Consort (Beyond Ontariese 6) (6 page)

“
I think you use Seth as a
barrier—”

“
Betaul. Seth died nine
years ago.” As had Krystabel dar Aune. Even in her mind Cinarra no
longer used her birth name. She became Cinarra when she entered the
Mystic’s body and Cinarra she would stay, at least for
now.

Charlotte shook her head,
undaunted by the interruption. “You use
Betaul
to insulate yourself from
reality. I think you’re afraid of being hurt again, so you don’t
allow yourself to feel anything.”

“
That’s ridiculous. I feel
all sorts of things.”

“
I’m not talking about
maternal affection or familial loyalties. Those come naturally to
you. I’m talking about the emotions a woman feels for a man,
passion, infatuation or just plain lust. How many lovers have you
had in the past nine cycles?”

Cinarra tensed. This wasn’t how she’d
imagined their conversation going. She’d wanted Charlotte to help
her unravel her thoughts, not tie them in tighter knots. “That has
nothing to do with whether or not I should consider Indric’s
proposal.”

“
It has everything to do
with whether or not you can return his affection. Indric is a king.
Every facet of his life is under continual scrutiny. As you pointed
out, there aren’t political benefits to this joining. So he must
have deep feelings for you or he wouldn’t have set this in motion.
Even if he only wants you as his mistress, he will be criticized
for his choice.” When Cinarra remained quiet, Charlotte persisted,
“I know you slept with Kevin and I know his decision to accept the
promotion hurt you terribly. But that was eight cycles ago. Has
there been anyone else?”

“
Yes.”

The one-word answer made Charlotte
laugh. “This is going to be a very long conversation if you keep
being so cagy.”

They risked discovery every time they
communicated, so their conversations tended to be about vitally
important subjects, quick and to the point. Unfortunately this
situation was convoluted and intensely personal. “There have been
two others, but I was more careful not to become attached. As you
said, I was crushed when Kevin chose his career over loving
me.”

“
He never really loved you
or he wouldn’t have been able to make such a choice. Were the other
two part of your safety contingent as well?”

“
I don’t interact with
anyone else.” Cinarra fidgeted in the grass. Her personal life had
always been private. She never talked about it with anyone, even
her sister.

“
Why are you so reluctant
to talk about your lovers? I’m your sister. We’re supposed to share
everything.”

The comments so closely mirrored
Cinarra’s thoughts that she narrowed her gaze on Charlotte’s face.
“Don’t scan me. You know I can’t stand being probed.”

Hurt sparked in Charlotte’s eyes then
gradually her features smoothed. “I wasn’t scanning you. I
understand you well enough to read your expressions. I would never
betray your trust like that.”

“
I’m sorry.” She heaved a
sigh and rubbed her eyes. Charlotte was wonderful, compassionate
and supportive. The accusation had been unfair. “I didn’t mean to
snap at you. I’m just off balance right now. I don’t know how I
should react to Indric’s bizarre announcement. I didn’t realize he
had feelings for me and now I’m not sure if he wants me as his
mistress or…” She shook her head, dismissing the fantastical
possibility that he’d meant exactly what he’d said before it took
root in her mind. “He might have used the wrong word, but I’m sure
that’s all he meant. He’s physically attracted to this body and he
wants to have an affair.”

Charlotte sighed, clearly
frustrated by the conclusion. “He’s attracted to the Mystic’s body?
Is it really so hard to believe that he could find anything
in
you
to
love?”

The sadness in Charlotte’s eyes made
Cinarra look away. If anyone saw the fractured, devastated soul
that animated this borrowed body, they would be repulsed and
terrified, or worse they’d find her pitiful. That’s why she fought
so hard to keep people out of her mind. She projected images and
received transmission, but never allowed anyone beyond her mental
shields.

“
I don’t know what he
wants,” she whispered, suddenly wishing she’d never instigated this
conversation. Charlotte’s perceptive nature had taken them far too
near the painful truth. Cinarra was no longer worthy of love. “I’ll
find out before it goes any further.”

“
I guess the best advice I
can offer is to be honest with Indric—and with yourself. If you’re
not attracted to him, don’t let him pressure you. In the end, that
will make you both miserable.”

“
It’s hard not to feel
pressured when my entire existence is literally dependent upon his
generosity.”

“
That’s ridiculous. First
of all, Indric is honorable. He would never use your circumstances
to pressure you to sleep with him. And if anything he says or does
makes you feel that way, you pack up Betaul and come
home.”

Home. The word echoed through
Cinarra’s mind as she hugged Charlotte goodbye and released the
visualization. She’d never really had a home. She’d been so young
when Doctor Hydran barged into her life that she could remember
very little before her captivity. Life at the Center had been
anything but hospitable. And even here, on Bilarri, she was an
outsider, a fugitive, protected and provided for, but never really
welcomed.

She sighed and pushed away the
depressing thoughts. She had volunteered to be Betaul’s guardian,
and nurturing him had given her life purpose. She refused to regret
the sacrifices she’d made. If her personal happiness had suffered
because of her priorities, it was a fair exchange for her
freedom.

The conversation hadn’t been as
helpful as she’d hoped, but one thing was clear. She was tired of
hiding, tired of suppressing her abilities and concealing her true
identity. Betaul was growing stronger every day. He was only ten
and already he could control energy well enough to heal. He would
benefit from multiple mentors and new challenges. The time had come
for her to broaden his horizons and perhaps take some time off for
herself.

Which brought her back to
Indric. She swung her legs onto the bed and curled up on her side,
allowing his image to fill her mind. His declaration had been
unexpected and exciting, nearly as exciting as their passionate
kiss. It had been years since she’d felt so alive—or so confused.
She still wasn’t sure where all this was leading, but she was about
to be courted by a king
.

Nasrin, Queen of the Fire Islands,
yanked open the massive bedroom door with a strength borne of fury.
She slammed the portal closed and planted her fists on her hips,
waiting for the trio on the bed to react. Their gasps and moans
were so loud, and their pleasure so consuming, that no one noticed
her entrance.

Unbelievable!

Eagin was sprawled on his back with a
blonde straddling his hips and a redhead kneeling over his face.
Typical. He could never decide what he wanted, so he generally
tried to have it all. With short, staccato thrusts, he filled the
blonde with his cock while his tongue pleasured the redhead. The
women faced each other, their hands busy caressing while they
kissed deeply and rocked back and forth.

On any other day, Nasrin might have
been entertained by the sight. She had given Eagin permission to
enjoy any of the servants as long as they were willing, and these
two were obviously willing.

The blonde gasped and arched her back,
moving her hips with a sudden burst of speed. The redhead bent to
the blonde’s small breasts and sucked hard on her tight red
nipples. Eagin dug his heels into the bed and bucked into the
blonde. His muffled groans made it obvious he was about to
come.

Unwilling to let the scene play out,
Nasrin summoned Fire’s sacred energy. She gathered it around her
and drew it toward her, absorbing it through her skin until it
vibrated deep inside her body. Her hair whipped out and crackled,
the ends giving off sparks. Her eyes burned. She made a tight fist,
constricting the flame into a compact burst as she flung it at the
blonde’s bobbing ass.

The woman cried out, clearly startled
out of her sexual hedonism. “Your Majesty,” she cried, scrambling
off Eagin and sinking to her knees on the far side of the
bed.

Another flame sailed across the room
and landed between the redhead’s breasts. She screamed and followed
the blonde’s example, deserting Eagin as she ducked beside the
bed.

Eagin pushed to his elbows and glared
at Nasrin. “What is wrong with you?”

“
Get out.” She shouted at
the women before focusing her wrath on its source.

Not bothering to gather their
scattered cloths, the women fled.

“
They were willing,” Eagin
protested, rubbing his still hard cock.

“
Where were you this
afternoon?” The door banged shut, but Nasrin kept her gaze on
Eagin.

“
I’ve been here all day.”
The claim might have been convincing if his eyes hadn’t shifted
away. He swallowed hard yet made no move to cover himself. “Why do
you ask?”

“
You know damn good and
well why I’m asking. You’re too big of a coward to get your hands
dirty, so which of the boys was your henchman ordered to
kill?”

“
Boys?” His confusion
appeared genuine now. “What are you talking about? Indric’s whore
only has one whelp.”

“
Yes, but
Prince
Dravon is
fostering with your brother, or hadn’t you heard? Apparently, the
young prince was bored, so Indric arranged a play date with his
favorite bastard.”

Dread made the rings in Eagin’s eyes
look more brown than bronze. “Was the prince harmed? I wasn’t
trying to start a war with Hautell.”

The insinuation snapped her control.
He wasn’t denying that he’d intentionally set out to harm a child.
She flung herself onto the bed and straddled Eagin’s body, slapping
him hard with one hand and then swinging at him with the other.
“You useless fool! I do not make war on children!”

He caught her wrists, preventing the
second blow from connecting with his face. “Don’t start something
you’re not willing to finish.” With shocking strength and
dexterity, he pushed her up then flipped her over onto her back. In
an instant their positions reversed. She sprawled on her back, arms
pinned to the bed and he knelt between her thighs. His body
preventing her from closing her legs and lust ignited in his eyes.
“The order was to frighten, not kill.”

“
Did you know Indric would
be there?” She tugged against his hands, but he easily restrained
her.

“
Of course.” A cruel smile
parted Eagin’s lips. “That was the point. He needs to know how
easily I can get to him if I choose to reclaim what’s mine.” He
tossed back his gold-streaked hair, gaze narrowed and
bright.

Nasrin watched him with cold
objectivity. He was tall and lean, young and strong, yet his body
lacked the breath-stealing definition his brother possessed.
Eagin’s features were proportionate and balanced. The rings in his
eyes were bronze rather than the pure gold shared by every
legitimate member of San Adrin’s royal family, but they were
beautiful all the same.

Still, despite the physical
similarities, Eagin was not Indric.

A warrior’s fiery spirit burned within
Indric. He was a born leader, honorable, with unshakable integrity.
A true king. A worthy mate for Nasrin, Queen of the Fire Islands.
Trouble was, the qualities that attracted Nasrin to Indric were
also the qualities that made him unattainable.

She had approached Indric after he’d
finished mourning his third consort. It was obvious he was lonely
and restless. And they were feelings she understood all too well.
King Karu had chosen her as his consort when she was seventeen.
Providing him with three healthy sons had elevated her from consort
to queen and his death had left her both free and
vulnerable.

Governing queens were rare on Bilarri.
Most queens were extensions of their mates with no real power of
their own. Many saw Nasrin’s situation as an opportunity to take
control of her small but important region. Nasrin had spent eleven
cycles stifled within her husband’s control and she had no
intention of ever relinquishing that power again.

So she’d set her sights on Indric. He
was handsome and powerful, well respected and even tempered. Most
importantly, he didn’t strike her as the sort of man who would
abuse a female for any reason. Theirs could be a marriage of
equals, a mutually beneficial alliance that would strengthen both
their regions.

She also had three strong sons and
Indric had been unable to impregnate any of his three consorts. She
could offer him an alternative to allowing Eagin to inherit the San
Adrin throne. Yet pointing out the obvious advantages of combining
their power failed to stir his interest.

Stubborn by nature, Nasrin refused to
give up. She flirted and teased, hoping to appeal to the man rather
than the king. Nothing worked. Indric was simply not in the market
for another mate.