Consort (Beyond Ontariese 6) (5 page)

Charlotte’s schedule was always
packed, so Cinarra came right to the point. “No one was hurt badly,
but Betaul and Prince Dravon were attacked today.”

“
Attacked how? Where? Was
the assailant caught?”

She reached over and squeezed her
sister’s hand. “They were playing in the backyard when a volley of
plasma shots came over the hedge. Betaul’s hand and leg were hit,
but I was able to repair the damage.” She started to tell her that
Betaul had healed his own leg then decided the unexpected
development was better left for a separate conversation.

“
Then he’s fine? There will
be no lasting damage?”

Charlotte’s protectiveness made
Cinarra smile. “Yes. Indric’s guards weren’t able to run down the
shooter, but Indric called in trackers to assist with the
investigation. Betaul and I are going to move to the palace until
the assailant is caught.”

“
A wise precaution. Are you
sure Betaul was the target? The NRS hasn’t been active in
cycles.”

Cinarra shook her head, just talking
about the attack sent echoes of fear and anger through her. “The
investigation has just begun. Drakkin thinks it best if we continue
on as if nothing happened. It will give us the best chance of
figuring out who was behind the attack.”

“
I’ve learned to trust
Drakkin’s instincts over the cycles. Is there anything I can do
from this end?”

“
I don’t think so, but it’s
probably best if you don’t mention this to Krysta until we know
more. She’s even more protective of Betaul than I am.” When Belle
had died giving birth to Betaul, the loss had nearly destroyed
Krysta. She’d used her affection for Belle’s son to help her
process the grief, and even their physical separation couldn’t
diminish her devotion to the boy.

Charlotte nodded with obvious
affection. “Krysta would be on the next transport to Bilarri, ready
to kick in doors and browbeat suspects until she found out exactly
what happened.”

It was much too easy for Cinarra to
picture her feisty daughter in the scene Charlotte described. “And
it might come to that eventually, but for now we’re trying to keep
things quiet. I’ll fill her in as soon as the situation is less
volatile.”

“
You’re in the best
position to make the decision, so I’ll leave it up to you. I’m glad
they’re not taking chances with your safety, however. Krysta isn’t
the only one with protective tendencies.” Charlotte stared at her
for a long moment then asked, “Are you and Indric
lovers?”

Was it that obvious that things had
changed? Charlotte wasn’t empathic, but they were sisters after
all. “We’ve allowed the rumors to protect Betaul. That’s all there
is to it.”

Charlotte’s gaze narrowed and a
speculative smile curved her lips. “Are you sure?”

“
I’m not sure of anything
anymore.” Cinarra ran a hand through her hair then hurried through
an explanation. “Drakkin was the one who suggested we move to the
palace. Indric seemed annoyed by the suggestion, so I told him we
could come up with another cover story if he didn’t want the public
believing we were lovers.”

Charlotte pressed her lips together as
if she were trying not to smile. “But the rumors weren’t what
irritated him?”

“
As soon as Drakkin left,
Indric kissed me. He told me he’d wanted me for years and he was
tired of pretending. Then, before I could recover from the shock,
he informed me that he intended to
court
me. ”

“
That’s wonderful.”
Charlotte gave her an affectionate hug then paused and searched
Cinarra’s gaze. “Or aren’t you attracted to him?”

“
This was so unexpected.
He’s never given me any indication that he thought of me
romantically.”

“
That’s not what I asked.”
Charlotte’s eyes gently swirled, an intriguing mixture of blue and
green. “How do
you
feel about Indric?”

Cinarra took a moment to consider the
question. This conversation would be pointless unless she was
honest with herself. “He’s intelligent and funny, noble and
kind.”

“
Kind?” Charlotte chucked.
“If he’s anything like Drakkin, what you’ve described is his
professional veneer. I’m not saying Indric doesn’t possess those
qualities, but I suspect there’s far more to Indric than his kingly
persona.”

Cinarra thought about the kiss and had
to agree. She’d never seen Indric like that, so focused and
determined. It made her insides quiver. “I’ve always found him
physically attractive, but he’s always been so distant,
so…correct.”

“
If he’s set his sights on
you, that’s about to change.” Charlotte smiled and glanced off into
the distance. “Bilarrian men tend to be predatory. Once they’ve
chosen their prey—”

“
I’m not going to be
anyone’s ‘prey’. I don’t care how powerful they are.”

“
Since when did prey need
to be willing?” Charlotte arched her brow and let the question
resonate.

“
Are you saying I don’t
have a choice?
King
Indric wants me in his bed so I should just make the most of
it?”

“
Not at all.” She reached
over and rubbed Cinarra’s back, the motion almost maternal. “First
of all, I would never allow you to be bullied like that. If his
courting becomes too intense, you’re always welcome on
Ontariese.”

“
I’m not going to run away
like a frightened child. If his courting becomes too intense, I’ll
tell him to back the hell off. I’m not afraid of Indric.” When
Charlotte’s only response was a soft laugh, Cinarra decided to
delve deeper. “I’ve lived on Bilarri for nine years, but I don’t
know much about their mating rituals. What
exactly
did he mean when he told me
he intended to court me?”

“
Make sure Indric clarifies
his meaning before you allow him to begin, but courting is
generally the process Bilarrians use to choose a mate, not a casual
lover. Bilarrians mate for life and some of them live for thousands
of cycles, so they must be absolutely certain they’ve found the
right person before they form the bond. As I understand it,
courting is done in stages. Each stage determines a couple’s
compatibility in a different area of the relationship.”

“
Give me an
example.”

“
Activities are planned to
see if the couple have compatible personalities and
interests.”

“
But we’ve known each other
for nine years. We’re a little beyond the ‘getting to know you’
phase.”

“
The next step is an
examination to ensure that the couple is physically compatible to
produce offspring.” Before Cinarra could object to the concept,
Charlotte added, “Finally they’ll explore each other physically to
make sure they’re sexually compatible.”

Sex with Indric. Cinarra stumbled over
the thought. She wasn’t intimidated by the possibility. In fact,
he’d filled her fantasies ever since she came to Bilarri, but it
had been three years since she’d been with a man and even then her
experiences had been…confusing.

A physical examination, on the other
hand, would bring the entire courtship screeching to a halt. “He
doesn’t know about the Mystic.”

“
Are you kidding?”
Charlotte looked as surprised as she sounded. “You’ve been friends
for nine cycles and you never told him that this is not the body in
which you were born?”

Cinarra drew her legs toward her chest
and wrapped her arms around her knees. “It never felt right to tell
him.”

“
Do you trust
him?”

“
It’s not a matter of
trust. I’m…” She struggled with the words, afraid she’d sound
pathetic no matter how she explained it. “If all he’s interested in
is this body, then he doesn’t really want
me
.”

“
You have to stop thinking
like that. ‘This body’ is part of you now. The Mystic’s life is
over. She has no place in this reality any longer.”

“
Maybe not, but she’s left
me with one hell of a complication, especially if Indric wants more
than a casual affair.”

“
The Mystic had no living
relatives. I’ve triple checked to make sure there were no loose
ends. You, Drakkin and I are the only ones who know the
truth.”

“
You don’t think I should
tell him?” That wasn’t the answer she’d expected from her stalwart
sister.

“
You’ll have to tell him
before you subject yourself to any form of examination, but I don’t
think you need to go there until you’re certain of your feelings
for him. If you don’t love him, or don’t think love will develop
between you, that’s all he needs to know. If you don’t intend to
become his lover, there’s no reason to explain the
rest.”

Cinarra stared out over the valley as
all the possibilities scrolled through her mind. She wanted him,
had for about nine years. But she cared about him enough to worry
that becoming involved with her would cause him nothing but pain
and frustration.

“
Any sage advice on how I
sort all this out? Did you feel a connection with Tal immediately
or did it build over time?”

“
When I first saw Tal, I
was terrified. I spent our first few days together trying to escape
him.” Charlotte waited until Cinarra looked at her again before she
went on. “You might have interacted with King Indric for the past
nine cycles, but you didn’t meet the man until today. He was
married when Drakkin brought you to Bilarri and, as I said,
Bilarrians mate for life. It would have been dishonorable for
Indric to entertain feelings for another woman as long as Talya was
alive. Honor means everything to Bilarrians.”

“
But Talya died five cycles
ago. If he honestly cares for me, why did he wait so long to
express an interest?”

“
Indric became prince
regent when his father’s health began to deteriorate. That was ten
or eleven cycles ago. King Laif wanted Indric to adjust to the new
responsibilities while he was still there to assist with the
transition. About the time Indric felt comfortable running the
region, Talya died. Bilarrian custom requires a full cycle of
mourning,” Charlotte reminded her. “And by the time he came out of
mourning for Talya, the Senatern uprising had begun.”

Cinarra nodded. “And shortly after the
uprising ended his father died, so the timer started all over
again.” She’d never thought about the events as obstacles until
Indric pointed out that nothing remained between them. “This is the
first time since I’ve known him that he’s been free to express his
feelings. It’s just hard to believe he was pining away for me all
that time.”

“
Was his marriage happy?
Did you ever meet Talya?”

“
Of course not. Bilarrian
society might be tolerant of mistresses, but it would still be
scandalous if Indric’s supposed mistress were ever in the same room
with his wife.”

“
I attended many of the
same events as Talya, but I never exchanged more than a greeting
with her. She seemed rather haughty. I think she felt Ontarians
were beneath her.”

“
A sentiment many on
Bilarri share.” Charlotte was doing her best to be helpful, but
there were no easy answers to the questions buzzing through
Cinarra’s mind. “Which means Indric will never be able to offer me
more than his affection. If I remain within my persona, I’m a
Bilarrian widow of no account. If I allow people to know the truth,
I’m Ontarian. I don’t know which is worse.”

“
There is another
option.”

Cinarra shook her head. “Not really.
Even if I tell Indric the truth about the Mystic’s origin, there is
no way we can allow what we know to become public knowledge.” She
looked at Charlotte again and sighed. “No matter what I do, I don’t
see how anyone would ever consider me a suitable mate for a
Bilarrian king. And I’m not sure I want to be his
mistress.”

“
Talya was his third
‘suitable’ wife. I suspect he wants something different this time
around.”

Cinarra’s laugh sounded a bit sad.
“Well, this will definitely be different.”

Charlotte crossed her legs in front of
her and absently picked at the grass. “Half the sector thinks
you’re lovers already. Why has that never bothered you
before?”

“
What they think of me is
irrelevant. My
only
concern is Betaul. If it were not for him, I would have died
in that bleak nothingness.” She had no idea how long her being had
drifted in the incorporeal dimension, but Betaul had been kidnapped
and the search for him had led her loved ones to her. “I owe him my
life. His happiness is all that matters.”

“
Your selflessness is
commendable, but I’m not sure it’s honest.”

Shocked by the criticism, Cinarra
stressed, “I mean every word.”

“
It’s not your sincerity
I’m challenging, it’s your motivation.” Charlotte was the only one
in Cinarra’s acquaintance who felt comfortable enough to be
brutally honest. Everyone else was frustratingly careful not to
upset her.

That was why she always turned to
Charlotte in times of trouble. Charlotte loved her enough to tell
her what she needed to hear, not what she wanted to hear.
“Meaning?”