Consort (Beyond Ontariese 6)

CONSORT

CYNDI FRIBERG

C
onsort

By
Cyndi Friberg

Smashwords Edition

Copyright October 2012
Cynthia L. Friberg

Other Smashwords books by Cyndi
Friberg:

Taken by Storm
(Beyond Ontariese 1)

Operation Hydra
(Beyond Ontariese 2)

Cit of Tears
(Beyond Ontariese 3)

Mystic Flame
(Beyond Ontariese 4)

Fire Pearl
(Beyond Ontariese 5)

Smashwords Edition, License
Notes

This ebook is licensed
for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or
given away to other people. If you would like to share this book
with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each
recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or
it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to
Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting
the hard work of this author.

Praise for Beyond
Ontariese

Taken by
Storm

“
Taken by
Storm
had it all–tense action,
suspense, erotic sex, humor and a wildly imaginative plot. ”
The Romance Studio

“
Unplug the
phone and put the kids to bed; once you start reading
Taken by Storm
you won’t want any interruptions!”
Fallen Angel Reviews

“
For a
story that will delight, entertain, and keep you on the edge of
your seat, I highly recommend
Taken
by Storm
and award it RRT's
Perfect 10
.”
Romance Reviews Today

Operation
Hydra

“
I highly recommend
Operation Hydra
…
it’s one of the best science fiction
romances I’ve ever read
.” Perfect
10!
Romance Reviews Today

“
Outstanding! This segment
only whetted my appetite for more. The heat between Krysta and Trey
could cause a nuclear meltdown.
”
Simply Romance Reviews

City of
Tears

“
WOW!
City of Tears
by Cyndi Friberg is one amazing blend of science
fiction at its best and romance at its hottest…”
eCata Reviews

Titles
by

Cyndi
Friberg

Beyond
Ontariese
:

Taken by
Storm

Operation
Hydra

City of
Tears

Mystic
Flame

Fire
Pearl

Consort

Rebel
Angels
:

Rage and
Redemption

Echoes and
Embers

Splendor and
Darkness

Therian
Heat:

Therian
Priestess

Therian
Prey

Therian
Promise

Therian
Prisoner

Therian
Prize

Non-series
:

Tainted
Hearts

Tears of the
Dragon

The
Beyond Ontariese
saga begins with a
heartrending scene: E’Lanna dar Aune, High Queen of Ontariese, is
forced to send her infant daughters through an interdimensional
portal in order to protect them from a horrendous civil war.
Taken by Storm
tells the
story of Charlotte, the first royal twin, but Krystabel never has
her day in the spotlight. Krystabel is mentioned in every book and
plays a crucial role in
City of
Tears
, yet her life path, and her romance
with Indric, are never fully explored.

So, after continual
prompting from readers, family and friends, I’ve finally told
Krystabel’s story. However, it has taken much longer than I
intended for this story to make it out of my imagination and onto
the page or E-reader screen. Because of this lapse, I think it will
be helpful to give you a “previously on” sort of summary before you
start reading. (If you’ve read the other four books recently, skip
the rest of this section and enjoy
Consort
.)

Charlotte is sent to Earth late in the
twentieth century, but Krystabel is sent to Earth approximately 200
years into our future. Krystabel is captured by a man named Doctor
Hydran who is obsessed with empowering humans with Ontarian
abilities. He calls this project Operation Hydra. During an
especially heinous experiment, Krystabel’s body is destroyed, but
she projects her being onto the metaphysical plane. She is still
alive, but she is now trapped in an incorporeal
dimension.

Saebin is one of the daughters born to
Krystabel during her captivity at Operation Hydra. Krystabel
reaches out to Saebin from the energy dimension and Saebin helps
her return to the physical dimension. Unfortunately, Krystabel’s
body is long gone, so her being is channeled into the body of a
female Mystic who recently lost her life.

Now Krystabel (who has changed her
name to Cinarra) is in hiding on Bilarri. She is dedicated to
protecting her grandson Seth (now known as Betaul) from the radical
faction trying to kill him. She is isolated and has basically
sacrificed her personal happiness in return for her grandson’s
life. She doesn’t regret the sacrifice, but she is restless and
lonely, and ready for an adventure all her own.

The rest is detailed in the story, so
I’ll let you get started.

Here is
Consort
. I hope it’s worth the
wait!

Indric, Prince Regent of San Adrin,
sat on the edge of his father’s bed, surrounded by splendor and
death. It had been hours since his father stirred and weeks since
he’d been strong enough to lift his head. Indric carefully clasped
his father’s hand as grief threatened to choke him. The once strong
fingers were now twisted, the joints horribly swollen and
red.

Priests softly chanted in the
background, their cloying incense unable to hide the stench of
illness and decay.

King Laif drew a deep, labored breath
and Indric tensed, waiting for the final exhalation and the blessed
silence that would indicate an end to his father’s suffering.
Instead, the king’s eyes opened and he tried to lick his lips.
Indric grabbed a glass of water off the bedside table and carefully
raised his father’s head so he could drink.

“
I taught you well,” the
king whispered. “You are more than ready.”

Tears blurred his vision as he set the
glass aside and looked into his father’s watery eyes. “I’ll still
miss you.”

The corners of King Laif’s mouth
lifted and breath rattled in his chest. “Be wary…of Eagin.” Coughs
shook his frail shoulders and specks of blood dotted the sheets.
“He will retaliate.”

Indric nodded, though he hadn’t needed
the warning. What son wouldn’t be infuriated to learn his future
had been rewritten? Unlike Indric—who had been born of Laif’s
queen—Eagin was the legitimized son of Laif’s favorite mistress. Or
he had been until Laif withdrew the Declaration of Legitimacy nine
hours before.

Eagin’s deplorable behavior had left
Laif no choice. From demanding sexual favors of the palace staff to
cheating the people who depended on the crown for their existence,
Eagin had revealed his lack of character. Indric understood his
father’s actions, but the king would soon be gone, leaving Indric
to bear the brunt of his half-brother’s wrath.

Indric reached for the cloth floating
in the basin of water on the table beside the bed. He wrung it out
and washed his father’s face and neck. “Eagin’s behavior has been
faultless since you took ill. Are you sure there’s no other
alternative?”

With a stubborn shake of his head,
Laif dismissed the possibility. “Knows I’m dying. Didn’t want me
to…cut him off.” Each word drained the king’s meager strength. The
lines in his face deepened and his skin took on a waxy
pallor.

Death hung over the room like smog.
Indric could feel it, smell it. “I’m your heir. Eagin has never
challenged that fact. Wouldn’t it be wiser to—”

“
Wants more.” Laif squeezed
Indric’s hand, yet the flicker of strength faded as suddenly as it
had formed. “
Much
more.”

Indric didn’t ask what he meant. Eagin
made no secret of his ambition for wealth and fame. When leading
men into battle had proved less glorious than he’d imagined, Eagin
had set his sights on a highly placed wife.

As if he’d sensed the
direction of Indric’s thoughts, the king said, “
You
must wed again.”

The unexpected insistency in his
father’s voice refocused Indric’s attention and sent tension
rippling through his muscles. He’d allowed royal obligations to
choose his mate three times, and each time he’d been
miserable.

He looked at Laif’s face yet avoided
his eyes. “I understand what’s expected of me.” The last thing he
wanted was for their final conversation to be an
argument.

“
I know about Cinarra.”
Indric snapped his gaze back to his father’s and the king managed
to smile. “Everyone knows.”

“
Are you saying I should
join with her?” It wasn’t as if Indric had never considered the
possibility of a life with Cinarra. He’d tortured himself often
with the fantasy only to disregard it as impossible. “I thought you
would be the first to object.”

“
You’ve always put our
people first, as any king should. Perhaps it’s time to think of
your own happiness.”

Indric smiled despite the sorrow
welling within him. The advice was unexpected and uncharacteristic.
Never before had Laif wavered from his put-the-people-first
approach to leadership. “I’ll think about it. There are
complications you don’t understand.”

“
Don’t think. Do it.” He
coughed again, managing to turn his head but not raise his hand to
cover his mouth. “Haunt you if you don’t.” He closed his eyes and
his chest shuddered. Indric held his breath, thinking his father
had finally breathed his last, but the king had one last thought.
“Love. You. Son.”

Indric squeezed his father’s hand.
Laif’s fingers remained limp, his chest motionless. “I love you
too.” Grief squeezed his throat and tears burned his eyes. He’d
known this was coming, had thought he was prepared.

“
He’s gone, Sire.” One of
the priests laid a hand on Indric’s shoulder, but Indric didn’t
move, couldn’t think beyond the paralyzing loss. There was no air
in the room, no energy. There was only darkness and
death.

A bell tolled in the distance,
announcing his father’s passing to the throng of faithful gathered
on the promenade in front of the palace.

And announcing my
ascension to the throne
.

The thought was sobering yet
empowering. His entire life had led to this moment. He’d been
trained from birth to fulfill this role. He could not succumb to
emotions. His people would look to him for strength and comfort,
reassurance and guidance.

He took a deep breath, accepting the
sorrow without allowing it to consume him.

A door banged behind him and Indric
looked over his shoulder. Eagin proudly strode into the room, his
features drawn tight with feigned sorrow.

Fury shot through Indric with
incendiary speed. He leapt to his feet and lunged for his
half-brother, grasping Eagin by the throat as a red haze rolled
across his vision. “You have no place here.”