by Robyn Bachar
He smiled reassuringly, and Andee felt some of the tension fade from Wylarric’s two mates, Mirlindra and Zhanti. The females had likely feared that Jace would evict them based on the brothers’ hatred for each other. Wylarric wouldn’t have hesitated to turn on Jace’s mates, but Jace would never do that.
“Do you intend to avenge their deaths yourself?” Andee asked. Jace turned to her and blinked as though truly noticing her for the first time. He had never seen her armed and armored before. She could have donned another gown when she returned to her quarters and loosed Talena and Sabine from the panic room, but Andee wasn’t certain that the trouble was over and decided that it was best to remain prepared. There could still be agents of House Nightfall lurking within the city, waiting for another chance to strike; to succeed where the last team had failed.
“Ideally, yes,” Jace said. “Lord Bildanen needs to be brought to justice for this.”
“But you’re not going to be on the front lines,” Bryn informed him. “You can’t risk your safety in a personal attack.”
Jace nodded wearily. “Yes, I know. I am resigning from active duty.”
Sensible. Andee approved, though adjusting to civilian life would be hell on Jace after he’d spent so much time working for the resistance. Perhaps she could convince his captain to allow her to take his place. She would rather serve the resistance than become an agent for her brother.
As though sensing her thoughts, Jace turned to her. His dark features flushed as he studied her. “I…we need to talk. In private.”
“Oh?” She quirked a brow.
“Yes. I think that’s enough for now.” Jace ushered the rest of the family from the room, except for his mates, who refused to leave his side.
“What’s wrong?” Andee asked.
“Lord Degalen has asked for you to become his mate,” Jace replied.
It was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment, and she froze in shock. “Now? Why? And why me?”
“He didn’t share the details, though—” Jace frowned and shook his head. “I’m sure Lord Degalen can explain the reasoning behind his choice.”
“It makes no sense. Razi is eldest. And she’s most likely to enter the phase first.” In fact she was overdue to experience the phase, which had the household speculating that Raziela might be barren. Still, according to tradition Razi should be mated first. Lord Degalen should have taken her as his mate when Father first made the offer, not dithered over the decision for six months.
“I know, but he asked for you.” Jace sighed. “Andee, I know you don’t approve of this tradition—”
“Because it’s completely barbaric. I shouldn’t be included as an enticement for some political deal, or sold like a slave at auction,” she snapped, and then winced. Bryn and Sabine had both been slaves until recently, but Bryn shrugged.
“She’s right, you know,” Bryn said.
“Not helping.” Jace scowled at her before turning to Andee with a pleading expression. “Please, Andee. I wouldn’t ask this of you, but the alliance between our house and the Sunsingers is more important than ever. We need each other to stand against House Nightfall, or we will all fall. This is your duty.”
“That’s very poetic of you, but you’re our lord and your mate is Lord Degalen’s half sister. That seems a strong connection to me,” Andee said.
Sabine smiled weakly. “My father was not Lord Renden. Apparently that makes me less important.”
Jace hugged Sabine and kissed the top of her head. “You are extremely important,” he assured her.
It was hard to stay angry in the face of such tenderness, and Andee sighed and rubbed her eyes. She doubted that it mattered to Lord Degalen who Sabine’s father was. He was terribly lonely, though he hid it well—Andee sensed his hunger for affection, starved for any family ties. The Morningstar manor was so filled with her family that their noise drove Andee to distraction. She couldn’t imagine what it must have been like to grow up in the Sunsinger estate with only servants for companions.
“Will you please speak with him? That’s all I ask. Well, that, and why are you wearing that outfit?” Jace shook his head in confusion.
“You didn’t complain when I wore my light armor,” Bryn said.
“That’s different. She’s my sister. It’s indecent.”
Andee blushed and folded her hands. Jace didn’t know; only a handful of people in their house did, and though she had confided in Jace about her aleithir skills, Father had decided that the fewer people who knew she was a liathlinn, the better. Safer. Father didn’t hold with superstition, but there were many like Rolens who would see Andee as a monster. The memory of the Sunsinger shadow sword’s revulsion made her skin crawl and her stomach turn. How much worse would it be to feel that horror from her brother, or from her potential mate?
Should she tell Jace? He was her lord, and she owed him her loyalty as such, but he had been lord for only a few hours. Father hadn’t wanted Wylarric to know—both he and Andee agreed that he couldn’t be trusted with a weapon like her. Could Jace?
But then, if Andee was to be Lord Degalen’s mate, maybe it was best that she not tell either of them, and retire. She could live a quiet life bearing heirs for her mate like a normal noble female—boring, but safe. Every death she caused brought her closer to the edge of madness. Ending her liathlinn days now would preserve her sanity.
“After you began training as a shadow sword, I started combat training,” Andee said.
“You did what?” Jace snapped. “But you’re…”
“Female?” Bryn said. She placed her hands on her hips and eyed him defiantly.
He scowled in reply. “She’s my sister, and a lord’s daughter. Not a soldier.”
“I’m not a soldier. I’m not allowed to serve as one, but I have the training. I am just as skilled as any sword in our service.”
“That could be useful.” Bryn stroked her chin as she studied Andee, her energy curious. The feeling was mutual, because Andee would like to hear more about Bryn’s shadow sword experience.
“Damn it, Andee. Why?” Jace asked. “You’re a lord’s daughter. That’s completely inappropriate.”
She smiled dryly. “Says the lord with a shadow sword mate. You have only yourself to blame. I spent so much time watching you train that I wanted to do it, too. Besides, you were the one who taught me to be a pilot.”
“I taught you because you were a terrible pest. I never thought you’d use that knowledge,” he sputtered.
After she began weapons training she had been discovered by her liathlinn mentor. He had approached her father and asked for permission to train her. A bold move on her mentor’s part, for Father could have slain him immediately once he revealed that he was a liathlinn, but he knew that the lord of a ruling house couldn’t pass up such a tempting tool.
“Can we change the rule about female shadow swords, now that you’re lord?” Bryn asked, ignoring his temper. “Seems like we can use every blade we can get. We should spar sometime.”
“I would like that,” Andee said.
“Enough. We’ll discuss that later. Please, speak with Lord Degalen,” Jace said.
“I will.” Andee inclined her head toward Sabine. “If nothing else, you should let her undergo self-defense training. Another bodyguard couldn’t hurt. You’re bound to make a few new enemies with that sharp tongue of yours,” she teased, earning a scowl from her brother.
“Galen could use a bodyguard,” Sabine said. “He seems very…scholarly.”
“Delicate.” Andee blushed at the admission. “He didn’t mention this decision when he spoke to you before they left for the council meeting?”
“No. He wanted further assurance that Jace wasn’t abusing me.” Sabine embraced Jace and kissed away his scowl. They looked well together—Jace had the good fortune to find mates that complemented him in body, mind and spirit.
Would Andee complement Lord Degalen? She had never met a lord like him before. Most were callous
manipulators like her father, or sadistic brats like Wylarric, but Lord Degalen was soft-spoken. He had been far more interested in touring the Morningstar archives than he had been in meeting his potential mates. Andee found it puzzling then, and even more so now. She had sensed attraction from him, but at the time she assumed he was attracted to Cari. Most males were attracted by her sister Cariana’s extraordinary beauty, even a few females as well.
“If I refuse, what will you do?” Andee asked Jace.
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “It will fall to Razi or Cari then.”
Andee nodded. Could she ask her sisters to take her place? She had assumed that one of them would become Lord Degalen’s mate, though in the time they had spent with him neither of her sisters had seemed interested in the role. Cari wasn’t ready—she was legally old enough to take a mate, but she lacked maturity—and Andee wasn’t certain Razi was attracted to males.
There was only one way to find out why Lord Degalen had chosen her, and that was to go directly to the source.
“I’ll speak with him,” she promised. She bowed politely to Jace, Bryn and Sabine, then squared her shoulders and marched from the room to find the answers.
Chapter Two
Until recently an exciting day for Lord Degalen Fairren involved discovering a forgotten or wrongly catalogued text in the Sunsinger archives. Now the shrieks of dying Cy’ren lords rang in Galen’s ears, and the stench of blood and charred flesh filled his nostrils and turned his stomach. He paced the floor of his guest quarters. He was grateful to have survived the massacre, and grateful to find Tali and Sabine safe and unharmed in the Morningstar manor, though an attempt had been made on their lives in his absence. The Morningstar city was in lockdown, and he had no idea how his own house fared. Had the Sunsinger enclave been attacked? Were they safe? He had no mates, no heirs, no family left behind for Bildanen to attack.
The door’s announcement chime interrupted his pacing, and Galen bid the person enter. He froze as Malcolm shuffled into the room, the indexer’s gaze downcast and his thin shoulders pinched with tension.
“I want to apologize,” Malcolm blurted.
Galen swallowed hard, licking his lips in reflex at the fresh memory of Malcolm’s joyous kiss aboard the Talon II. Galen wasn’t used to that sort of affection. Clearing his throat, he carefully folded his hands. “Oh?”
“I shouldn’t have kissed you. It was inappropriate. My lord,” Malcolm added, as though an afterthought. The human was still adjusting to proper forms of Cy’ren address. He raked his hands through his dark, wild hair, and then peered at Galen from behind his gold-rimmed spectacles.
“Why did you do it?” Galen nearly winced—he should have accepted the apology and let the matter drop, but curiosity got the best of him.
“Oh. You’re my handler. I’m used to…” Malcolm trailed off and his face reddened with a blush. Humans had such boring shades of skin; like Tali’s mate Captain Hawke, Malcolm’s skin was a deep beige, like bronze or copper without the advantage of a metallic shimmer. Yet it wasn’t unattractive, and seemed to complement his deep brown eyes. Not that Galen should be pondering such an inappropriate topic as the attractiveness of another male.
“You were lovers with your previous handler. You miss him,” Galen said.
“I do. I’m not used to it yet. I keep expecting to see Alexi walk into the room, or hear him voice his opinion on something. Alexi had an opinion on everything.”
“I understand, but I cannot allow such displays in the future.”
Malcolm flinched and nodded rapidly. “Yes, of course. I understand. It’s just that I forget sometimes how important you are. That didn’t sound right.” He sighed and started again. “I mean, you’re so nice to me. You treat me like a person, not a slave. I’m not used to that from someone who’s…important.” Malcolm gestured toward Galen’s robes of office. Glancing down, Galen realized with a start that his previously pristine golden robes were spattered with blood from the attack. He forced his gaze away, refocusing his attention on Malcolm.
“You’re not a slave anymore,” Galen said gently.
“I am, though. Off world, I belong to my Archivist. Maybe even on world, now. That other lord supports slavery, doesn’t he?”
“Lord Bildanen? Yes, he does. Malcolm, if you wish to remain free, I’ll do everything I can to ensure that. You’re under my protection.”
“Thank you, Galen. I mean, my lord.” Malcolm beamed a grateful smile and then bashfully ducked his head, and something warm and eager fluttered in Galen’s chest.
Ashamed, Galen stiffened. He shouldn’t be attracted to Malcolm. It was unnatural. Improper. Galen had narrowly avoided the social ruin of an affair with a male once before, and great measures had been taken to protect Galen’s reputation. Not that he had much of a positive reputation to begin with. Because of his family’s slaughter, he was pitied more than respected. Galen would never have been lord if they had lived. He was the proverbial runt of the litter, and the fact that he was sickly had saved his life.
“Is something wrong?” Malcolm asked.
“No, I was merely thinking. I don’t know much about human society. Is it common among your people to have lovers of the same sex?”
He shrugged, and then tugged at the high, ragged collar of his shirt. “It’s not uncommon. Well, some places forbid it. That’s pretty rare, though. Isn’t it common here? Bryn and Sabine have been together as long as I’ve known them.”
“It happens among females, if a male has many mates.”
“But not males?”
“No.”
“Oh. Oh…” Malcolm’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think—it’s my fault. I’m so used to my handler—” He stopped and grimaced. “The Archivist, he likes to… Ahem. You probably don’t need to hear about that. I’ll try harder, about not flirting with you, now that I know you don’t like it.”
For a moment he wanted to argue that he did like it, the words “but I do” on the tip of his tongue, but then the door chimed again. Galen’s heart raced with panic at being found alone with Malcolm, but he bid the person enter, and then smiled in relief as Andelynn joined them.
“I’m glad to see that you’re both well.” Andelynn gently touched Malcolm’s arm and smiled up at him. “I need to speak with Lord Degalen in private. It will only take a moment. Would you please wait for me, and then we can have some supper together?”
“Sure, I’d like that.” Malcolm grinned, and then added an awkward bow and a quick “my lady” before retreating from the room.
Galen and Andee studied each other for a long, silent moment. “Najacen spoke to you about my decision,” he guessed.
“He did. If I am to accept, I need to know why you chose me.”
If she was to accept? Did she disagree with the match? Galen had a great deal to offer a mate, more than enough to keep any female comfortable. It hadn’t occurred to him that she might disapprove and he would need to convince her—he should have prepared a speech.
His pulse leapt and sped as he approached her, taking her hands in his. This was an attraction he understood. Andelynn didn’t have the stunning good looks of her sister Cariana, but Galen found Andelynn enchanting. She was certainly fetching in her skintight armor. Her long black hair was tamed into a tight braid today, and her dark lashes fluttered as she looked up at him.
“You listen when I ramble,” he began. “I know my conversation isn’t very engaging. There aren’t many people interested in data collection or archive techniques, but you listened, and because of that you recognized that I was able to help Malcolm locate information on the Lazarus weapon. That matters to me. It matters to the people who will be helped because of the data Malcolm uncovered.”
“That’s a noble sentiment, my lord, but it isn’t reason enough to choose me over Raziela. She is the eldest. She should be mated first.”
“Raziela has no interest in me. She wrinkles her nose as though she’s smelled something sour whenev
er I’m in the room.”
Andee laughed. “It’s not personal. Razi always looks like that. She gets it from her mother.”
“Oh. I see.” Galen cleared his throat and continued. “I think we would be a good match. We seem to work well together. I consider you a friend, and I hope that you feel the same. I want my mate to be my partner, someone I can trust who will aid in leading our house. As such, I wish for you to agree to this of your own free will. It would be hypocritical of me to force you to become my mate when I was so adamant that Sabine be free to make her own choice.”
The corners of her mouth twitched as amusement glinted in her eyes. “Not many males would realize that. Sabine made her own choice. She loves Bryn and Jace.”
“And I am happy for her. I know that you and I don’t have that, but perhaps someday.” Galen caressed her cheek. He envied the love that Talena had with Carmen and Dack, but didn’t expect he would be fortunate enough to experience that with his own mates. A lord took mates for political reasons, not romantic ones. “I respect you, and I am fond of you. Many mates began with less.”
“Many mates begin with the phase. I’m not certain when I will undergo it.”
“I know.” Galen winced, blushing. “I mean, I am willing to wait.”
Andelynn’s expression softened. “You need heirs now, my lord.”
“If heirs were all I wanted, I could have taken a mate years ago.” He took a deep breath. “I owe your house a great debt. Your brother Najacen told me the truth about my family’s murder after everyone else had lied to me for years. He brought my sister home to me—both of my sisters. No other house has helped me as Morningstar has. I want to honor that.”
Andelynn nodded as she studied him with a contemplative expression. “What will you do if I refuse?”
He flinched slightly as he swallowed hard. “Am I truly so unappealing?” Galen blurted.
“You are very appealing, my lord.” She brushed a stray curl from his face and then laid her palm over his heart. “But this is unexpected. My father never intended for you to choose me—for any male to choose me. There are details you don’t know that may change your decision.”