The Consort (Tellaran Series) (6 page)

Oh, yeah. I forgot.

He turned toward Alari and met her wide-eyed gaze.

Swaying on his feet, Kyndan hefted his sword high in an Az-kye warrior’s declaration of victory.

Alari gave a sob as the arena erupted into cheers.

“That festering
hurts
!”

Aidar shook his head, a smile playing at his mouth as he worked to clamp closed the wound on Kyndan’s leg. “A warrior bears pain uncomplainingly.”

“Screw that!” Kyndan snarled, still annoyed that while he’d made it out of the arena on his own, Aidar had to half carry him back to the warrior’s prep room. “Give me a godsdamn pain killer!”

“I am almost finished,” Aidar said, unperturbed. “You would show yourself a worthy warrior, would you not?”

“A worthy
Tellaran
warrior!” Kyndan bit out. “Tellaran warriors get analgesics! Have you even
thought
about finding me a medtech?”

Aidar gave a short laugh. “There. The last is placed.” He wiped the area clean and smeared ointment on the wound then started bandaging the leg. “The ointment will ease the pain and heal you quickly. It will be a fine scar indeed.” He glanced at Kyndan’s cheek approvingly. “As will that one.”

“A scar on my
face
?” Kyndan exclaimed, his hand flying to the bandage there. “I’ll look like a fucking holodrama villain!”

Aidar raised blond brows, the old scar that ran the length of his left cheek pulling a bit.

“No offense,” Kyndan gritted out. “But I’d prefer not to have any scars at all, thank you.”

“Our healers are very skilled. Do you wish not such trophies, I will fetch you a healer to treat you now so you will bear no mark. I thought you intended to honor Alari, but since you do not . . .” Aidar shrugged as he finished covering the cut on Kyndan’s arm.

Kyndan blinked. “You guys purposely scar? I thought your medicine was just not advanced enough to prevent them.”

Aidar gave a snort. “Our women do not bear scars, nor do those not of our caste, Kyndan.”

“
Our
caste? So now I’m part of the warrior class?”

“Of course.” Aidar said, surprised. “Only a warrior can take Challenge. You became one when you stepped into the Circle. You bore yourself bravely and would be counted one of us even if you had died there. And to turn your back on a warrior such as Jazan . . .” He shook his head admiringly as he finished the bandaging. “I have never seen such mad courage.”

Kyndan shifted. “I only wanted to knock him out.”

Aidar looked startled. “Why would you do such?”

“Because I didn’t want to have to kill him!”

Aidar’s gaze became hooded. “You did not hesitate to kill Az-kye before.”

“I was under orders to open fire on your ship,” Kyndan fairly spat. “My duty, my
honor
, requires me to follow the orders I am given—whatever they are. I will not apologize.”

“So you
have
come to regret it.”

Kyndan’s head came up. “I didn’t say that.”

“No,” Aidar said mildly. “But you wouldn’t think to apologize at all if you did not.”

Kyndan looked away. “Do warriors get antibiotics?”

In response, Aidar pulled an injector from the medkit. “We are proud, not stupid.”

Fortunately the injection didn’t hurt at all. Of course that was about the only thing on him that didn’t. He was going to have a bunch of bruises, his lip was split, his face and arm were sore, but his leg was the worst of it. Despite the ointment slowly easing away the discomfort, his thigh still throbbed enough to make him queasy. Aidar had sent to arrange a litter to carry him back to the Az’anti clanhouse and he sure wasn’t looking forward to that trip. Sore, shaky with pain, and exhausted, Kyndan let his eyes fall shut.

The door banged open. Kyndan started badly, hissing against the shooting pain in his leg when he moved.

“How is he?” Kinara demanded, sweeping into the room, Tedah at her heels. Then she was at his bedside, peering down at him anxiously. She didn’t wait for Aidar’s response. “How are you?”

He gave them a smile and from their horrified expressions he was glad he hadn’t gotten a look in the mirror yet.

“I’m glad you killed him!” Kinara spat. “Saves me from having to do it myself!”

She was round bellied as a gourd, pudgy-cheeked from pregnancy, and dressed from head-to-toe in the glittering ensemble of an Az-kye lady. She looked about as menacing as a wide-whiskered baby snouse.

Still, knowing Kinara, she probably would have taken Jazan on. From the look on Aidar’s face his brother-in-law likely thought so too.

“
I’m okay.” Kyndan sent a nod toward Aidar. “Apparently I’m a warrior now.  And hey, I’ll have some nice scars to prove it.”

“Well,” Tedah said, “you’re a couple ahead of me but I’ll catch up.”

Kinara’s brow creased a little and he laughed inwardly at what must be going through her mind. Az-kye warriors bore their scars with pride but that didn’t mean she thought her brother should have them. Not that she’d want to say something to that effect in front of her Az-kye mate of course . . .

“But you’re Tellaran,” she said finally.

“Well,” Kyndan said. “I wouldn’t want to pass up an opportunity to honor my princess.”

Kinara exchanged glances with Aidar. 

“What?” Kyndan asked.

Kinara wet her lips. “About that. You have a decision to make and not a lot of time to make it.”

Kyndan raised his eyebrows. “What decision?”

“Well,” Tedah said, shifting his weight. “If you want to be Alari’s mate or not.”

Kyndan frowned. “I fought for her. Don’t I
have
to marry her?”

“Alari declared publicly for you,” Aidar said. “You accepted Challenge and won but
you
have not declared for
her
.”

“In fact, honor is completely satisfied so you can back out,” Kinara assured quickly.

“You mean she has to show up for the wedding but I don’t?”

Aidar gave a nod.

“Hold on.” Kyndan’s eyes narrowed. “What aren’t you telling me here?”

“Alari is the First Imperial Daughter but she is not the only child of our empress,” Aidar said. “She has a younger sister. Do you become Alari’s mate, the empress must make you part of the Imperial family but she will not tolerate a Tellaran consort on the Az-kye throne. Alari will be an Imperial Daughter but she will no longer be heiress to the crown does she take you as mate.”

“Okay,” Kyndan said, swallowing back the unexpected crush of disappointment.
What was I thinking anyway? Me, marrying a princess . . .
“So it’s in Alari’s best interest if I
don’t
show up?”

Tedah’s face was grim. “There’s something else.”

“The empress cannot permit such willful disobedience in her heiress,” Aidar said. “Your victory in the Circle is unquestioned and witnessed by many. Her Imperial Majesty is honor bound to permit the princess to take you as mate but the choice is now yours. Do you choose not to . . .”

Kinara put her hand on his arm. “Then the empress has decreed that Alari will wear the white.”

Kyndan was left speechless for a moment. “She’s going to disown her and make her clanless?” he got out. “Make her own daughter a slave?”

Aidar gave a nod and Kinara looked glum.

“Slavery or life bound to a barbarian, huh?” Kyndan gave a short, bitter laugh. “So Alari suffers either way and everyone sees what happens if you cross the line. That’s some empress you guys have.”

“The empress must first cleave to the throne or she cannot rule,” Aidar said grimly. “Such demands a certain ruthlessness.”

“Ruthless?” Kyndan’s lip curled. “The woman has the warmth of a Utavian desert serpent. Did you see the way she looked at me when I agreed to fight? You’d think she’d be flattered I was willing to die for her daughter.”

“She’d prefer you had,” Kinara said bluntly. “You defeated her handpicked choice for Alari
and
you’re Tellaran. And right now everyone is talking about how you took Jazan down. You did more to raise regard for Tellarans in these people’s eyes in a few hours than a hundred years of peace could.” She shook her head. “The empress is not going to make it easy if you become her daughter’s mate.”

“And what was that little game with the list of clan leaders?” Kyndan asked. “Why would the empress agree to let talks go forward with us then throw something like that out?”

Kinara chewed her lip for a moment. “I’m not sure. She might have really been concerned about seeing everything done right or she could just be playing this to delay the talks.”

Kyndan sighed. “Well, I didn’t go through all that to have Alari to wind up a slave. I’ll marry her.”

Kinara’s brow creased. “Oh, Kyndan, are you sure?”

He gave a shrug. “Yeah, I mean, if it doesn’t work out between us, at least we tried.”

“Uh,” Tedah put in. “That’s not how Az-kye marriages work. They mate for life.”

Kyndan frowned. “Well, Tellaran marriages are meant to be lifelong too, remember? But people do split up.”

Kinara looked at Aidar and Tedah. “He has to be told.”

“I don’t think he wants you here for this, Kinna,” Tedah said quickly. “We’ll tell him.”

Kyndan’s queasiness racketed up another notch. “Tell me
what
?”

What have I done?

Once First Imperial Daughter, now in disgrace, Alari knelt on the floor, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She had long ago learned to hide her true feelings, knowing her tutors and maids were also her mother’s spies.

But for the first time in her memory, Alari was completely alone.

Alari’s chest felt hollow. Her father, dead eight summers now, had been a powerful warrior with a kindly heart and great love for his mate and children.
He
would have not have hesitated to intervene, even with his beloved mate, on their daughter’s behalf. He alone had the strength of heart and power to protect her from her mother’s wrath, but now there was none who would dare.

Bereft, rocking herself on the cold floor of her room, Alari again felt the scalding pain and aching sorrow of his loss.

The setting sun made harsh shadows in her silent, spacious apartments. Her attendants—even those who had been with her since babyhood—fled after her mother named her punishment. The fortunate among them would serve Saria now.

Her sister now was First Imperial Daughter and their mother’s heiress.

Outside the Empress’ city erupted into the joyous noise of the first night of the festival of Ren’thar. In the coming days young warriors would seek to prove themselves in the contests and win renown enough to attract a highly placed mate. The opera houses would be packed to bursting as troupes performed tales of the god, his battles, his courtship of Lashima. Public entertainments provided free to all as the empress’ gift to the city would bring joy even to the poorest of her people. Families threw open their doors, thousands of lanterns spilled light into the streets as clans gathered for lavish feasts.

The court would be feted for days on end with banquets, plays, musical performances, and parties as the city celebrated. Alari would know none of those pleasures.

Her mother had been livid at her defiance. She would not have escaped entirely unscathed even if Jazan had won but now . . .

“You would have this Tellaran?” her mother had demanded coldly as Alari knelt, her forehead pressed to the floor at the empress’ feet. “You would be mated to one who is not even Az-kye? So be it. Only pray, Daughter, that this barbarian bothers to claim you at all!”

Tomorrow Alari would be publicly disowned by her clan, thrown into the street to be sold as a slave in the Empire she had been raised to rule.

Or she would be mated to the Tellaran. 

Jazan had been an Az-kye warrior, subject to an ancient code of honor, and that had not stopped him from—

The last daylight slipped away, plunging the rooms into darkness. Alari pressed her hands hard against her mouth, her whimpers echoing through the empty rooms.

Kyndan looked between Tedah and Aidar.

“Fucking hell,” he managed. “I can’t tell if you’re joking.”

Aidar folded his arms. “We are not joking.”

Kyndan turned to his best friend. “Tedah, we’ve known each other since primary and I’m telling you right now, my leg is godsdamn
killing
me so—”

“
Not
joking,” Tedah interrupted.

Kyndan shook his head a little. “So you’re saying we make our vows then we go someplace private—”

“Yeah,” Tedah put in. “Believe me, you’re going to want
private
.”

“Then Alari and I drink this binding wine stuff and . . .” Kyndan shook his head.

“Look, I’m sorry, you just can’t—It’s not physically
possible
to have sex,
nonstop
, for a whole
day
—”

“Or more,” Aidar said.

“—is it?” Kyndan finished.

Aidar and Tedah both gave a nod.

“I really can’t tell if you’re joking!”

“We are not,” Aidar said firmly.

“Uh, there’s more,” Tedah said, shifting his weight. “After that, well . . .”

“After that
what?
” Kyndan demanded.

“You’re not going to be able to have sex with anyone else.”

Kyndan let his shoulders fall. “Right. We’ll be married.”

“No.” Tedah cleared his throat. “Because you won’t be
able
to.”

“Wait, what?” Kyndan breathed. 

They looked back at him solemnly.

“Ever?” he asked weakly. “With
anyone
?”

“Not as long as your mate lives,” Tedah said. “That’s why before people take vows here, sex is pretty casual. Once you make that commitment, well . . . it’s a lifelong one.”

“What about
her?
Will she be able, I mean, with someone else—?”

“Nope.”

Kyndan looked between them. “And . . . and you did this when you got married?” 

They both nodded.

Gods knew he wasn’t
about
to ask Aidar but Kyndan gave Tedah a questioning look.

Tedah gave a laugh, clearly reading what he wanted to know from his expression. “Kyndan, better than you can
even
imagine. And it stays that way between you two but . . .” He sobered. “This is a very serious decision. You can’t just walk away. I loved Lianna and I knew what I was doing. I can’t imagine the hell it must be to be bound to someone you hate.”

“Or fear,” Kyndan murmured.

Gods, no wonder she did it.

Kyndan wet his lips. “Look, I don’t know anything about Alari and I’ve spoken to her all of
once
. I thought at worst we could try it and if didn’t work out we would have our marriage dissolved but now—” He ran his hand through his hair. “I just don’t know if I can do this.”