttered.
“Do you want help?” Rain asked, looking over his shoulder and licking his lips.
“No…not this time,” Alchan said sheepishly. “I…”
Rain laughed and took the hint. His husband wanted to think about her and didn’t want to use Rain for that. It was a considerate thought, and another reason Rain loved h
is husband. Rain had been that stand-in before, letting a male whisper some other name while they fucked. Rain had been younger and even hornier than he was now.
When Rain made it back to the camp, Lily was working on her little project again.
“He’s into you,” Rain said with a smirk. “We just talked, so if he approaches you on our way home or when we get back, just know that. I told him I’d warn you, so you didn’t think he was mad about Leria or anything like that.”
“Oh.” He watched her face turn, not the cute light pink but a bright red. “Rain!”
“It had to happen, and now is the perfect time.” He laid back, grinning. She climbed over him, glaring. They had done this before in front of others, so it wasn’t anything new. “You know you’re into him, and I’m tired of you two dancing around it.”
“What if I…wanted to surprise him?” she asked, biting her bottom lip.
“Would you have ever gotten the courage to?” Rain asked, blinking because he never considered that option.
“No…but really, you should have told me you were going to have that conversation.” She seemed so hurt, he felt something stab him in the heart and something else punched him in the gut.
“I…yeah, I should have,” Rain said, looking away. “Sorry.”
“You’ve been more focused on Alchan and me than you have…” She looked up and gestured at the palace behind him. He had purposefully put it behind him when he sat down. “I think you’re avoiding this.”
“That…” Rain felt the thing he didn’t want to feel—fear. “Let’s not talk about that.”
“We’ve been on the road for nearly two months, Rain,” she huffed. “You need to talk about it. He’s your husband.”
“No,” Rain growled. That topic wasn’t up for discussion.
“I think he does, too,” Alchan purred from behind Lily. “This is cute, by the way, but if we’re going to have a serious conversation, maybe it should be done sitting up.” Rain looked around Lily to see Alchan, looking down at them, something incredibly aroused in his eyes.
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