Mason now understood what Treleaven really offered – an illusion of control. The House system was invented to control the citizens and keep them content in their boxes while also managing the city. The structure wasn’t entirely broken, but it wasn’t perfect either.
Mason approached the bonfire, inhaling the stench of rot. The flames glowed with a greenish-blue light, eating away at the carcass of the sheep and Reed’s clothes. The fire shone with an unnatural oily sheen. His heart had stopped beating when the sheep rushed him. With Kiarra in his arms, he had been helpless to arm himself. He would have turned his back on the sheep to protect Kiarra, and was preparing to do so when Reed stepped in front of him. His father would laugh his ass off if he knew Mason had been saved by a Scholar. But his father wasn’t here and had no control over his life anymore. His sisters and mother were safe, and his father wouldn’t have any power when he returned to the city. He would see to it himself. His brothers were equals, no matter their House. He had always thought so, but this time spent with Kiarra and her matches had proven it.
“Is she still sleeping?” Drummond asked. His gruff voice was heavy with exhaustion.
Mason nodded, staring into the flames. “I’ve sent the Soldiers on. They will attempt to subdue the others who have been enchanted by any means necessary. I hope no deaths happen because this isn’t their choice, but they will do their best to protect the women if they can’t breach the enchantment.”
Edward spoke, his voice similarly exhausted. “Anders has been informed of the new developments and will warn as many families as he can.”
Mason’s eyes rose to the farmer in surprise. “Anders left hours ago. How did you get word to him?”
Edward frowned. “Alyson can communicate with all of us, in our minds, if the need is strong enough. It takes a bit out of her, but it’s handy for certain.”
Mason looked to the Accleshian for confirmation. “Aye, it’s true,” the big Accleshian validated with a chuckle. “I’ve already sent word to my mate. She and the Princess are coming here. Edward, Alyson, and Clyde have agreed to let us stay a couple days. We don’t have the luxury of time to travel into Acclesh; Everett is moving his pieces too quickly. Hopefully, Ahnika can help Kiarra manage the bond and her magic before we return to the city.”
“Will Kiarra be able to communicate with us in that manner?”
“Aye. She might already be able to, but I doubt you’ve tried.”
Mason shook his head. The thought had never occurred to any of them. He swiped a hand over his face. He needed to shave. The whiskers bothered him. “This magic is news to all of us. We have no idea of our capabilities or hers.”
“Aye, and Kiarra is acting instinctually. She is doing amazingly well at it, but it’s not surprising. It’s in her blood.” Drummond’s approval pleased Mason. The consequences if Kiarra couldn’t access her magic made his stomach turn.
“What will your Princess be able to tell her?”
Drummond chuckled again. Mason found it slightly irritating that the big man seemed to think everything was amusing. “I can’t say, Lad. Information is passed down to the women only, generation to generation. Kiarra didn’t have the same advantage because her mother had no knowledge of the old ways. The Princess is adamant that she meet with Kiarra before you return to the city, though. My mate insists.”
Mason scratched his chin. He trusted the Accleshian and believed that Acclesh was their ally, but he would always be wary of any matter which affected Kiarra. The fire popped, and he returned his attention to the stinking carcass.
“This Sorcerer must be powerful to enchant several men to act against their natures.”
Drummond looked at him. Half his face was orange from the fire, and the other half remained in shadow. “Aye. The only real magic in our country is within our royal females. The communication and energy exchange that occurs between bondmates might be considered magic, but it is nothing compared to what Kiarra did tonight or what this Sorcerer has already done. Perhaps that is part of the reason Ahnika insists on speaking with Kiarra. She has access to generations of knowledge. She is coming of age and will find her own bondmates soon.”
“I can’t believe all this information has remained hidden for almost a century.”
Edward chuckled. Mason had almost forgotten he was there; the other man was so quiet. He and Clyde were brothers, he’d found, a common factor among bondmates who shared the same woman. They were both silent men, letting Anders be their spokesman. “It hasn’t been secret, Soldier. We have kept with the old ways in the rural parts of Megreria for the entire time. Only the cities have forgotten their roots.”
Mason’s brow furrowed. “Two of Kiarra’s mates were born outside of Treleaven, and they had no knowledge of it.”
“I understand your Ian was young when he left Abilon. He might not remember the makeup of other families in his town. And the Merchant was raised in a brothel. If there were alternative relationships in Sheldrake, they were kept quiet because Treleaven maintains a close eye on its patrons. The Houses rule in Port Town, and the King had a heavy hand because the Port is vital to trade and commerce.”
Mason nodded. He understood the logic, but he was still baffled by the mystery. Even Ian, who knew everything that happened within the walls of Treleaven, hadn’t a clue what transpired beyond the walls. The Scholar hadn’t uncovered anything until he found the books, one of which Carson had deliberately planted. He wondered if magic shrouded the truth because he would never have known these men shared a woman if he had just happened upon the homestead. Kiarra had been informed of the situation through her link to the land. They hid their secret well and guarded it with ease.
“Kiarra’s ability to know certain secrets of the people...” Mason began.
“Her ability is a trait unique to the rulers of Megreria. Demetrius and Everett likely had a portion of that magic. As long as Accleshian history bears witness, it has always been so. The minute Demetrius saw Kiarra with the five of you, he would have known the truth, Soul Tenders’ vision or not. The old King was rumored to be able to see soul bonds, just like the Tenders. Falsifying a connection would have been impossible.”
“And yet he let us meet, although his ancestors specifically prohibited it.”
“Aye.” Drummond stroked his bushy beard. “Carson believed the Fates spoke directly to the King. I can see no other reason for his departure from tradition. The corruption of his son might have enabled him to see sense over prejudice.” Mason nodded and yawned again. Drummond clapped him on the shoulder. “Rest with your woman. Having all her men around her will heal her energy faster. The Princess will arrive late tomorrow, and a contingent of guards will precede her in the morning to assist with the watch and help man the perimeter. Alyson and her mates have consented to let us use the farm as a base until we have no more need of it.”
Mason nodded his thanks to the stoic farmer and gratefully returned to the house. His brothers already felt the need to be around Kiarra. Seb slept awkwardly at the foot of the bed, his legs hanging off. Clay and Reed nestled on either side of her, and Ian sat watching them with heavy eyes.
Mason patted the Shadow’s shoulder and relayed some of what Drummond had told him. They spoke softly so as not to awaken the others. Ian listened quietly before directing his deep brown gaze to Mason.
“I’m scared for Kiarra,” he admitted softly. “She did well tonight, but this little spell is nothing like what she’ll encounter when we return to Treleaven.”
Mason choked down his answering fear. He had been trying to avoid thinking about it. Ian wasn’t afraid of much, but he was honest about his failings and his worries. “Me too, brother,” Mason replied.
“I can’t lose her,” Ian whispered, “even if it means losing the city.”
Mason didn’t reply. He understood Ian’s anxiety. He knew Kiarra would never permit that to happen, and neither would his deep-seated need for justice. For someone who hadn’t known she was going to be Queen a week
ago, Kiarra’s loyalty to the Kingdom ran deep. She wouldn’t let Everett rule. She would fight for the women who were like her - women destined to love more than one, women who didn’t fit into any House because they were Fated for more than one Soul Match. How many Commoners were assigned that status because they couldn’t bond with all their matches? Mason shuddered at the unfairness. Kiarra wouldn’t permit them to turn their backs on the city or those women, whether they were able to win the fight or not.
Chapter 12
Kiarra
I woke slowly. When I had lost consciousness, my whole body had ached. Stretching slowly, I was pleased that my body held no residual pain. The observation made me wonder how long I had been asleep. It seemed like I was always falling asleep while my men worked. I worried about their health. The memory of the night before caused me to shiver despite the warmth surrounding me. I didn’t want to face that evil magic again. Although it hadn’t touched me, my brief interaction with it left me feeling soiled. I never wanted to meet the creature that had created it, but I didn’t see any other option.
I blinked at the abnormally bright light. I realized it wasn’t the time of the day, but the lack of walls and buildings surrounding the window that made it seem sunnier than usual. We weren’t in the city, and the sun wasn’t prevented from shining directly into the room. I liked it. My body was bracketed by my men, and the others were close. My heart skipped with appreciation. I hadn’t done anything to deserve the wonderful gift of my men’s loyalty, but I wouldn’t take it for granted.
“How are you feeling?” Mason’s deep voice rumbled. He faced me, my body curved into Ian’s lean muscles. Reed was curled up like a kitten at my feet. I met Mason’s pale blue eyes and traced his whiskered cheek with a hand.
“I feel remarkably well,” I whispered, not wanting to wake the others. Clay and Seb were close, but not touching me. I wasn’t surprised that the spots closest to me were taken by the men that hadn’t completed the bond yet. When they were first informed of their shared Soul Match status, they had shown varying degrees of acceptance. In a short time, however, they had claimed each other as easily as they accepted me. Whether the Fates had assisted or not didn’t matter.
“Good,” Mason grumbled. “I was worried.”
“Could you feel me pulling energy from you?” I asked curiously. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything or warn you; there was no time.”
“Shh, don’t apologize. You saved those men’s lives. They wouldn’t have made it out of here alive if you hadn’t ripped the enchantment from them.” He shrugged a broad shoulder. “I could feel a tug in my chest, where our souls meet, but that was the extent of my discomfort. It affected you more strongly than me.”
“Yes, I didn’t expect it to take so much out of me.”
“We believe it’s because you haven’t connected with everyone yet,” Mason stated firmly. I held back a laugh. It always came back to that. Why were the Gods, or Fates, or whatever, so focused on my sex life?
“I figured.” I shrugged. Ian was awake now. His breath had quickened, and his lips were moving across the skin at the nape of my neck, causing my flesh to prickle. If he continued, he wouldn’t be the last to fulfill the bond. My body craved his and Reed’s, but Reed was fast asleep. He really did sleep like a rock. “What happened to the men? To the sheep?”
I listened as Mason explained what he and Drummond had discussed the night before. He detailed the imminent arrival of the Princess and her guards, the burning of the carcass, and the dispatch of the Soldiers to intercept others who had been enchanted. While Mason spoke, Ian’s hands made slow trails up and down my bare arm and across the curve of my hip. My brows rose when Mason mentioned Anders warning the other families.
“They can speak? In their minds?” My voice rose, and a shuffle sounded from the floor where Clay and Seb slept, or not if I had just woken them.
“Drummond says we can do it, too.”
“Whoa,” I murmured. I was excited and scared to try it. “We can just send thoughts to each other?” I clarified. “You can’t read my mind can you?”
Ian chuckled, and I heard a snort from the floor. My Shadow nuzzled his face into my neck. His shoulder must be fully healed because he was lying on one arm and touching me with the other. “Does it bother you that we might be able to read your mind?” Ian asked, his velvet voice against my ear causing my flesh to tingle. Desire pooled in my core as the length of his body against mine and Mason’s light touch on my other arm joined together. The cobwebs from my magically-induced sleep quickly dissipated.
I seriously considered Ian’s question. “No.” I did want to retain a small level of privacy, however. I wasn’t accustomed to being around so many people all the time, Soul Matches or not. I would gladly share everything with them, except the ramblings of my sometimes nonsensical mind.
“We can’t read your mind,” Mason said firmly, shooting Ian a look over my shoulder. “But, yes, supposedly all you have to do is talk and direct your voice to whoever you want to speak to.”
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, focusing on directing my thoughts outward. “LIKE THIS?” I asked inside my mind. Mason reared back, and Reed came awake with a sputter, his tousled hair standing straight up.
“Wha-what?” he asked in confusion. Seb’s laughter filled the room with his brother’s awakening. I glanced over Mason’s thick body and saw Seb rolling on the mattress, holding his gut as he laughed. Clay’s lips held an amused tilt to them as his green eyes met mine.
“Did you all hear that?” I asked sheepishly.
“That was you?” Reed blinked sleepily. “Wait a minute. Did you just speak in our heads?”
“You heard her too?” Mason asked, and Ian nodded. “Hmm, that’s interesting considering you haven’t fully completed the bond. You must be really good at it. Next time, you don’t have to be so loud.” Mason chuckled, and I blushed.
“Sorry. Say something to me.” I bounced in excitement. Reed was fully awake now, watching with interest. He moved over so Clay could join him at the foot of the bed, and Seb took the chair near the foot of the bed. I could see all of them except for Ian, who still pressed against my back. He wasn’t releasing me anytime soon.
“Can you hear me?” The voice spoke in my head really quietly. Although it didn’t have Mason’s deep bass tone, I could still tell it was him.
“I hear you,” I responded quietly, focusing on sending my thought to Mason alone. I looked around after he nodded. “Did any of you hear any of that?” They all shook their heads, and I breathed a sigh of relief. It would get busy and confusing if we all heard everything. “Can you guys talk to each other?” Seb tapped Reed on the arm, and his face turned red as his eyes focused. Reed’s lips twitched until he burst out laughing.
“If you’re trying to talk to me, I can’t hear you,” Reed said aloud.
Reed looked at me. His face also contorted, but I didn’t hear anything. “I can’t hear you.”
“That must be the unfinished bond,” Clay supplied. “You can talk to them, but they can’t talk to you. Maybe we’ll all be able to talk to each other once the bond is complete.”
I nodded. That made sense, putting aside the fact that talking in other people’s minds wasn’t logical and therefore nothing about it should make sense. “Well, that skill will come in handy if we are apart.”
“It definitely helps Alyson and her men and Drummond as well,” Mason agreed. “We might be facing more deaths if we hadn’t been able to deliver the messages faster.” His statement sobered us all, and I sank back against Ian, cuddling into his hardened warmth.
“What is this Princess like?” I asked, biting my lip nervously. Mason’s callused finger carefully pried my lip from between my teeth. His thumb caressing my mouth tickled.
“Why?”
I shrugged, but none of my men would leave it at that. Ian’s hand clenched my hip. “Why, Lass?”
“I’m just not good with other women.” What if she di
dn’t like me? Would she still teach me what I needed to know? Would she laugh at me because I was a poor excuse for a Queen?
Ian’s hand kneaded my hip, and my men soothed me through the bond. Clay and Reed caressed my feet through the blankets, and Mason trailed a finger down my cheek. “You can’t judge all women based on the poor excuses for women in Treleaven. Your sister is a selfish twit who doesn’t like anyone. She merely uses others to get what she wants. The other girls in school were so focused on their exams; they didn’t take the time to know you.” While his words were accurate, I still worried.
“Alyson likes you,” Clay pointed out.
“Yes, but she’s just a normal woman,” I moaned, the frustration clear in my voice. “This woman has been raised knowing she was going to be Queen. Up until last week, I thought I’d earn my food singing on a street corner.”
“You can sing?” Seb asked. The laughter in his hazel eyes told me he was joking. I laughed in response, but the question also hit a nerve. Some things about us were still unknown, making us more like strangers. They didn’t know the little particulars of my personality or my life. Did those details matter if they knew my soul and heart or understood my mind?
“The first time I met ye, I guessed you’d have a beautiful singing voice,” Ian murmured into my hair. “You have a beautiful speaking voice, Lass; I’d love to hear you sing sometime.”
I flushed, ducking my head. “Maybe some time,” I muttered noncommittally.
“I’m certain this Ahnika woman will love you, Kiarra,” Mason said, and the men murmured in agreement. “If she doesn’t, she doesn’t know what she’s missing. And she lives in Acclesh. You won’t have to interact with her often.”
Mason had a point. He always had a point. He and Reed brandished flawless logic like weapons. I was still worried, but their acceptance chased away the worst of my misgivings. “You could have been a Scholar with your logical arguments.”
Harmony of Their Souls - A Reverse Harem Fantasy: Soul Tenders Book 3 Page 8