Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty
Fadon
She smelled clean and sweet, but underneath the soap and her natural scent, Fadon’s sensitive nose could pick out her two mates. It was obvious that, at some point since she’d been taken, she and Demos had mated. It burned him, yes. But… Well, he chose to ignore how he felt about that. Now, he was simply more than satisfied to wrap his arms loosely around her in front of him, have her between his thighs as the horse under them moved gracefully through the wintry woods.
They had left the camp an hour ago, and since it was already late afternoon, the team of Ongarhi were riding as hard as they could and as long as they could before they’d have no choice but to stop for the night somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
It would be days before they would reach a village, and he wasn’t looking forward to sleeping under the sky, in the growing frigid temperatures, in another tent. Yet he also didn’t want to ride either. It seemed he was always riding now; even in his dreams, he was forever on a horse. He almost missed those boring days back at the Mor, where the only worry he had was how to stay busy.
He wondered how his Second was faring and wished Jon rode by his side. But with the current situation with the Owl and all the other one hundred troubles outside Goth Mor Hell’s door, he could at least be assured House Trajan was in good hands with Jon at the helm.
The riders slowed down. Up ahead, Fadon could see that the path they had taken—not a man-made one—was obstructed by a row of heavy brush. They’d have to go around.
He pulled back on the reins just enough to let his mount know, then decided he wanted to use the opportunity to talk. To his left and right, riders passed by, eyes focused ahead.
Now falling to the back of the group and away from prying ears, Fadon let go of the reins and swept Sierra’s hair off the side of her nape, where he planted a kiss, much too close to her blasted osnat for his liking. He’d kill to have his own osnat on her, the one he’d clasped around her slender neck back in Providence.
She shuddered in his hold and tilted her head so she could see his face. She looked content, peaceful. Safe.
“Thank you for agreeing to ride with me, Sierra,” he said, an inch away from her sultry mouth. She seemed both welcoming of his attentions and wary. The latter he could understand.
“We have a lot to say to each other,” she said, facing forward again. “Who knows when we’ll get a chance to really talk.” She took his hand and laced her fingers with his, resting them against her warm stomach.
“That we do.”
“I hope you’re not too mad, Fadon. I know you dislike Lucius. But he’s not what you think. I love him. And I trust him. We had a… disagreement and I took it badly. We’re good again, though. So please don’t think he coerced me or anything like that.”
“Ander told me about your heat, how Lucius came to claim you. What happened with those tonics?” No matter what she said about the House Dega leader, Fadon wouldn’t put it past him to being the one who’d compromised those tonics that his own people had made for her.
Ongar, he wished he had never left Ordelpho. Turned out, he didn’t even need to, what with Servant Sarbo escaping the first day at Goth Mor Helle. All for nothing. And now look at what had happened.
Her words came out bitter, and Fadon frowned, not expecting them at all. “It was planned by a group of Ordelpho women. Their Sapera has a lot to answer to. They wanted me and Lucius to marry, to carry out some grand plan that has yet to be shared with me. So, it was them who was responsible for those tonics not working. They must have replaced them with…”
“Sugar water,” he supplied, obviously not pointing out that he had made that accusation to her long ago. That would only add salt to the wound. “Why would they do that?”
“Because of some prophecy. I’m supposedly their—well, yours as well, I guess—White Queen. The Heart of Ongahri.”
When he didn’t say anything, Sierra turned around to look at him again.
“You knew about the prophecy, didn’t you?”
Fuck. “I did, yes.”
“When? How?” she demanded, looking hurt and very angry.
He tried to meet her eyes. But he was a coward sometimes when it came to her. “Lady Lordes told me the night Lucius took you.”
“For the last time, Lucius did not—”
“Okay.” Fadon sighed. “Whatever. She told me and Demos that night.”
“He knew then as well?” Her hair whipped him in the face as she turned her head forward once more. “I’m so tired of being the last to know about something.” In a huff, she took her hand away from his, but he grabbed it right back, lifting it to his face to kiss the back of it.
“Prophecies were the last thing on my mind when I found you on that ship, Sierra, when we were on that island, and even when we were in Ordelpho. And, honestly, don’t deny you had other things on your mind as well.”
She tried to pull her hand back, but he held it tightly and wrapped his arms around her, holding her still.
“What I want to know,” he whispered in her ear, “is if you’ve changed your mind about us.” Her struggle was turning him on for some reason. He’d always loved her fight. He could feel the tremor of desire that ran through her body like lightning about to unleash.
He absently glanced around and pulled the reins with one hand. When he dismounted and lifted her off the horse, she whelped.
“What are you doing?”
Fadon didn’t answer. He threw her over his shoulder. Her little fists beat at his back, and he grinned. When he finally set her on her feet, he pushed her up against a tree and caged her in with his arms.
“I need your answer. I’m done waiting, Sierra.”
Her eyes were filled with heat, the venomous kind. “Had you been patient I would have told you that I accepted you a long time ago!” She smacked his chest, and the smile that broke over his face actually made his jaw ache.
“You accept me as your mate?”
“I do. But no more secrets, Fadon. And you’ll have to accept the fact that I have two other mates, one of whom I am married to.”
“I also made vows to you,” he growled. “Which you have broken. You swore to give yourself to House Trajan. Remember?” He regretted it as soon as the words were out. Ongar, she had just agreed to claim him, and he wanted more, when that alone was plenty?
But her eyes softened, and the tension in her shoulders slipped away. “Had you been the intended groom for me, Fadon… Well, it is what it is. I love you, and I was a fool to not tell you that sooner. I broke no vow, and you know that. But Fadon… how is this going to work? I’m married to Lucius now. Both of you are at each other’s throats more often than not. And what about the future? Will you resign as Captain?”
It was like cold water had descended from the sky to splash down onto his head. Because the news of their marriage was still so recent, Fadon hadn’t even considered what a future with Sierra Dega would look like, only that he hated Lucius and he loved Sierra.
So he answered honestly. “I don’t know. But I do know that I want you in my life. I will be your mate, Sierra. Even if it means sharing a bond with the other two.”
“I think it would be a good idea to talk with Lucius before we decide anything.”
“I don’t think that’s fair.”
“Why not?”
“Did you get to talk to him before he claimed you? Or were you taken advantage of because of your heat? Did you consider what the ramifications would be, take into account what it could mean for you and me?”
“And that’s not fair, Fadon.”
“Why not? Sounds more than fair to me.” He knew he was being an ass, but if she wanted honesty, then that’s what she would get. “You were mine first. And as soon as I leave, he takes you?”
She pushed at him, but as before, he didn’t budge. “Why are you wanting to fight with me, Fadon?”
In answer, he kissed her roughly before resting his forehead on hers. “Because once you are committed to us, you’ll have to come to terms with who I am, Sierra. I’m not like Demos, meek and self-sacrificing. I’m a warrior through and through. Do I want to share you with them? Fuck no. Knowing that Lucius had you first, that he got his claws in you, manipulated you—”
“That’s enough, Fadon! I can understand your wanting to enforce a marriage between me and you. Yes, I heard Demos at that meeting, reading that agreement, whatever it was. You were going to force my hand. I can forgive that. But you don’t get to put your own words to my relationship with Lucius when you have no idea what happened, no idea how I feel.”
“I don’t need to know. I know him. He’s not what you—”
“Take me back to the others.” She turned her head away, her voice like ice, and he knew he’d gone too far.
Fuck. His passion for her had never been in degrees, only on or off. And as usual when it came to their relationship, he was always having to apologize.
“I’m sorry.” He tried to touch her, but she pushed his hand away.
“No, you’re not.”
Cursing himself, he laid his cheek against her cold one. “I’ll take you back to the others. But I do want to finish this conversation.”
She remained turned away, but she nodded. Slightly.
Fadon sighed. “And I’ll talk to Lucius, dammit. Just set up a time and I’ll be there.”
“Talk to Lucius about what, Fadon?” the deep, familiar voice asked.
Lucius stood a few feet away, leaning against his own tree, arms crossed, head tilted. “I’m available now if you wish.”
How had he not heard him approach?
Fadon growled low and took a step back. He wasn’t anywhere near ready to have this conversation yet, if at all. But for Sierra, he’d bite his pride. He turned around and walked over to him, Sierra following behind him.
Deciding to get right to the point, Fadon said, “Sierra wants to claim me as her mate, Lucius.”
Silver eyes burned bright as they cut to the woman in question. “Does she now.”
Fadon braced for the fight that was long overdue.
But Lucius surprised him. In a graceful movement, Lucius straightened and uncrossed his arms, his eyes now soft as he looked at the woman they both loved with all their heart. No longer could Fadon deny the man really did love her.
“If that is your desire, Sierra,” Lucius said, his tone gentle, genuine, “I’ll stand by your wishes.”
“It is,” she said, stepping in between them. “It’s going to be a challenge, no doubt about that. So I hope the two of you can come to terms with it and try to mend whatever it is between you. If you trust me and love me, then you’d also have to love my heart, a heart that sees each of you as precious to me.”
Then she reached out and took one of their hands and held them. “But. There can be no secrets between us. Ever. Not anymore. Those days are over, and I will not fold on that. If you can honestly commit to that, then this will work. If not… Well, I will not be happy.”
And with that, she had them join hands before she walked off, leaving them to hurriedly back away from each other as if they’d been burned.
“Cheeky thing.” Fadon watched her leave.
“Clever,” Lucius said.
They both fell silent. It was awkward and infuriating.
“Well, Trajan. Here we are. A woman we both want who is ready to accept us. But neither one of us wants to bend. What do you suggest?”
“Well, I for one suggest you both do what she asked and work this out. We’re running out of time.”
Both men turned as Demos sauntered over.
“We have no time for secrets, not with what’s coming,” Demos said with conviction. Even though he no longer wore the robes of the Owl Order, the man was fully Servant, all the way down to his toes.
“Does that include your own secrets?” Fadon asked, crossing his arms.
As if the whole conversation had been orchestrated, a gust of winter wind gathered in the middle of the trio, swirling the dark crinkling leaves at their feet. A chill marched up Fadon’s spine, and he looked at each man in turn, wondering if they’d felt it too. A darkness. A deep dread on the wind.
“It does.” Demos watched the macabre-like dance of the debris carry past them. “Tonight, once we’ve camped, we need to talk. Privately. There is much to tell you.”
Lucius eyed the Servant sharply. “Then we should be off. We’ve wasted enough time already.” He looked at Fadon, the meaning clear. “It will give you time to think on whether you want to do this or not, Trajan.”
Now alone, Fadon watched as the two men, his heart’s mates, returned to their horses to join up with the rest of the calvary in this cause they’d found themselves in.
He could imagine a future with Sierra as clear as a glass of water. But if it meant sharing her with Lucius and Demos, that future was as murky as a mud puddle.
Ongar, why had he ever wished months ago that life wasn’t so boring?