by T. M. Smith
“My source has invited me back to his room in the guard’s quarters since he’s on duty indefinitely but just can’t seem to go more than a few days without me.” Cillian cackled. He had, indeed, wrapped the imbecile of a guard around his little finger. August sighed, shaking his head. Lord, but the man was either sex-starved, or Cillian was amazing in bed. Either way, he shouldn’t be concerned with them or their sleeping habits. No, he needed to concentrate on the fight ahead.
A young man, no more than sixteen if August were guessing correctly, cleared his throat when Cillian motioned him closer to the table and the map. “Everyone, this is Arthur; his grandmother is the Cook at the palace so he has firsthand knowledge of the layout.”
“So, there are torches lit at dusk every evening that surround the back side of the palace and weave around the perimeter of the garden. Few nights come and pass that the Prince and his husband or the Princess along with her two companions don’t visit the garden. Hell, oftentimes you can find the whole lot of them there.” Arthur snorted.
“There is a torch directly in front of the iron door leading to the Guard’s quarters in the lower level of the palace. My suggestion would be for everyone to hide out on either side of the stables until Cillian can get to the door and get it open, snuffing out the torch there to lead the way into the palace.” There was a gleam in the teenager’s eyes as he spoke—a darkness as well. August could see now why Cillian had placed such trust in one so young, the two of them seemingly kindred spirits.
Cillian continued to point things out on the maps, to bark orders at the other men inside the tent. There was mention of rebels being placed within the walls of the palace as servants and such, but August tuned him out after that. He had to remain focused on the mission. He would get penance for his sister…or die trying.
Chapter 8 | Moments and Memories
A soft whine woke Maeve before the sun had even bothered to rise. Anxious to spend some time alone with her son, she gently lifted him from where he lay between Aiya and Sawyer, holding him close as she crossed the room to the changing table. The beautiful creature grinned up at his mama while he twisted strands of her long hair in his tiny fingers. Quietly, Maeve left Aiya and Sawyer’s room, crossing through the bathroom into her own room.
Ian lay in the middle of the bed, cooing, while Maeve got dressed before they headed toward the kitchen. Cook was already up and neck-deep in dough for bread and biscuits when Maeve came into the room. “Morning, Cook. Can I get some fruit and juice, please? I’m going to go watch the sunrise in the garden with Ian,” she asked, smiling down at the bundle in her arms.
“Oh my goodness, yes, Miss, of course. But first, can I have a look at him?” Cook rushed over to the sink to wash her hands, tearing her filthy apron off before accepting the squirming baby Maeve handed her.
“Let’s have a look at ya then.” The aging woman, almost as round as she was tall, a mass of graying hair twisted into a bun at the nape of her neck, inspected the baby. “Ten fingers, ten toes, and those eyes. Yes, Miss, he’s perfect.”
Cook rocked back and forth on her feet while she hummed a familiar song to Ian before handing him back to Maeve. “You and the little one head on out to the garden, Miss, and I’ll have a tray brought out to you in two shakes.” She shooed them out of the kitchen.
The sun was starting to peek out from its blanket of dirt and grass when one of the maids brought a tray with a bowl of fruit, a glass of juice, and two steaming biscuits with a small bowl of fresh honey out to where Maeve sat with Ian. Shaking her head and grinning, Maeve bypassed the biscuits and grabbed a fresh strawberry and popped it into her mouth, the flavor exploding on her taste buds as soon as she started chewing.
“When I was a little girl, Ian, my Papou told me and your Uncle Tanis the story of the sun and the moon.” She held Ian in her arms, his back to her chest as they both watched the sun rise and Maeve shared some of her culture with her son.
“The sun and the moon met in the sky one day as one rose and the other set. On this day, they met and mated. Two souls were created from their union, a boy and a girl. So alike they were, and yet completely different. My Papou told the story of the children born from the mating.…But I believe the story could also be used to tell the tale of two lovers.” Maeve smiled down at Ian, his tiny face lit up by the slowly rising sun, those gorgeous eyes glowing.
“So much is changing, my son. By the time you’re old enough to realize, I think everything will be different. It blows my mind. Your match was written in the stars—before you were born, before you were conceived.” The tiny baby in her arms stretched and yawned before rolling his wobbly head back so he could look up at her.
It struck Maeve then—she was sitting there holding a one-sided conversation with an infant, barely a few days old. But then, Ian didn’t seem like any baby she’d ever met before. Of course, his tiny body was fragile, and she had to remember to keep a firm hold on his head as he didn’t yet possess the ability to do so for himself. He rarely cried though, never fussed, and looking into the depths of his insanely green eyes there was a wisdom and clarity staring back at her that spoke of an old soul, one who’d witnessed the atrocities of the world many times over.
Her attention refocused when she noticed Ainee heading down the path from the Church out to the gardens. Dressed in thin pants and a tank top with a soft mat under one arm, it looked like the newly appointed Priest was coming to the garden to do morning yoga. Ainee was petite and thin with an amazing body. The woman wasn’t even on Maeve’s radar until she’d stepped up and taken Raven’s position within The Order. Perhaps it was the fact that the beautiful Asian woman’s presence was required more often in an official capacity that had caught Maeve’s attention. More likely it was her body, thin and pliable, those deep brown almond-shaped eyes, or that long dark hair that shone hints of mahogany in the morning sun.
“Damn, she’s really fucking beautiful,” Maeve muttered, jumping when she heard a voice behind her.
“Wow, teaching him the four-letter words early, aren’t you Sis?” Tanis chuckled, sliding onto the bench beside his sister. She glared at him while he grabbed a biscuit, then spooned some of the fresh honey on top, shoving the entire thing into his mouth at once.
“You’re a pig. Seriously, I don’t know how Raven puts up with you,” Maeve quipped, jabbing her brother in the rib with her elbow when he reached for the second biscuit. “Hey! Those were for me, jackass.”
“Yeah, right.” Tanis said the words around a mouthful of biscuit. “She is quite striking, Sis, and I have it on good authority she’s single.” He playfully shoved back, laughing at Maeve as she tried so very hard not to smile. Wiping his hands on his pants, Tanis reached for the baby. “Here, let me hold him for a minute. He’s been glued to Aiya’s tit, so I haven’t gotten to hold him much.”
Maeve rolled her eyes at her brother’s comment, passing Ian over to him. “Honestly, I don’t know how you snagged Raven; your vocabulary is atrocious.”
Completely ignoring her, Tanis smiled down at the bundle in his arms. “Hey there little guy, remember me, Uncle Tan? Or should I say future father-in-law Tanis? Oh well, either way, damn.…You are the cutest baby I’ve ever seen.” Tanis blew a raspberry and was rewarded with a tiny but wide smile.
Maeve loved this playful, caring side of her brother that had only recently emerged. Before coming to House Gaeland, Tanis was the world’s biggest man-whore. But meeting Raven, falling in love, and then becoming a father had changed Tanis. Even now, looking at her big brooding tatted-up brother holding baby Ian, smiling down at him while he made funny faces and blew raspberries…it was like Tanis had come full circle, become the man he was always meant to be.
Caught up in watching them, she hadn’t noticed Ainee roll up her mat and approach them until she was standing right beside her. “Morning Tanis, Maeve—oh, and the baby. He is positively adorable,” Ainee greeted them. Maeve looked up, raising her hand to her forehead to shield her eyes fro
m the now fully awake sun.
“Morning Ainee, beautiful day, isn’t it?” Tanis said cheerfully. Maeve mumbled a hello, glaring at her brother when he winked at her. He stood, cradling the baby in his arms, motioning for Ainee to take a seat beside Maeve, receiving another glare polished off with a snarl of her lip from his sister.
“You know, I think I’ll take little Ian here to see Pol, leave you two to talk or…” Tanis slowly backed away, smiling and winking at his sister again. Maeve had to bite her tongue to stop from calling him every name in the book. She sat and stared at her conniving brother’s retreating back until she felt small but nimble fingers on her arm. Maeve couldn’t help but return the soft smile Ainee awarded her.
“How are things, Maeve, with the new baby, I mean?” She watched Ainee’s pink-stained lips move as she spoke, her tongue darting out to moisten the bottom one. Oh, fuck me! Maeve thought. It’d been far too long since she’d so much as kissed another woman, much less anything else. Brain scrambled, thoughts running on fast forward, Maeve could focus on nothing but those kissable lips. If she just leaned forward a few inches…
“Maeve, everything…okay?” Ainee asked, her eyes showing concern.
Blinking, Maeve struggled to shake off the overwhelming desire to plant one on the Priest. Garden…public…right out in the open. Get a fucking grip, Maeve! her internal drill sergeant barked.
What was the question? Ah, yes, the baby, right! “Sorry, still half-asleep I guess.” Maeve finally managed to answer.
Ainee laughed, crossing her legs. “I hear that new babies can make it quite difficult to get much sleep.” Maeve nodded her agreement.
“Listen…” Ainee looked around then sat up straighter, scooting a couple of inches closer to Maeve. She reached for Maeve’s hand, pausing briefly, possibly to be certain Maeve wasn’t going to move away before grasping Maeve’s hand in hers. “I…I like you Maeve, and I would like to get to know you better. See if the attraction is mutual.”
Maeve stared down at their joined hands. Mesmerized, she responded with a whisper. “It’s mutual.”
“It makes me very happy to hear that Maeve, truly. So, does this mean we can maybe have dinner or something?” Ainee prodded.
Maeve laughed. “Or something.”
With Ainee’s revelation that she was attracted to Maeve as well, conversation came easier to them. Maeve walked Ainee back to her room, then returned to the garden to collect the tray and dishes so she could drop them off in the kitchen.
Back in her room, she tiptoed through the bathroom, peeking into Aiya and Sawyer’s room, finding them both still fast asleep. She noticed baby Ian wasn’t in his cradle or with them on the bed, she figured he must still be with Tanis. Deciding to take full advantage of her alone time, Maeve drew a warm bath then added some lavender oil to the water before sinking down into the tub. The three of them knew going into this they’d probably be exhausted ’round the clock for the first few weeks. But with Aiya breastfeeding the baby, he was indeed, latched to her breast more often than not.
Maeve’s mother, Theresa, sat her down for a heart-to-heart a couple of weeks prior to the birth. “Darling, I know this arrangement the three of you have is unique, and you all love each other in your own special ways. I just don’t want you to be hurt if your relationship with the baby is…different than Aiya’s and Sawyer’s.”
“Mom, they would never—” Theresa silenced Maeve with a shake of her head.
“Oh honey, I know they would never intentionally do anything to hurt you or shut you out. I just…I’m sorry, darling, I’m your mother and sometimes my mind goes over every possible scenario for a situation. I guess that’s what I’m doing now as well—my apologies.” She pulled Maeve into her arms, hugging her tight.
Thinking back on the conversation, Maeve chuckled; she’d been exactly right. Ian honestly had three parents. Aiya and Sawyer may have created him, and Aiya had carried the weight of his steadily growing body for nine months, but they were all three mothers and father to the green-eyed baby boy. She was drying off when the door opened and Aiya shuffled into the bathroom, disheveled and still half-asleep.
“Where’s Ian?” Aiya asked with a yawn, reaching for her toothbrush.
“Bonding with his uncle-slash-father-in-law.” Maeve chuckled.
“Lord, that is so surreal.” Sawyer spoke from the doorway.
Maeve shrieked, wrapping the towel tighter around her breasts. “Naked, Sawyer.” She growled, waving her hand in front of herself.
One eyebrow raised, Sawyer shoved past her and grabbed his toothbrush. Aiya flushed, then moved over beside Sawyer to brush her teeth as well. Maeve sighed, exasperated. Folding her arms over her chest, she glared at their backs.
“Hey Sis, I’ve got a present for you.” Maeve turned to see Tanis standing in the doorway of her room, holding little Ian out at arm’s length, his face pinched.
Apollo shoved his way through the space between his father’s legs, peeking up at Maeve and grinning. “I can help!”
Frustrated, Maeve threw her arms in the air. “By all means, everybody and their fucking dog, come on into the bathroom.”
“What are we doing in the bathroom?” Raven peaked over Tanis’s shoulder. “Whoa!” He covered his eyes when he saw Maeve. “Pol, come out of there please, you don’t need to see all that.” He reached down and pulled the toddler, kicking and screaming, into Maeve’s room and out of sight.
“What’s his problem?” Maeve growled.
“Ummm…Sis.” Tanis waved his hand up and down in her direction. Looking down, Maeve gasped. With her arms crossed over her chest she held the towel up, but one side had fallen below her breast and her boob was on full display for everyone to see.
Covering up again, she stomped over to Tanis and shoved him out of the bathroom as Aiya grabbed Ian. Maeve kicked the door shut then pounded on it with her fist when she heard Tanis laughing hysterically on the other side. “See you at dinner, Sis. In clothes, I hope.” His muffled voice was faint but clear.
“Why you…” Maeve reached for the knob, pulling the door open just a fraction before Sawyer’s big hand slammed it shut.
He grabbed Maeve by the shoulders, turned her, and gently shoved her toward his and Aiya’s room. “You and Aiya go get dressed and get Ian changed while I shower. Hector is arriving today, and you’ll want to go meet him, I’m sure. Can’t go down to the clearing in a towel.”
“Fine!” she shouted, stomping into the bedroom behind Aiya, pulling the door shut behind her.
Sawyer sighed, staring up at the ceiling. “God save me from diaper duty and bitchy women.”
“I heard that!” Maeve hollered from the other side of the door.
Chuckling and remembering a comment Maeve had made to him once, Sawyer responded, “I meant you to.”
Chapter 9 | Interesting
August ran up the steep incline toward the palace at a fast clip. The trees that ran alongside the road provided excellent camouflage from the riders traveling to the palace. The crests on the crates and the clothes bore the symbol of House Orion, probably brought over for the impending wedding of their former Captain, Tanis, to the Head of The Order, Raven.
One man caught August’s attention, for many reasons. He was tall and broad with thick brown sun-kissed hair that hung to his shoulders. The clothes he wore were simple…common, but they weren’t threadbare or discolored as they should be for anyone that wasn’t a higher class. This man was trying very hard not to be noticed. Probably a guard or a member of the family, August presumed. What really drew his attention to the man was the way he searched his surroundings, very hyperaware of everything going on around him. And every fifty yards or so he would turn and look in August’s direction, almost as if he could sense there was something, or someone, there. Then his head turned to his left, searching the copse of trees, halting his horse for a few moments.
“No fucking way,” August muttered to himself. There was no way in hell the man could know
that August, Robert, and a dozen or so rebels were hidden by the foliage on either side of the road they’d climbed. He’d taken the extra step of hiding his alarmingly red hair under a knit cap so as not to be noticed or look out of place. August lay on his belly in a large bramble of grass, squinting at the sun to see what the man on the horse would do. His head swiveled right, eyes once again landing on the exact spot where August lay.
A guard broke loose from the parade, circling back and speaking to the man still holding August’s attention. The stranger nodded, looking back in August’s direction once more before urging his horse to follow the others. August lay still and silent for several long moments before standing and following the narrow path the rest of the way up to the palace. The trees that lined the road circled around the wall of the palace, meeting in the back at an iron door that led inside the palace gates underground, where the guards’ quarters were. They were to wait until the sun went down and the moon rose. As soon as the darkness of night shrouded them, Cillian would meet them at the iron door, and August would finally get his vengeance for his sister’s murder.