The Queen's Consorts (11 page)

“Saving you was a blessing. He should focus his energies on protecting his people rather than involve himself in politics.” Fayen huffed and then leaned in to whisper to Sari. “His family is powerful, but he doesn’t know his place. He’s a fourth son, raised to be a soldier. They’re always more bold. Avoid all the queen’s guards. Many are royalists. The loyalty was beaten into them as young ones. No one can undo it. My two youngest birth brothers are the same. Terribly sad, but someone must be willing to fight for our safety.”

“I see.” Sari looked back to Macro, unable to hide a smile of admiration. “Well, protecting the innocent is a noble cause, politically inclined or not.”

“I suppose.” Fayen seemed unimpressed. “No worries, new one. I’ll make sure our sisters know you’re with those two out of appreciation for your rescue. It won’t be held against you.”

“Good to know.” Sari met Macro’s eyes, giving him a look of desperation.

“Fayen.”
Macro stepped forward. “You’re nearly up, and your skirt is wrinkled.”

Fayen gasped, turning away from Sari and gesturing to an attendant standing off the side. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

The attendant rushed forward and fell to her knees to smooth out Fayen’s skirt. “I’m sorry, my lady.”

Sari returned to Macro’s side and whispered, “Not nice.”

“I apologize.” He bowed to her in a way he seemed unwilling to do for others. “It was a spur of the moment rescue attempt. That was all that came to mind.”

Sari cupped a hand to her mouth to keep from laughing. Then she turned to find Madrid, who had done such a good job of making herself invisible that Sari had nearly forgotten her. “Macro, I’d like for you meet Madrid. She’s my new attendant.”

Madrid shook her head, eyes wide, and then stepped forward. She whispered to Sari, “I’m not here.”

“I think you are,” Sari countered, making a point to look up and down at Madrid. “You look solid to me.”

“Servants are only addressed when you’re in need of their services,” Madrid said in a hushed whisper. “To treat one as an equal is to disrespect our great mother, the queen, who is blessed by the gods. You’re one of her people, my lady.”

“I disagree with that.” Sari was finding this task of trying to blend already too difficult. These traditions were more than she could stomach.
“Macro, my attendant, Madrid.”

“Madrid,” Macro said, giving her a smile.
“Nice to see you again.”

Sari raised her eyebrows. “You know each other?”

“We’ve crossed paths.” Macro’s smile grew broader. “You’ve been assigned a fine attendant, my lady. I couldn’t have chosen a better one myself.”

Madrid blushed, her eyes downcast as she made a move to step back against the wall.

“My lady, you’re up.”

Sari looked to the two attendants waiting on either side of the large entryway into the banquet hall.

“Your name, my lady,” one attendant asked when Sari stepped forward to be introduced.

Sari gave a wan smile.
“Sari.”

“And your last name?”

Sari panicked, wanting to turn around and flee when she saw the hundreds and hundreds of Rayians in the grand banquet hall. All eyes were on her as she stood there wondering if she should make up a last name.

“Lady Sari is fine,” Macro interjected.

With a loud, crisp voice the attendant turned toward the assembly and announced, “Lady Sari, escorted by lifemates Captain Macro Fallings and First Lieutenant Haven Waldari.”

The attendant’s voice
echoed,
and Sari stepped into the grand banquet hall.

Sari found
herself
speechless as she stared around the huge room filled with richly dressed Aurorians. Massive chandeliers hung from the ceiling, filling the area with artificial light ricocheting off the walls, which were inlaid with gold and draped with strings of crystals. The rows of large, round tables were covered with golden tablecloths. The chairs were golden, as were the utensils. The effect of artificial light bouncing off all that gold and crystal left the entire grand banquet hall sparkling. Sari felt as if she was standing in the sunshine.

“Gods
be
blessed,” Sari whispered in awe, having never imagined such opulence before now. “This room could feed all of Auroria.”

“Tourillan gold is our birthright,” Macros explained and then offered his arm. “Lay your hand on mine, palm down, and we’ll escort you to a table.”

Sari nodded, trying to pull herself together and overcome her shock, realizing all the gold was genuine, not simply painted. She let Macro and Haven escort her, dazed by the light dancing around the room.

For the moment, she felt lost, and she turned to look up at Macro. “Where are Calder and Taryen?”

Sari felt like she needed them. She wanted to see them, to find a way to ground
herself
in the face of a lifestyle that was all the more overwhelming because it was supposed to be her birthright.

“They’re preparing for this evening’s performance, my lady.” Though he seemed pleased with her inquiry over them, his words were bitter as he said, “They’ll perform after we eat.”

Sari didn’t want to be there. She certainly didn’t want to sit with these people who used Calder and Taryen for their amusement. She wanted to run away and take Calder and Taryen with her. The queen
be
damned. The people had survived for twenty cycles without a ruler, so what difference would it make if Sari stole the consorts who were supposed to please a long-gone queen and bring sunshine back?

Sari was forced from her thoughts when a young attendant walked up to them, impeding their procession toward the tables.

“Captain Macro,” the attendant said, her head lowered as she stood her ground and blocked their way on the red carpet. “My lord, your birth brother Garid has sent me to escort you to the head table. He would enjoy your company.”

“Is it a request or a demand?” Macro asked
,
one eyebrow arched at the attendant.

“I believe it was a demand, sir,” she whispered to the ground.

“Laysa’s bidding.” Haven glanced at Sari before he met Macro’s eyes. “Do we accept?”

“It appears we have no choice.” Macro sighed, looking to Sari. “Our presence is being requested at Sister Laysa’s table.”

“The head of the council?”
Sari clarified.

“Yes.” Macro gave her a strained smile. “I cannot refuse the invite, but you may.”

“No.” Sari shook her head, knowing this was why she had come to the assembly, to make alliances and somehow find a way to make a difference for the people of Auroria. She spoke to the attendant. “We appreciate the offer. Please show us the way.”

“Certainly, my lady.”
The attendant looked shocked as she turned around and started walking toward the front of the room.

“You don’t say please,” Madrid whispered at her back, reminding Sari she was still there. “Attendants are servants.”

“I don’t agree with that mentality,” Sari reminded her. “I’ll say please if I like.”

Macro chuckled. “This should be an interesting dinner. I find myself looking forward to this.”

“Bold,” Haven growled. “Show respect. She does not perform for your amusement.”

“Hush,” Macro said in response. “Loosen up, Haven. It’s a celebration.”

Sari laughed. Their banter helped release some of her tension. She was feeling a bit more relaxed as they were showed to the largest golden table, placed centrally off the stage that lined the front of the grand banquet hall.

Sari let Haven pull out a seat for her. She sat, feeling an odd calm fall over her as she looked around at the other Rayians at the table. For a people who dressed richly, this table showed an over-the-top lavishness the others didn’t. Flowers, gold, and jewels adorned all the women. The men wore gold bands around their arms and green vines around their necks, as if making a statement that no queen was necessary to enjoy the beauty Auroria had to offer.

“Garid.”
Macro walked around the table and held out a hand to a handsome man similar in appearance to him. Despite being bitter over the forced invitation, he seemed happy to see his birth brother. “You look healthy.”

“You as well.”
Garid pushed away from the table to stand up. He hugged Macro, a huge smile on his tan face as he patted his back affectionately. “Good to see you, young one. It’s been ages since we’ve seen you at an assembly.”

Macro
smiled,
his hands on Garid’s bare shoulders as he studied his face, making it obvious it had been a while since they’d seen each other. “I’m not so young anymore.”

“You’ll always be a young one to us,” another dark-haired man offered, pushing his chair back to stand up from the table.

“Falar.”
Macro turned to the large man in surprise. “You’re at the head table now?”

“Of course.”
Falar embraced Macro, looking thrilled to see him. It was obvious he was another birth brother. His excitement over Macro being there was obvious. “The one I serve is wise. She’s second to Laysa for almost two full cycles. If only the power would bring our younger brother to see us more.
Always so busy with the business of being a soldier.”

“Macro,” said a woman from the table, her eyes narrowed up at the brothers embracing. She tossed blonde hair over her shoulder, displaying bare breasts as she sniffed. “If you visited your brother more often, you’d know I improved his status.”

“You are wise, Taris.” Macro bowed. “I should visit more.”

She turned her head, looking unimpressed as she spoke to a man to her right. “It’s for Falar I tolerate him.”

“We both appreciate you for it,” the man offered, reaching over to touch Taris’s arm. “Falar’s family is close. Seeing them makes his heart light.”

“Tedious.” Taris huffed. “Thank the gods you have no family. I couldn’t deal with twice the headache.”

Haven leaned in, whispering to Sari, “Falar is Macro’s third brother; he serves Taris. His lifemate, Jastin, sits to her right.”

“I gathered that,” Sari whispered back. “Who is Garid’s lifemate?”

“Across from us, with the light hair.”
Haven’s voice was still a hushed whisper in her ear.

Sari lifted her head, staring at the handsome, blond-haired man across from them who sat alone. With his tan skin and light coloring, she couldn’t help but observe, “He looks a bit like Calder.
Only smaller.”

“Larim has no family connections like Garid, but he’s very handsome,” Haven agreed. “It helped secure him a powerful position. Two seats over is Harsha. She’s an influential voice on the council; Bahar and Cear are the lifemates who serve her. The redhead is Cear, and next to him sits their daughter, Kayla.”

Sari followed his descriptions around the table, her gaze stopping to rest on a beautiful, red-haired woman. Kayla’s eyes were lowered as she fiddled with the golden utensils, and she looked uncomfortable being there. Her hair was thick and curly like Sari’s, with flowers tied into the long strands. As with many of the women at the assembly, Kayla was bare breasted, but for some reason, the look was pure on her. Nothing about her seemed pretentious, despite being similarly dressed and adorned as others at the table.

“What lifemates serve her?” Sari asked, finding herself enthralled with this female for some reason. She seemed to have a beauty that radiated past her startling good looks. “She’s lovely.”

“She hasn’t bonded.” Haven’s voice was pained enough for Sari to turn and look at him curiously. Instead of looking at her, Haven’s eyes were on Kayla as he whispered, “She’s alone.”

Kayla lifted her head, obviously sensing them talking about her. She stared at Haven across the table, making Sari feel like an outsider. Kayla’s light-eyed gaze was startling. It wasn’t the color, but the purity in it. Sari was reminded strongly of Taryen. This woman had the same soul as him.

“She’s a pure heart,” Sari said in surprise, turning back to Haven. “Isn’t she?”

“I wouldn’t admit to that observation.” Haven’s voice was barely understandable as he leaned closer to her. “Seeing into someone’s soul is a gift I’d keep quiet.”

“But I’m right,” Sari went on. “Aren’t I?”

“Her parents are not accepting of that label for their only daughter,” Haven said, the pain making his voice almost hard to listen to. “They have seven sons who’ve all bonded to powerful females, but she’s their only daughter. They’re hoping she’ll make a strong alliance and take a place on the council.”

“And royal guards are not an acceptable alliance?” Sari asked, seeing the hunger in Haven’s eyes. “You love her.”

“I wouldn’t admit to that gift either,” Haven responded rather than acknowledge her observation.

Sari turned back to Kayla, finding her now looking over at Macro, who was still talking to his brothers. The longing on her face was obvious. Like Taryen, her emotions were right out in the open for anyone to see. When Macro and Kayla’s gazes collided, Sari saw the same yearning Haven had for the young woman. The connection the three of them shared was so palpable Sari felt choked by it.

“Lady Laysa.”

Sari was drawn away from watching the love triangle by the arrival of several more council members walking up to the table, making it obvious they had been making social rounds. When everyone at the table stood, Sari did the same, studying the woman who walked up to Garid, placing a possessive hand on his shoulder as she glared at Macro. She had long, black hair and green eyes that Sari had to admit were similar to hers.

“You accepted Garid’s invitation to join us,” the dark-haired woman said coolly.

“Of course, Lady Laysa.”
Macro bowed to her. “Who am I to refuse the head of the sister council?”

“Yes, who are you?” Laysa countered, turning around to narrow her emerald gaze at Sari. “You’ve escorted the new one. How’d you manage that?”

“She finds me heroic,” Macro said with a charming smile. “And she’s largely naive to our culture. I’m sure she’ll be educated shortly.”

“Indeed.” Laysa’s gaze was still on Sari, and she waved a hand, gesturing to her. “Come to me, new one. Let me look at you.”