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Table of Contents
Title Page
copyright page
Also By Adera Orfanelli
The Joining_final
Keira’s Arrows
Book 1: The Joining

Adera Orfanelli
The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the
Internet or via any other means without the permission of
the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please
purchase only authorized editions and do not participate in
or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
Permission is granted to make ONE backup copy for archival
purposes.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and


incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are
used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places,
organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Keira’s Arrows: The Joining


Copyright © Adera Orfanelli, 2018
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Cover Art © 2018
Cover art by Unscramblet Author Solutions
Book formatting by Unscramblet Author Solutions
(http://www.unscramblet.com)
Electronic Publication Date: April 2018

This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part


by any means existing without written permission from the authors.
Also by Adera Orfanelli

SF BDSM M/F
A Wordly Cage
Dedication

To my oldest and dearest friends. Even after so many


published books, I know you guys can still make me blush. Who
knew we were all writing reverse harem stories decades before it
became a genre?
Chapter One: Keira

My father’s death changed everything. For ten years I’d fought


alongside Lord Digron, my father’s good friend and confidant, and
his men. My arrows pierced hides and skin alike, bringing home
meat for the troops and saving us from the V’Marnas who sought to
conquer my father’s lands. For a hundred years the V’Daroas family
has ruled Daroama, our small landlocked country. And if I didn’t
meld my physical prowess in war with four princes of magic, then
our kingdom would fall. In truth, even if I were to succeed with the
four men sitting at the high table across from me, Kaigan V’Marnas
still could sweep our lands with his hoards. For the V’Marnas
believed in physical might above all else, and everything in their
kingdom was devoted to war against my family first and foremost.
The blue gown the same color as the cool ice which formed on
the lakes high in the mountains that had protected my country for
generations, confined me. Cut low enough to reveal the mounds of
my breasts, the skirts full and wide to accentuate my woman’s hips
and narrow waist, though I neared my thirtieth birthday, my body
knew only the pleasure I could bring myself. Until tonight. I nibbled
on the toasted bread slathered with rich butter and herbs as the
servants brought out roast suckling pigs and vegetables glazed with
the best honey and herbs provided by the people of Deataun, who
had harnessed the magic of the land long before my people ever
had taken steel to fire to forge swords. I smiled at Prince Robarl, one
of the men offered to me. His dark brown hair curled around his ears
and the nape of his neck, his skin tanned from long hours in the sun.
His people’s customary green robes were open to the waist,
revealing a tanned, oiled chest that made me ache to explore the
broad swath of skin and his dusky male nipples.
I should have settled down to produce an heir years ago. The
lack of female children among our world, said to be an effect of the
magic many wielded, meant I was valuable. Too valuable to simply
sell to the highest bidder. So my father indulged me, though I knew
he longed for a son to carry on the family name. For then, the
tradition would have continued. One king. One Queen, and three of
her husband’s best female warriors to assure her safety. Already
there were rumors that my country was weak, that a woman, even
one as well trained in war such as I, couldn’t rule as my father had,
with an iron fist and steady hand.
Prince Jiyvaz wouldn’t do anything to quell those rumors, and I
hoped he knew how to quench the fire he stirred within me. His
people used fire the way mine used metal, and his bright red hair on
dark skin was like heat burning along a coal. His dark eyes sparked
knowingly when I admired him. He and Prince Yadris had arrived
together, for their kingdoms neighbored each other, as well as mine.
Yadris came from the coast, water his domain. His bright blue eyes
shone vivid even though he sat at the far end of the table, his hair
as light as the wheat we’d tucked into the storehouses. What he’d
think of living in this mountainous kingdom, I didn’t know.
But it was Prince Ashdar, his kingdom even more mountainous
and inland than mine, who caught my attention this night. My gown
matched his eyes, and his pale skin spoke of people who stayed
indoors more often than not. His white hair was long, nearly as long
as mine and in two braids each as thick as my wrist. I longed to
wrap one of them around my wrist and draw him close so I could
kiss him.
Heat built between my thighs. Before tonight, I’d focused on
the battle, on victory, on honing my skills. I needed nothing except
the touch of my own fingers, or a wooden rod with knobs at either
end, polished to a shine that was a gift from my friend, Lady Chiara.
She sat at the next table, a fellow archer with my regiment. We’d
fought alongside each other in many a battle. Her father had no
sons, and it was deemed a good omen, and rare, that two Lords,
including the King, had borne only daughters. Perhaps our changing
tradition meant better times for our people.
I finished the portion I’d taken, not wanting to be overfull for
my wedding ceremony and the bedding to come. Wedding. I’d have
laughed aloud if it wouldn’t have startled the guests and begun the
servants whispering. Though I wore a circlet of gold to denote my
rank, I was hardly fit to be anyone’s bride, let alone the four princes
who awaited me.
Gregis, the clergy stood. His gray hair hung in ropes around his
face, nearly the same color as his robes. The borders held symbols
telling the story of our people from when the warrior goddess
Chenvara came down from her heavenly abode to take four warriors,
one versed in each elemental magic, to be her consorts. Today,
Gregis had told me, would be the closest my people had come to
that holy meeting since the founding of the country, and I ought to
be proud.
The crowd quieted.
“Today, the Mighty Goddess Chenvara blesses us as our Queen
Keira V’Daroas joins with the four Princes of magic to seal not just
her union as the Goddess did so long ago, but also the alliance with
the Princes’ countries.” He paused and I stood and pushed back my
chair, moving to the raised dais behind the table to stand next to
Gregis.
He smiled warmly at me, no doubt for his role as the wise one
was secure for another monarch.
He announced the princes’ names, and one-by-one the men
stood to be with me. Though younger than me by five years or so, I
felt in this, at least, these men would be my equal. Ashdar stood to
my right, for he’d be the first prince to take me. He and the other
princes had met with Gregis and tossed runes or something to
determine the order. He took my hand, and I found it warm and
smooth, not calloused like my own warrior’s hand. Heat radiated
from the touch, a tingle that moved throughout my body and settled
between my legs. He smiled knowingly at me.
Gregis recited something in the language of the gods. I didn’t
understand it, since I’d studied fighting, not magery, and frankly I
didn’t care. It would bind us together, marry us as body and soul.
Then he stepped to my side and Robarl took his place. His hand was
rough where it rested in my palm, so large it nearly dwarfed mine,
and I wasn’t a woman of diminutive stature. The same words, the
same heat, and I wondered if it might be magic.
Then Yadris, a tall, thin man. As soon as he touched me,
sparks leapt to the palm of my hand. His eyes widened and he
smiled. More holy words, and then finally, Jiyvaz stood before me.
He burned, his touch as hot as a fire on a cold winter’s night. I
imagined him burning next to me, filling me with his cock, a living
flame that could devour me. My breath caught in my throat and a
wicked grin settled on his sensual lips.
Gregis finished the ceremony by placing a rainbow gem around
my neck. Imbued with magic, the gem would prevent pregnancy, as
well as verify that I had lain with all four of my husbands. On the
fifth day, we’d see Gregis again, and my gem would hang in the
temple next to those of my parents, grandparents, and the V’Daroas
who came before. A great roar erupted from the crowd. The sound
shook the rafters, sent the servants scurrying back to their alcoves
where they waited, and fired a blush across my cheeks. Imagine,
me, a woman of my age blushing.
Gregis nodded, signaling that we were to leave the main hall. I
nodded to the men, thankful to be away from the crowd, and the
whispers that couldn’t quite be kept away from the royal table about
the Queen spreading her legs for these foreigners, and we moved
into the hallway beyond.
I stopped at the rotunda which lead to my wing of the castle,
knowing that rooms had been prepared. I had the largest room at
the end, and Sina, my maid, a small chamber next to it. Until now,
we’d been the only two inhabitants. Sina had been dispatched to
help the prince’s servants, though I understood Jiyvaz brought none,
move into their rooms next to the Princes’ chambers. I drew a deep
breath. Surrounded by the princes, my heart beat quickly, and I
found myself wondering if I could break protocol, though Gregis had
warned me against it. You’ll have desires after the ceremony, my
Queen. You must not stray from the proscribed path. Only then can
your bonds be true and last.
“Your rooms are marked,” I said, struggling to keep my voice
even and commanding. “I trust you will want to refresh yourself and
the main bathing pools are at the end of the hall next to my
chambers.” A vivid image of the men, naked and aroused, skin
glistening from the pools, filled my mind. My chamber opened to
them, and even when my father resided here, I used more common
baths. “Ashdar,” my voice emerged breathier than I’d intended. “I
will be waiting for you.”
He bowed, the heat in his eyes stoking my own. “Yes, my
Lady.” The caress of the words sent a shiver down my spine and I
was certain the men could see my nipples peaking beneath the thin
fabric of the dress.
“I know this must be difficult for all of you. Not just because
you’re no longer in your homeland, but also this arrangement. I will
do my best to be wife to each of you in turn and you will want for
nothing while you’re my consorts. Even after my death you will be
cherished by my people and honored as your station demands.” I’d
seen my father’s two living consorts sitting at the same table as my
friend. Though my mother had perished of lung fever nearly ten
years ago, and my father’s favorite had taken a poison draught at his
death, unable to live without him, the other two remained, stoic at
my ceremony, though love filled their eyes. They’d all raised me, and
when I’d shown no aptitude for magic, stepped back as was their
duty, to allow my uncles to teach me war. I didn’t need to mention
to the men that should one of us die after these four nights were
completed, the rest would need to support each other, for quite
often consorts took their own lives out of grief. It was a price they
paid for serving their lands.
Yadris smiled, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “I’m sure three
of us will have unmet desires tonight, my Lady. And we’ll dream of
our time for when you can quench all our thirsts.” He picked up my
hand and brushed a kiss across the back of my knuckles.
Ashdar glared at him. Jealousy among my men already? I
pulled my hand away. “In the fullness of time,” I said, letting my
eyes lower to the obvious tent in his blue robes.
“Indeed.”
Jiyvaz nodded as if I were his military commander. “If you’ll
excuse me. I would like to retire to my rooms to meditate.”
“Of course.” I’d have to learn their practices, their countries’
customs more than I already did. I turned to Ashdar. “I have no wish
to summon you like a servant, so if you would give me a bit of time
to refresh myself, I will accept you into my chamber this evening.”
The instant I said the words, my cheeks pinkened, for I realized the
double meaning.
“Yes, my Lady,” he replied.
I glanced at each of the men, wanting them to know that I
took my vows seriously, then turned and walked down the hall. I
sensed them following me, going to their rooms until I was alone
and entered my chambers. As soon as the heavy wooden door
closed behind me, I unfastened the gown, letting the fabric puddle
on the floor as I stepped out of it. I removed my undergarments and
went into the bathing chamber, sinking into one of the magically
warm pools. Scented soap with spices from Jiyvaz’ lands sat on a
beautiful shell, a gift from Yadris. Sina must have set these things
here during the feast, the gifts from the men’s countries designed to
help me get to know them and to make them feel more at home. I
wondered what gifts Ashdar would bring, besides himself. It was
time to find out, and time for my husbands to see me as I truly was,
battle scars and all.
Chapter Two: Ashdar

By the large clepsydra in my room, I’d waited nearly half an


hour. I could wait no longer for my wife. If I hadn’t already opened
the door to my chambers, more like an apartment, I would have
laughed aloud. Me, the magical son of Ashdax, wedded to a Queen.
My elder brother would ascend the throne after my father’s death,
and he took after my father, a warrior in the old tradition. I followed
my mother’s heritage, my magic as strong as hers.
The door closed behind me and long strides carried me down
the hall to my wife’s rooms. I saw the colored gems on the doors of
the other men, each one corresponding with our magic and no
doubt sent by our home countries. A large yellow citrine hung on my
door, a smaller gem on that of Kixn, my servant.
I knocked lightly on the door, listening for any sound on the
other side. I heard none. I turned the knob, and finding the door
unlocked, pushed it open. The first thing I saw was Keira’s gown
puddled on the floor. I bent over and picked it up, thinking fabric so
fine shouldn’t be tossed aside. I’d heard stories of her as a fierce
warrior and wondered as I laid the dress over a chair if perhaps she
was a spoiled queen as well.
A pair of underwear lay like bread crumbs along a trail to an
open door, through which I heard splashing. A bathing chamber. I
smiled, sending a slight warm breeze through the door to announce
my presence. The splashing stopped.
“Ashdar?” Her voice floated through the door, echoing in the
chamber.
I stepped over a corset, my cock growing harder at the
thought of her being naked, water flowing between her breasts and
down over the flare of her hips to roll in droplets down the muscular
legs I’d glimpsed through the slit in my dress. I debated about
taking off my robes; I still wore the yellow ceremonial robes of an
open vest and a wrapped skirt in the same bold hue. Gold rings inset
with citrines, the stone of my magic, rested on my fingers, a silk
sash around my waist held a large point of the same rock, the stone
I’d earned upon reaching my majority. It glowed with a faint light,
symbolizing my latent power. I’d slipped out of the heavy boots just
inside the door, and now, I curled my toes into the warm floor.
“I am here, my Lady.” I stopped just outside the doors to the
bathing chamber, thinking she might not be ready for me. Though I
hungered to see her naked, skin glistening with water, and my cock
lurched in response, I didn’t want to barge in unannounced. While
sons were often introduced to the arts of pleasuring women, at least
in my country, daughters were locked up. I knew Keira had been in
battle; I also knew she was most likely still a virgin. I hoped her time
in the battlefield made her bold and daring, rather than a timid
flower waiting to bloom.
Through the open door, I saw three large pools, blue stones
inlaid around their edges in an aquatic pattern with fish and green
plants. A pile of soft cloths sat upon a stone table. Unable to help
myself, I pushed the door open wider.
Keira sat in the largest pool, the water lapping at her
shoulders, clear enough to allow me a glimpse of her breasts
floating just beneath the surface. Her hair had been unwound from
its wrapped style she’d worn at the banquet, the heavy plait resting
over one shoulder. Her circlet had been removed, and at this
moment she was Keira, bold archer for the army she now
commanded. I held my breath.
“Come in, Ashdar. After all, you’re my husband now.” She
stood like a goddess rising from a pool in some mythical legend, the
water sliding over her skin to drip back into the pool. The wet
triangle of hair at the junction of her thighs beaconed to me, making
me want to explore her honeyed petals to find the source of her
desire and make her scream with pleasure.
I swallowed hard. With long strides, I crossed the bathing
chamber, pausing by a bench no doubt built to hold clothing and
removed my vest and set it neatly there. My hands hovered over the
sash tying my skirt. “Have you seen a man before?” I needed to
know just how innocent she was before moving forward. A thought
sent a tendril of air to curl around her hardened nipples, making
them peak further. She shivered.
“Of course I have. You can’t be in the military without seeing a
cock or two, no matter how much they tried to shield me. Show me
yours, my husband. Let me see what will be mine to explore.”
Her sensual smile made me think of those same ruby lips
wrapping around my shaft and sucking me deep. “Very well, then.” I
released the sash and removed it, turning quickly to lay the garment
on the bench. I turned to face her, and her eyes widening at my
erection’s fullness rewarded me. I stepped toward the pool.
I descended the stairs into the water, finding it warm and
inviting. In my homeland, we used our powers of air to cleanse
ourselves, though we had hot springs in which we soaked. This
sensual warmth was different, or maybe it was just the fact I’d be
sharing the pool with my wife.
Wife.
I knew I’d be married someday. As a “spare” to my father’s
heir, I needed a royal wedding and family, if only to guarantee the
monarchy. That it’d be Keira, fierce warrior archer of Daroama…
never in my wildest imaginations. Certainly she suited me better
than the dour air mage, Lourdina, to whom I felt certain I’d be
betrothed. All thoughts of her had fled the instant I’d entered this
castle. Looking at Keira’s naked body, now made it unimaginable that
I’d ever be with anyone else.
I sat on the bench across from her, close enough that our feet
brushed under the water. Pouncing like a mountain cat on
unsuspecting prey wasn’t my style, never had been. Instead, I used
currents of air to feather the water around, teasing by drawing small
waves over her breasts and shoulders.
She moved closer.
“Are you afraid of me, Ashdar?” Her husky chuckle tightened
my balls.
The little minx. “Of course not. I only wish to show you my
people are civilized. We do not treat our women as if they’re only for
rutting.”
Her breath caught. “What if I want to rut with you?” She
crossed the pool, propelling herself over to my side and rested one
knee next to my hip. Her heat brushed my thigh, her other leg
dangling along mine, hooked around my ankle to hold herself in
place.” She caressed a strand of my white hair between her fingers,
then pulled herself closer.
I cupped the back of her head and drew her mouth to mine.
The instant our lips touched, need sizzled through my body. A gust
of air whirled around us, and I smiled against her lips thinking she’d
made me lose control, just for a moment. Only a moment, for I
pressed my mouth to hers, and cupped her hip to pull her more
intimately against me. A caress of my tongue and she opened, all
heat and want and need.
She was no maiden, needing to be deflowered and introduced
to the pleasures of love. Though I felt certain I would be her first,
and the thought made my cock twitch against her inner thigh, she
knew her mind and her own body. Arching her back, Keira pressed
her breasts against my chest, the nipples hard points like the head
of her arrows. I cupped her ass and hauled her hard against me.
She moaned and rocked her hips, her slick core hot and ready.
I nuzzled kisses along her jaw, her neck, sucking where it met her
shoulder. I sucked, leaving a red mark that I hoped would remain in
the morning. Let her other husbands see I claimed her first. Let
them know that I tasted her honey and found it delectable. I licked
and kissed lower until she leaned back and I took one of her nipples
into my mouth.
“Ashdar,” she moaned, clenching her fingers around my
shoulders.
I grinned against her skin. I caressed her hip, using short
strokes so my fingers came close to her pussy, teasing it until she
rolled her hips back and forth seeking relief.
“You’re so beautiful.” I stroked her curls then, the warmth of
the water contrasting with the heat of her body. Easily my finger
parted her folds and I circled the opening to her channel before
moving to rest my thumb against the hood of her clit. I began a
slow, circular motion that had Keira coming apart in my arms.
Her cries grew louder, echoing from the stone wall of the
chamber. Water lapped over the edge of the pool as her juices
coated my fingers. She came with my name on her lips once more,
her channel spasming around my fingers I had just inside her
opening, muscles quaking. She panted, and I held her as she came
down from the peak.
She reached between us then and took my cock in her hand.
She curled her fingers around it, stroking its length, and something
told me I had never been in control. She pushed herself away from
me, resting with her breasts still under the water and motioned to
the edge. “I want to see you,” she said. “Sit on the edge for me.”
I couldn’t deny my Queen anything, and I rose from the water,
using currents of air to quickly dry myself before settling on the
warm stone. My feet rested on the bench, and I spread my legs,
inviting her to come between them. She did, though she didn’t come
out of the pool. Instead, she stopped between them, then reached
out to stroke me again. She rubbed her thumb over the head,
coating it with the drops of fluid emerging from the tip, and I tensed
my jaw. If I’d thought to control our lovemaking tonight, I’d been
wrong. So very wrong.
When she leaned forward to lick me, I nearly came across her
lips. Watching her pink tongue emerge from between them and
stroke me, drove my blood to pound. I cupped the back of her head,
not wanting to keep her there, but unable to let go. She smiled and
wrapped her lips around the end of my cock, then slowly worked her
lips down the shaft. Then, she began to suck, and I was lost.
Chapter Three: Keira

He tasted of salt and something spicy like the thin air of the
mountains. The weight of his shaft rested on my tongue, and I
slurped him like a frozen fruit ice on a hot summer’s day. Hollowing
my cheeks, I drew him deeper into my mouth, until the head of his
cock bumped the back of my throat. I paused for a moment, not
wanting to cough or gag, then relaxed my throat and allowed him to
slip further. I focused on breathing through my nose, inhaling the
musky scent of him, discernible over the tangy salt water breeze
aroma that always filled the bathing chambers. I’d experienced it
once in real life, when my father had taken a trip to Jiyvaz’ country
and I’d curled my toes into the sand. Suddenly, I longed to bring all
my husbands there, to share the beauty of the ocean with them all,
especially Ashdar, whom I wondered if he’d ever seen the ocean.
My cheeks ached. I leaned back, letting his shaft slip from my
mouth. I cupped his balls, rolling the tender sacs between my
fingers and resting them on the palm of my hand. My pussy ached.
A good kind of ache, one that made me think about leaning him
back against the tile and taking him right there. I wanted him.
Instead, I rose to my feet. “I think the bed would be more
appropriate, don’t you?” I stepped from the pool, completely
unashamed of my naked body. I heard a strangled groan behind me,
and turned to see him following me.
“More comfortable for your first time, certainly.”
I reached for a towel and before I could close my fingers
around it a breeze of air circled me, drying my skin and my heavy
braids. My breath caught at the show of his magic. It wasn’t grand
or showy, and I suspected he could do that as well. But the small,
intimate touch of his abilities against my skin made my hair stand on
end and I leaned toward him. Wanting, needing his touch. I may
have only known Ashdar from afar, as one of the heirs to his
country’s throne, and dined with him only this evening, but I very
much enjoyed this man to whom I’d been wed. I looked forward to
getting to know him even more.
I swung my hips as I walked, noticing instantly he’d placed my
gown over a chair, my corset and underwear on a low bench nearby.
I imagined him standing in my room, holding my clothes, fondling
them, thinking about how intimately they’d touched my body and a
fresh rush of moisture filled my pussy.
When I reached the bed I turned, and just because I could,
jumped into it, bouncing on the mattress before laying back against
the pillows, my arms and legs spread. For a moment I bit my lip, the
perfunctory nature of our coupling making me laugh. Another court
gesture, a dance, a look, something that had to be done because
the rituals and customs made it so. And yet, watching Ashdar stride
towards me, his cock erect, his balls heavy and full, I wanted
nothing more than to impale myself on his rod until we both
shattered into bliss.
I cupped my hands over my breasts, circling my nipples with
my fingers, pinching them, until a moan escaped my lips.
“Yes. Do that some more.” Ashdar knelt on the bed. “You’re so
wet. Spread your legs for me, ka’dara.”
I didn’t recognize the word, though I imagined it was
something like love or beautiful. I complied and he moved between
my knees.
“I must taste you.” He leaned forward, hooking his forearms
beneath my thighs and spreading me even wider to accommodate
his broad shoulders. His warm breath teased my intimate folds, and
I shivered as he snaked his tongue out to lick me. I shuddered.
My breaths came in pants. I grabbed the comforter, finding the
thick fabric not enough to keep my bearings as he licked me again,
then deeper, until he circled my entrance with his tongue. Bowing
my back off the bed, I cried out. “Oh yes. Please.” My voice became
a whimper, begging him for more as I tightened my inner muscles.
When he finally drew my clit into his mouth and sucked hard, I
bucked my hips into his face. Screw the comforter, I needed him,
face buried deep into my pussy, and letting my legs fall open even
wider, I sat up and grabbed the back of his head. Grabbing the back
of his head, I tugged at his hair.
“I need you to fuck me,” I growled. My back bowed, my body
tight as every nerve ending centered on his mouth at my pussy. He
pulled back, and for a moment I thought he was going to put his
cock in me. But no, he teased and nibbled at my clit while he put
first one finger, then a second into me, thrusting gently. No doubt he
tested for my maidenhead. When he found nothing of the sort, he
pulled his fingers free, then crawled over me.
“I am your first husband to claim you,” he said, his voice
nothing more than a desire-fueled growl. “Swear to me that I am
also the first man.”
“Yes.” I grinned. “Later we can play with my toys.”
The blunt head of his cock pressed against me and I arched
into it.
“Yes, Ashdar. I need you inside me. Now.” I grabbed his firm
ass and thrust into him, feeling every delicious inch of him sliding
into me. When he was fully home, I released a sigh and tightened
my muscles around him.
And then, we began to move together.
I had no words, no ways to compare this to my own personal
explorations, except that it was more powerful. For as I crested each
wave, he was there, his firm thrusts taking me even higher. I
clamped my heels around the back of his legs to hold him against
me. My fingers dug into his shoulders, so hard I swore I’d be leaving
marks.
Only when I was sure I couldn’t go any higher, did I come hard
and fast. My body pulsed around his, the waves washing through
and over me like breakers on the beach I’d recently imagined.
Currents of warm air surrounded us, cradled me, dried the sweat
cooling on my skin. I sank back against the mattress, sated and fully
complete.
Ashdar found his release, spilling himself into me with a shout
that I was certain could be heard beyond the thick walls of my
chamber. What did it matter? They knew what would happen this
night. The warm splash of his seed triggered new quakes inside my
body. I held him, drawing him down to my body to bring him so
close I felt his heart pounding next to my own.
“Keira,” he whispered and brushed a strand of hair from my
forehead. “You are amazing.”
“So are you.” If this were to be my introduction to sex, I
certainly hadn’t minded. Robarl’s darker features filled my mind, and
as I looked up at my pale, handsome husband, I couldn’t help but
imagine Robarl above me just like this. I pressed a kiss to his lips
and drew Ashdar down to the mattress beside me. “Stay?”
“Until morning,” he promised.
I snuggled against his wide chest. “Tell me of your home,” I
said, my eyelids heavy.
And he did, spinning tales of air that lifted you into tall
buildings or to the top of the highest peak. Of fierce hunters and
their sure-footed prey. He spoke until I fell asleep, and I thought I
should like to see his lands soon.
Chapter Four: Ashdar

I walked down to breakfast by Keira’s side. Today she wore a


skirt dyed in colors of yellow and white and a tunic of bright yellow
to signify our joining. When we stepped into the room, I sensed the
hot, jealous glares of Robarl, Yadris, and Jiyvaz. I couldn’t help but
smile that I was her first. No matter what happened from this
moment forward, I’d always be her first.
“Good morning,” Keira said to her other husbands as she sat
down at the center of the table, a chair reserved for me on her left
and Yadris next to me. Robarl sat to her right, Jiyvaz next to him.
No sooner had she sat down than one of the servants strode
to the table. He was a young man, wearing colors I’d recognize as
being similar to a mage-in-training from my own home world,
though here all four elemental colors were spun into the sash
crossing his chest. He had brown hair cropped short and ordinary
features. “My Queen.” He bowed deeply, then turned to me. “Lord
Mahini, Master Uril seeks your assistance with some of the turbines
which haul water from the river. May I tell him of your arrival?”
I glanced at Keira, and she gave a slight nod. For all my
services last night, she was done with me for now. A hint of sadness
filled my chest. I pushed it aside. Though the next three nights
would be spent with her other husbands, I was certain that I’d have
her on the fourth. “Of course. After breakfast.”
“Thank you.” The young man smiled and scurried away.
“I was young like that once,” I said. “Running errands for my
master.” The other men around the table nodded, as if remembering
their apprenticeships as well. “Was it like that for you?”
“I learned from my father, so in a way, yes. I learned war at his
knee, and later with General Digron. When he saw I had an aptitude
for archery, he sent me to his friend General Vars.” Keira replied, and
I sensed her tone grow wistful, making me think General Vars had
passed away.
Servants brought plates of fruit, fluffy pancakes and for Keira a
bowl of what looked like nuts and flattened grains. She added a thick
yogurt to it and mixed it together, topping it with a few berries.
Robarl did likewise, and I sensed the mix something that his people
might eat. My people grew a nutty grain that we ground into flower
or ate whole. Sometimes we had excess to trade, especially when
the young students often were tasked with warming the air in the
greenhouses and we had berries and even fresh fruits and
vegetables when others didn’t.
“My father sent me to work in the mines,” Robarl said after
swallowing a large bite of pancakes with thick syrup on top. “If the
mine produced, then I was promoted to eventually working with the
forest builders or the stonemasons.”
“Oh,” Keira said. “I don’t think I could work underground. Too
close and I’ve heard stories of cave ins when the mages couldn’t get
there in time.” She took a long drink of some kind of juice from her
glass.
I watched her throat work as she swallowed, imagining her
taking other things down her throat. My cock hardened. I willed it to
behave, not wanting to be seen as some kind of randy young prince.
The knowing glances didn’t bother me, and Keira seemed to ignore
them.
“It is why it’s an honor to work in the mines. Even a young
mage such as I was back then could be instrumental in saving lives.”
Keira beamed at him, and I vowed to learn more about earth
magic. But first, I had to visit Master Uril and see what was
happening with the turbines.
Chapter Five: Keira

I sensed some kind of rivalry building between Ashdar and


Robarl. My other husbands remained congenial, though I sensed a
tension between them. No doubt my yellow outfit—a foolish custom
if you asked me—reminded them of what they didn’t have, and
would have to wait for. The stone around my neck glowed yellow as
well, and I was thankful I only needed to wear it for four nights.
After that, one of the healers would take care of any needs I had for
preventing pregnancy.
Of my four husbands, I sensed Robarl to be the most distant.
Perhaps it was the nature of his element, for earth was silent and
long suffering. I turned to him as soon as I finished my breakfast.
“Do you wish to go for a walk, Robarl?”
“I’d love to, my Queen.” He stood and offered his hand, and as
I laid my palm in his, I realized once again how work-roughened his
hands were like mine.
“Do you still work with stone?” I asked.
“I do. I brought a few of my favorite pieces with me. Perhaps I
can show them to you later.”
I glanced back at the table to find Yadris and Jiyvaz staring at
us, heat in both men’s’ gazes. My breath caught. Now, as I got to
know each of them, I wondered if love would ever be in the
equation. I’d fallen asleep last night listening to Ashdar’s tales of his
home, and through his eyes, I saw a beautiful, yet harsh land of
high peaks and ragged cliffs. Already, I liked Yidris’ teasing nature
and Jiyvaz’ simmering heat made my nipples tighten. Robarl was like
a stone next to me, not cold and unfeeling, but warm, solid, a
presence I sensed I could curl into and find shelter. I hoped so. The
life of a princess wasn’t easy; I sensed a queen would be even less
so.
I led him through the rotunda, and instead of following the hall
to our chambers, I paused and asked if he wanted his servant to
accompany us. Sina had gone to her mother’s for the day. I
promised her I could dress and take care of myself, and her
youngest sister would be having her first child. Sina had training as a
healer. We’d met when I’d been serving in the archery corps, and I
knew her family would find no more capable hands than hers. His
servant, Rind, had gone to work with our stone masons who
repaired an older section of the castle. So it was just the two of us
who turned and exited the castle into the walking gardens. Though
the flower arches and beautiful plants, often from other realms and
kept warm and temperate by magic, weren’t our final destination, I
caught Robarl admiring the plants, so I slowed my pace.
“Though my people believe in leaving the natural world as we
found it, I admire the work that’s gone into these plants.” Robarl
stopped to admire a large elephant ear plant, one that often lasted
only a season, but here, our gardeners had been able to keep this
one for over ten years. He caressed the leaf, holding it in his palm,
and my body trembled as I wondered if he’d hold me with such
tenderness. “This path leads to the forest?”
I sensed his urgency to move forward and so I nodded.
Something else surrounded him, a grave sense of purpose I’d seen
in my father’s warriors. Was he so devoted to bedding me that he
wanted to do so out in the woods where he’d feel more comfortable?
That seemed absurd, especially when we had locked chambers and
soft beds for such purposes. No, something else bothered him, and
while I wanted to ask what it is, I also knew too many ears lingered
in the palace garden. So I hastily led him to the gate that opened
into the forest and hunting preserve. Robarl flicked his hand, and
when I looked behind him the ground sifted and our footprints
disappeared.
“There is something I must tell you, my Queen, and it must be
done as far away from prying ears and eyes as possible.”
“But my chambers—?” I laid my hand on his arm to stop him,
but he covered it with his own and walked even faster.
“May still have eyes. I cast no aspersions on your maid or
anyone else, but the ground is whispering terrible secrets to me, and
I must tell you.” He glanced around, then tugged me of the path into
a thicket of trees. He held up his hands, and I swore the branches
closed in around us, creating a secret alcove.
My heart pounded. “What is it?” His manner worried me, for he
acted as if there were a threat to my throne, to my very kingdom,
and this I would not abide. Daroama, by virtue of being landlocked
and surrounded by lands with fantastical magic, became somewhat
of a crossroads. We were a melting pot, a place where all who came
with good intentions were welcome, and where mage and non-mage
lived together and even married. In doing so, we created a fifth kind
of mage, the Mage of Spirit, one who could command all four
elements, though not in equal measure. Those who had low levels of
the ability, such as my servant and friend, went into the healing arts,
where it seemed they excelled. Those who had more abilities went
into the priesthood or focused on their stronger abilities in the
trades. Several of them, including the young man who’d come to get
Ashdar, also worked in the royal household.
“The ground whispers of rebellion of those who would take
your throne and your kingdom, for they don’t feel you are as strong
as your father.”
Okay, he’d just told me something I’d known since the circlet
had first been placed on my head.
“The other men do not know. Though I fear they’ll be drawn
in. You must say nothing to them. Let them be your eyes and ears
and bring us information. I will also see what I can discover.”
“The ground whispers? I have armies, generals and warriors.
Why not just find out who it is and let my generals deal with them.”
Not telling the men seemed odd, and a part of me wondered if he
had an agenda, perhaps even a desire to keep me for himself.
“Because I don’t know who it is yet.” Robarl looked around, as
if he expected someone to be leaning against the trees to listen. He
closed his eyes, and a moment later a green glow surrounded the
trees. “There. I don’t think we’ll be disturbed.” He sighed. “I’m sure
my information was sent ahead of my arrival. Pedigree. Mage
training. The usual information.”
I nodded, wondering what this had to do with the fact that
apparently he knew about a threat to my rule that I didn’t.
“What wasn’t included is that I attended the Arch Order.”
I gasped. I knew what the Arch Order was, an elite school for
spies that we built and fostered in a rural community far from the
capital. No good training spies where there were secrets to be held.
These weren’t ordinary spies, for they had mage abilities. “You’re of
the Order?”
He flipped open the collar of his green shirt to reveal the metal
pin, some say are wrought by magic alone. A stone arch with a
stylized O inside, which supposedly was the main arch on the Order’s
building. I didn’t know; I hadn’t ever seen it. “I’m an Adept.”
My breath caught again. To have a husband who was a spy of
the highest rank sent shivers down my spine. “This isn’t right,” I
muttered with a shake of my head. Too many secrets, too many
things I learned I had to hold close to my chest to have a spy as a
husband. I turned and started to leave.
Robarl closed his fingers around my arm and pulled me toward
him. I stumbled against his chest and steadied myself by flattening a
hand against his solid wall of muscle. This time my heart beat for a
completely different reason. My body responded to being so close to
him, heat rushing to my center, my breathing becoming quick and
fast.
“I will never harm you. I swear upon the arch. Your secrets are
your own, my Queen, until you choose to reveal them.” His voice
dropped to a husky growl, and before I could reply, his lips were
upon mine.
I stiffened, not quite sure how to react. He was my husband,
true, and we were to make love this evening, so a kiss wasn’t out of
line. And yet, now that I knew my husband was a spy, I wondered
how much of myself to give to him. The gentle touch of his lips
against mine persuaded me otherwise. I leaned against him, so
close his hard thighs brushed against mine. Our bodies aligned
almost perfectly, the hard ridge of his cock nestled against my
softness. When he slid his tongue across my lower lip, I opened with
a sigh.
His hand slid down to my rear and pulled me even harder
against him. A pulse, a primal beat rang from the soles of my feet
through my body, and I sensed it as something a part of him, and
yet separate and powerful. I curled my fingers into fists, then
reached up to tangle one hand in his hair, and pull him even closer
to me. Whether he magically made it happen or we simply moved, I
didn’t know because there was a tree against my back, and he was
lifting my leg, bringing it up around his hip.
“Keira.” The husky growl of his voice intoxicated me. He swept
his tongue into my mouth, taking with it all inhibitions. Somehow, I
knew his magic was powerful enough to keep us hidden from
discovery as long as he chose.
I unfastened his shirt, wondering when I’d become wanton.
Shoving it from his shoulders, I ran my hands over the broad planes
of his chest. Several scars crossed his pectorals and ribs, making me
wonder exactly what he’d done. I leaned forward and pressed a kiss
to the hollow of his throat and he shuddered.
“If we don’t stop I’ll take you right here against this tree. I…”
He pulled back to look at me and swallowed hard, probably
gathering some measure of control.
I liked that. I liked it a lot, because it meant he saw me as
something other than a pre-ordained wife and that quite possibly he
cared for me.
“I want you to.” I set my foot down on the ground and
unfastened my skirt, letting it pool around my feet. I untied the sides
of my underwear, then spread my legs. “Husband. Take me.”
Robarl groaned and buried his face in the crook of my neck.
Caressing my hip, he slid his fingers between my legs. I rocked my
hips, coating them with my cream. Somehow being out here in
nature with the possibility of being seen, though now that I knew
Robarl was part of the Order, he’d never allow that to happen, only
aroused me more. The throbbing pulse I sensed settled between my
legs. He twisted his hand and thrust two fingers into me, rotating his
palm against my clit. I bit my lip, not knowing how far sound would
carry.
“You’re so hot, so ready. I’d wanted to wait, but I can’t.” He
opened his trousers to free his cock. Claiming my mouth once more,
he stepped between my legs and hooked one of my legs around his
hip to press his cock to my opening. He thrust and filled me in a
single stroke.
His kiss swallowed my scream of pleasure. Hard, fast thrusts
pinned me against the tree, and Robarl was…everywhere…
surrounding me with his strength, his warmth, his strength, and that
throbbing heartbeat that I realized must be a part of his magic
somehow. Each stroke drove me higher, and before I knew it, I was
coming, the hard pulses of my sheath milking his cock and drawing
him even deeper. My nipples brushed against his chest, the curls of
hair teasing even more sensation from me. There was no let down,
no gentle cascade, because he was still fucking me and I was racing
toward another orgasm.
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