The Queen's Consorts (2 page)

“I’ve tried, my lady.” He seemed solemn as he held Sari’s pendant, studying it with a haunted look on his face. “I had her tested hoping she could be protected as a servant to the Rayians, but she has hormones. It’s prohibited for her to be inside the Sacred City unless she’s free from the weight of desire once she grows older. The queen’s consorts live there.”

Sari’s eyes closed as a feeling of defeat washed over her. Lightning crashed once more when she thought of poor Aria, denied sanctuary for a stupid, silly rule. Thinking of the pain her life had inflicted on her, she knew Aria faced a similar fate. Sari found herself hating all of Auroria for its laws that protected the rich and privileged only.

“We have all seven in custody, sir.”

“Have them thrown into the dungeons. I’ll deal with them later.” Macro draped material over Sari, likely his cloak to cover her near-naked body. “A sister has been gravely injured.”

“Gods, they’ve marred her.” The soldier sounded horrified as he came to stand over Sari. “We have a medical unit coming for her.”

“I believe discretion is required lest we alarm others that one of our queen’s sisters was left vulnerable and hurt because of it. We’ll put her in my carriage and take her past the walls without fanfare.”

“Aria,” Sari moaned in complaint, unable to bear leaving the little one behind.

Macro’s hands slid underneath Sari. “Grab the young one as well.”

“But, she’s common, the law—”

“I gave you an order,” Macro growled. “This is a sister, and she is injured. If she wills the young one to come, we will do as she says.”

“Sorry, sir.”

Macro seemed unconcerned with the apology as he leaned down, whispering kindly in Sari’s ear,
“
I apologize in advance, my lady, for this will hurt.”

Sari wanted to form a complaint, but a scream burst out of her instead when Macro lifted her into his arms and stood. The sounds of rolling thunder matched the throb of pain in her head. The twin pulses of noise and pain blended until it was impossible to tell the difference as the world tilted on its axis, and she passed out.

Sari came awake to the slow throb of an agonizing headache. Her first instinct was to groan, but life made her cautious. She lay still instead, forcing her breathing to remain steady as she silently dealt with the pain and tried to absorb her surroundings without the benefit of sight.

The air was cleaner than she was used to, and sweetness lingered with every breath, smelling of burning herbs of some sort. The scent was pleasant.
As was the feel of silk sheets against her bare skin.

It was then Sari realized she was naked. She couldn’t help stiffening, especially when a low male voice cut through the silence. “What are we to do with her?”

“We gave her some healing waters while we waited for you, but she needs more,” Macro said evenly. “Care for her.”

“Are we a medical unit? I missed that on our list of duties.”

“Cal, stop. We care for each other often enough. We can care for her too,” said another male. This one’s voice was more soothing in pitch than the first. Sari was still frozen in fear, even when she recognized Macro’s voice, but this new male was noticeably concerned. Sari felt some of the tension draining from her shoulders as he questioned, “Who would do this to a female?”

“You think as a consort.” Macro sounded tense. “Life has been cruel to her. Not all males appreciate the divinity of females. She’s been abused.”

“Raped?”

“I find that hard to believe.
But certainly abused.
That’s why I brought her to you. I thought your presence would be soothing to her.”

“She’s beautiful,” the concerned man said with a catch in his tone. “How could any male abuse her? She’s clearly Rayian. Harming any female is unimaginable, but a Rayian? With the queen still missing, what fool would offer anything but aid to a female with her appearance?”

“Have the ones who harmed her been put to death?”

“Not yet. They are in custody and awaiting a ruling. Just marring a sister’s skin is a death crime, but this is a far more serious offense than simply striking a female. It requires deliberation by the judgment panel.”

“Where’s her family?”

“She has none,” Macro said sadly. “She’s alone in the world.”

There was a deadly silence in the room before the more cynical of the two males asked, “Are you certain she’s not—”

“The queen is still missing,” Macro cut him off abruptly. “She is simply a Rayian female who was left alone to a world that abused her because of her beauty and rarity.”

“How many Rayian females are there? Even one going unclaimed and unnoticed is unimaginable.”

“I’m not arguing with you anymore, Calder,” Macro said in annoyance. “Do you want to care for her or not? I can send her away and leave you to other distractions. Your happiness is, as always, my primary concern.”

“I want to care for her,” the other man said before his friend Calder could answer. “It’s not fair for her to suffer for misdeeds of others, Cal. I know you know that.”

“She’s Rayian, Taryen. Her needs will be the same as the rest of them.” Calder sounded determined and protective. “Do you need to attract the attention of another Rayian female when you already have so many to contend with? Better to leave her to me and stay out of her sights.”

“No, we will care for her together.” Taryen’s voice grew closer to where Sari
lay
feigning sleep. “She’s been injured. That’s a crime against nature and our people. We should right the wrong.”

“She will be angry and inclined to punish if others of our sex have abused her.”

“That’s all right,” Taryen whispered a breath away from Sari. “I will bear their punishment for them if that’s what she needs to heal. It won’t be the first time I’ve felt pain at the hands of a sister.”

“You know how I feel about that, Taryen,” Macro snapped. “You were only supposed to endure a cycle in their hands to prepare you for the queen, and that’s it. Our sisters should not be hurting you in the name of pleasure training.”

“There’s nothing to be done. Why do you continue to try?” his friend Calder asked with dark cynicism. “You are
powerful,
Macro, but even you cannot force justice on Rayian females. They answer to nothing but their own conscience.”

“The balance has been disrupted. They should be answering to the queen. The great mother would never allow others to hurt you, Calder—either of you.”

“You don’t know that. She could be the same as her sisters. She could be worse for all we know.”

Macro gasped. “That’s blasphemy.”

“I apologize.” Calder’s voice was suddenly as compliant as Taryen’s. “Forgive me for my misspoken words of my queen. Serving her is a sacred privilege. I am honored to do whatever need be for the great mother and our people.”

“I believe you.” Macro huffed. “You suffer the punishment of training for her without complaint and have done so far longer than nature ever intended.”

“I do,” Calder said without hesitation. “I will gladly serve her sisters until my queen is found. Leave this newest sister to us. She will be well cared for.”

“I thought she might be.” Macro’s voice was still low and pained. “I ask once again for your permission to speak out against your mistreatment. I realize I cannot bring those who hurt you to justice, but I am not bound to blind obedience of them in the queen’s absence either. Your soul is bound to the great mother. That makes your body as sacred as hers. I have no problem reminding them you two are to be cherished, not abused.”

“There is no abuse.” Calder sounded strong and confident, but Sari could clearly hear the lie in his voice despite his obvious attempt to hide it. “Serving my queen’s sisters is never anything but divine pleasure for me.”

“Taryen, I implore you to let me do my job and protect you for our queen. How can I face her when she is found if I have failed to protect her most treasured companions?”

“You do your job just fine, Macro.” Taryen’s voice rang with honesty as clearly as his friend’s had rung with deception. “We’re more than strong enough to endure for our people while we wait. Your guilt is unnecessary.”

“I thank the gods that my birth did not deem me a consort. You both bear more than I can imagine. She’s my blood. We all feel her loss, but life has been cruelest to you by taking our queen from you. I make an offering for her return every day just to see you both under her protection.”

“Do not make an offering for us.” Taryen was still frighteningly close to Sari, the bed dipping as he rested his hands on it. He studied her in a way that caused her skin to tingle despite not seeing him to do it. “Make an offering for our people, who suffer greatly with our queen gone. The skies have been dark for nearly twenty cycles. She needs to return home to Calder and
I
so we can bring sunshine back to our people by protecting her and dedicating ourselves to her happiness.”

“Gods
be
blessed. I will gladly make an offering for that. I miss seeing the sun.”

“I do not remember the sun.” A smile sounded in Calder’s tone. “But I think he and I would be great friends.”

“You would,” Macro said. “I will leave you with your charge. Shall I send in the attendants to help?”

“Yes.” Taryen ran a hand tenderly over Sari’s forehead. “She needs female company if males frighten her. They will offer her comfort.”

“Of course.”
Macro’s voice grew distant as his footsteps echoed on wood flooring. “I will send them straightaway. Care for the new one. Protect her.”

Sari’s breathing fell shallow against her will as the sound of a door opening and closing indicated she was alone with these strangers. She tried to remind herself of what she had
heard,
that these two males were actually the birth consorts to their people’s long-missing queen. Everyone from the highest-ranking rulers in the Sacred City to the lowest peasants
were
aware of these two Rayian males’ special service to their people as consorts to the queen. Not only were they feared warriors, ones trained since birth to be deadly in defense of the great mother, they were also tasked with keeping her sated and content at all times. When the queen was happy, her people and her planet felt the joy along with her. One need only look out a window to see that. The skies had been volatile for as long as Sari could remember. Storms thundered on a daily basis. Their world and way of life was in jeopardy unless the queen could be found, because it was obvious wherever she was now made her miserable and unhappy.

The consorts were rumored to be the most beautiful males in all of Auroria. Girls whispered behind hands about them, pondering their good looks and talents with pleasure, which were supposed to surpass even their legendary skills with a sword. They were a great mystery, carefully guarded for the queen, prized, but deadly birds kept in the gilded cage of the Sacred City to await the return of the Rayian female who reigned supreme over their people.

To say Sari was more than a little nervous to be left alone with them was a profound understatement. Though she did not think they would hurt her—they seemed kind enough for such lethal defenders—laying eyes on one of them would still earn a death sentence.

“You can stop feigning sleep,” Taryen said softly. “Macro is gone now.”

Sari squeezed her eyes shut tighter. She wasn’t certain if speaking to a queen’s consort was an instant death sentence like laying eyes on one was, but she was going to have to risk it because of the situation she found herself in.

“Go away,” she whispered, keeping her voice low just in case. “I know what you are. Do not think I am unhappy enough to desire certain death by looking at you.”

“Are you unhappy?” Taryen sounded curious.

“My entire body is black-and-blue. What do you think?” Her eyes were still squeezed shut tightly in fear of seeing males designed for a queen’s pleasure only. “I’m a street kid, but even I know I’m forbidden to look at you.”

“That is a half-truth made up to romanticize something that isn’t nearly so fantastic as you make it seem. A commoner casting eyes on us is forbidden, but I doubt one would actually die for it.” Calder came closer to the bed as a laugh burst out of him. “Besides, you’re Rayian. The rules do not apply to you. Do you not carry the mark of the gods on your body?”

Sari did have a marking on her body, one she had always wondered about. “W-what does the mark of the gods look like?”

“It’s the shape of our two moons when they are cresting,” Taryen offered helpfully. “Would you like to see mine to compare?”

The unbidden image of her training with the Order of the Seven Swords rose up in her mind. Sari shuddered. “No, I
do not
want to see yours.”

“His markings as a Rayian,” Calder clarified. “You’re one of our queen’s sisters. Looking at us is not a threat to you, my lady.”

Her finely honed survival skills made her cynical. Despite hearing the truth of his words, she asked, “Why should I believe you?”

“We’re Rayian males. Do you not think we know our own kind?” Calder asked in amusement.

Against Sari’s better judgment she let her eyes blink open and got her first look at Taryen leaning over her bed. She caught a glimpse of dark hair and a bare, muscular male body, but she avoided looking at his face. Her gaze darted around the room, taking in the opulent surroundings, which were enough to cause her jaw to go slack.

She had never seen such a beautifully appointed area. Even spending many cycles of her life catering to the rich had not prepared her for this. The enormous bedroom was decorated brightly and surrounded on three sides with large windows. The room was so stunning, even the dark weather and a fresh storm rumbling in the sky could not take away from it. She looked up at the ceiling, seeing a beautiful painting of what she had always imagined a sunny sky would look like, with fluffy white clouds and a bright sun casting warmth over the countryside. She wilted, staring at the painting and admiring the large, healthy trees, green grass, and colorful flowers that all flourished beneath a bright blue sky and warm sun.

“It’s lovely,” she whispered in awe.

“Yes,” Taryen agreed. “When our queen is returned to us, Auroria will be like that again. Calder and I will guard her and make her happy for you, my lady. You will see a real spring day, not a painted one.”

“I would like that.” Sari continued to stare up at the painted ceiling, admiring the birds flying through the clouds and the sheer brightness and joy that radiated from the sun casting life over all of nature. “Do you think she will actually be found?”

“I hope so.” Taryen reached out and touched Sari’s forehead once more, his large hand cool against her skin. “You have a fever, my lady. Will you let my lifemate and I care for you?”

“I don’t know,” Sari mumbled, letting her eyes drift closed as she enjoyed the feeling of his hand against her injured forehead. She took a calming breath and felt herself reel from the scent in the room. It was spicy and compelling, filling her with
a strange
warmth that rolled over her skin with a shiver. “Perhaps I do have a fever. I feel unnaturally warm.”

“Mmm,” Taryen
hummed,
the sound of his voice suddenly hypnotic. “You need not fear looking at us, my lady. You’re Rayian, blessed and protected like we are. You belong here in the Sacred City. We’re your brothers.”

“You can call me Sari,” she corrected, hating that they kept addressing her as someone to serve.

She let her eyes flutter open because the scent in the air had her feeling light-headed. His voice was so lulling, the comfort of it was impossible to resist. She frowned, wondering if her fever was playing tricks on her. The face hovering in her line of vision was too beautiful to be real. Dark, seductive eyes stared at her in concern. His hair was black as midnight, curling into silky waves at the base of his neck. Like Sari’s hair, which was unique for an Aurorian, Taryen’s hair was streaked, but the thick patches of white blond that ran from his temples on both sides just made the blue-black hue more startling.

Beyond his magnificent hair, it was his skin that had Sari gaping at him. It was deeply tan in a way she had never seen before. “How do you get so dark? You look like the sun has kissed your skin.”