A Bond of Three (26 page)

Sorran regarded the plain wooden door, his heart pounding. Logic told him his visit would be well received, but that did not alleviate his nervousness. He rapped on the door and waited, fighting hard to appear calm.

It opened to reveal a woman with long brown hair shot through with strands of silver. She seemed tired. Sorran lowered his hood. She regarded him with a frown, and then suddenly her brow cleared and her eyes grew large and round. She bowed her head, trembling.

“Your Highness, why do you honor my humble home with your presence?”

Sorran cleared his throat. “I come to bring you news… of your son.”

She jerked her head up and stared at him, openmouthed. “Feyar?” she whispered. When Sorran nodded, she stepped aside. “Enter, please, Your Highness.”

Sorran crossed the threshold into a room with a low ceiling, adorned with wooden chairs covered in soft cushions. On the plain white stone walls were paintings, delicate in their coloring, depicting the landscape around Teruna.

“These are beautiful,” he murmured.

Her face glowed with pride. “Feyar painted those before he….” She swallowed, and Sorran’s heart ached to see her pain.

“He has talent.” Sorran smiled. “How may I call you?”

“My name is Rona, Your Highness.”

Noise behind her revealed a tall, slim girl with green eyes. She stared at him with frank curiosity. “Mother, who is this?”

Rona spun around to face her, eyes wide. “Child, you must be polite. This is His Highness Prince Sorran, who is to marry Prince Tanish.” She turned back to Sorran with an apologetic glance. “Forgive her, Your Highness. This is my daughter, Merulan….”

“Who is to be forgiven because she did not know.” Sorran gazed at Merulan, who bowed before him. “You have your brother’s coloring.”

Merulan’s mouth dropped open. “You… you know Feyar?”

He nodded. “I am here to share news of him.”

Merulan dashed forward and flung her arms around him, hugging him. “Oh, thank you!” Then she stepped back, her face white. “I am sorry.”

Sorran smiled. “There is no apology needed.” He looked around the room. “So this is where he grew up.”

“Please, be seated.” Rona ushered him toward a chair. “I will bring refreshments.”

Sorran shook his head. “I have no need of them. I would rather speak of your son.” He gestured to the empty chair next to him.

Rona sat and stared at him, Merulan choosing to sit at her feet. “Feyar is well?” Rona twisted her hands in her lap.

“He is in excellent health. I came to share with you that you are in his thoughts every day.”

Rona frowned. “How can you know this, Your Highness?”

Sorran gave her a gentle smile. “Each day he comes here to watch you. He sees you go about your lives. He has watched his sister grow into womanhood.” He took a deep breath. “He has never stopped loving you.”

Rona’s eyes filled with tears. “May the Maker bless you, Your Highness, for coming here this day.” She gave him a watery smile. “Why would you do this for us?”

“In Vancor, where I was born, life for those like Feyar is very different. I cannot speak against the customs of Teruna, you understand.” She nodded. “So until things change here, I will do what little I can to bring happiness to those who are in pain because of those traditions.”

“Would… would you like to see his chamber?” Rona’s face was alight. “I have kept it as it was on the day he left.”

Sorran beamed. “I would like that.”

She rose from her chair, Merulan with her, and led him through the house and up a wooden staircase to the upper floor of the house. They entered one of three chambers, and Sorran looked around him with interest.

On the bed lay a deep blue robe.

Rona noticed his gaze. “I made that for him for his seventeenth birthday, but I did not have the opportunity to give it to him.”

Sorran picked it up and stroked the soft fabric. “The color is perfect for him.” It would bring out the color of his eyes. He could picture how wonderful the robe would look against Feyar’s creamy skin and dark mat of chest hair.

“Oh.” Rona uttered the word almost as a sigh. Sorran looked up at her to find her staring at him. “You love my son.”

Sorran gazed at her in shock.
Love?
“I….” The words would not come.

Rona smiled widely. “It is written on your face, Your Highness.” Her eyes shone. “You love my son.” It was not a question.

He wanted to ask her how she could know such a thing when it hit him.

He could not deny it. He loved Feyar.

“Yes,” he whispered. Warmth flooded through him at the thought of Feyar’s beautiful face. He thought about times spent talking with him, laughing, riding, simply being with him.

How could I not have seen this?

He knew he was growing to love Tanish with each day they spent together. It had never occurred to him that his feelings for Feyar were the same.

He loved them both.

When he opened his mouth to speak, he saw Rona’s brow was furrowed. “But how can this be? You are to marry Prince Tanish.” She gazed at him unhappily. “You are going to hurt Feyar.”

“Never,” Sorran declared vehemently. “I would never hurt him. I cannot explain further, but you must trust me in this.” He held the robe to him. “May I take this, to give to him?”

Her eyes lit up. “Oh yes. It would please me to know he has it.” She gazed at him intently. “So Feyar will know you have been here. Will you come here again?”

Sorran nodded. “And the next time I will bring messages from him.”

It was the least he could do for the man he loved.

S
ORRAN
WALKED
into the palace garden and was greeted by the sight of Tanish and Feyar, both plainly agitated.

Tanish strode over to Sorran. “Where have you been? When it became clear that you had not gone riding, I began to panic.” He scrubbed his hand across his cheek. “You went out alone.
Alone.
You worried me,
dorishan
.”

Sorran sighed. “Forgive me, but there was something I had to do.”

Feyar made low noises of discontent, but he pulled Sorran into a fierce embrace. Sorran closed his eyes and breathed in Feyar’s scent, allowing it to permeate his senses. Rona’s words still rang in his head.

Tanish drew in several deep breaths before speaking. “You must remember that your safety is my concern. Each day there are more rumors that Kandor seeks to overthrow Teruna. Supposing you had been taken by Kandorans?”

“For what purpose?” Cradled in Feyar’s arms, it was difficult to think clearly.

Tanish stared at him. “Our marriage was arranged to form an alliance between Teruna and Vancor, to strengthen both lands in the face of possible aggression. Do you not think that the King of Kandor would do
anything
to prevent that alliance from taking place?” He let out a noise of sheer exasperation. “If they had taken you, how do you think Vancor would react?”

Feyar gave a low growl and released Sorran from his embrace.

Sorran stared at him. “You think they would have blamed Teruna.”

Feyar nodded. “What better way to sow discord between our two lands?”

Tanish let out a sigh. “I must find Malin and tell him to call off the search.” When Sorran gaped, he nodded. “When we realized you had left the palace alone, I bade Malin send out soldiers to find you.” He pulled Sorran into his arms and held him. Sorran could feel the tremors that passed through him. “Promise me,
dorishan
. Promise me you will not do this again. If anything had happened to you….” He pressed his lips to Sorran’s cheek in a tender kiss.

“I promise,” Sorran whispered.

They stood thus for a moment, the warm breeze stirring the leaves above their heads. At last Tanish released him, and after kissing him softly on the lips, he left the garden.

“You must pardon his harsh words,” Feyar said quietly. “He was frantic when they could not find you.” He stepped closer. “As was I.”

Sorran took a breath. “I had to go somewhere.”

“But alone? Was that necessary?”

Sorran laughed. “Since I was trying to follow you without you seeing me, yes.”

Feyar grew still. “You were following me?”

Sorran nodded. “I have a gift for you in my room, from your mother.” He watched the shock register on Feyar’s face. “I met your mother and sister. I told them of your love for them, how you have never forgotten them. They spoke of their love for you. And I will gladly act as messenger between you and your family in the future.”

Feyar opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came forth. Instead, he seized Sorran in a fierce embrace, kissing him on the mouth until Sorran’s head spun. Sorran put his arms around Feyar and held him, unwilling to let the kisses come to an end.

When Feyar broke the kiss, he clasped Sorran to him. “You did this for me,
terushan
.”

To hear that word on Feyar’s lips was heaven. Sorran nodded, unable to look away. “And I will do it again.”

Feyar stroked his hair and kissed his cheek. “May the Maker bless you.” There were tears sparkling in his eyes. “I shall thank Him each day for bringing you into my life.”

Sorran was already thanking the Maker.

He was in love with two beautiful men.

Chapter 19

“M
UST
YOU
go now?” Sorran pleaded with Tanish as he made to leave their bed.

Feyar murmured unhappily.

Tanish chuckled. “Have you two not had enough this morning? I woke to find your mouth around my shaft.”

Sorran grinned. “It seemed a good way to awaken you.”

Feyar gave a snort.

Tanish pulled Sorran into his arms and kissed his neck, sending shivers up and down his spine. “That it was.” His voice was husky. “And any day that begins with you impaled upon my cock and Feyar deep inside me has to be a good day.”

Impulsively Sorran moved to straddle him. “Then stay, and we shall make it even better.” A wicked thought occurred to him. He focused his thoughts and concentrated. He did not have long to wait.

Tanish shuddered beneath him and opened his eyes wide. “What did you do? I…
felt
you in my mind, and I saw….” He groaned.

“What did you see?” Sorran asked innocently. Beside him, he heard the hitch in Feyar’s breathing.

Tanish stared at him. “Oh, you tempting, evil man. I saw the three of us, in this bed, and we were—”

Feyar groaned. “I saw it too.” He shivered. “How did you do that? Have you always been able to do that?”

Sorran shook his head. “I think it is because the three of us were joined. Our bond is always strongest after we have… made love.” It was the first time he had phrased it thus, and he watched their reaction. Sending them images had been an impulse.

Feyar smiled. “I too have felt our connection grow stronger.”

Tanish sighed. “But it was unfair to do that, especially when I have to leave you.”

“Then stay.” Sorran rolled his hips and let Tanish feel his already hardening cock against his belly.

Tanish lifted Sorran bodily and dropped him, laughing, onto the bed beside Feyar. “I cannot, because
one
of us has a wedding to plan, yes?”

“There is to be a wedding?” Sorran was enjoying himself.

Feyar smothered a laugh.

Tanish chuckled. “So I hear. I have people to see, meetings to attend….” He arose from the bed and wiped himself clean before pulling on his robe. “And I am late. I shall be walking into my meeting with Malin with the scent of you two all over my body.” He leaned across and kissed them both on the lips. “So think of me while you remain here.” He flicked his gaze to Feyar’s groin, his cock half-hard. “I am sure you will find
something
to do in my absence.” He smirked and then left the chamber.

Feyar ran his hands over Sorran’s chest. “I have an idea.” His eyes gleamed.

Sorran gave a short laugh. “I am sure of it, but I informed Aroman last night that I would go riding this morning. He awaits me in the stables.” He gasped when Feyar rolled on top of him and ground his thick erection against Sorran’s hip.

“Then those teasing images were simply to make us suffer,” Feyar growled.

Sorran looked up into the face of the man he loved so much. “I would never make you suffer,” he whispered. Feyar became still for a moment and then slowly bent down to kiss him, taking his time, his tongue exploring Sorran at leisure. When he broke the kiss and fixed Sorran with his gaze, Sorran cupped Feyar’s cheek and caressed it. “I love you.” His heart beat faster as he spoke the words for the first time.

Feyar caught his breath. A look of wonder crossed his face, and then he smiled, the light in his eyes so beautiful to behold. “I love you, Sorran.” He kissed him, their lips meeting once more. Feyar sighed into the kiss and rocked gently on top of him.

Sorran had never been so happy.

Feyar stroked his face. “And wonderful though this is, you have a horse awaiting you.”

Sorran smiled and slipped his hand between their bodies to wrap around Feyar’s now-solid length. “Perhaps I should forget my plans and ride
this
instead.”