Chapter 61
Taeron awoke to find that he was lying among soft pillows, and lifting his head, he saw that he was in Amyr's room. What was he doing in Amyr's room, lying in his bed? He felt the warmth of another body against his, and he turned expecting to see one of Amyr's females who must have slipped some wine into his cup the previous night, but he was stunned to see Lady Arora. While she was fully clothed from head to foot in black, he was terrified to find her dozing next to him in Amyr's bed. What had he done? Why was he here? Amyr was going to be angry that he dared to lie in his bed, but the emperor would be enraged when he discovered that his mate had lain with another male!
"He is awake."
He swung in the direction of the voice and saw Amyr standing with Shamara and Chaela, and Taeron quickly scrambled away from Lady Arora who tiredly pushed herself to sitting before Shamara helped her to her feet.
Taeron sprang away from her and stumbled to fall on his knees before Amyr. "Forgive me, my lord prince! I … I do not know how I came to be here!"
Instead of glaring at him and threatening punishment as Taeron expected, Amyr looked down at him with a faint smile on his lips before looking past him to his mother. "He is disoriented."
"I thought he might be." Taeron did not dare raise his head to look back at Lady Arora although he felt her presence behind him. Disoriented was a mild word to describe what he felt. He had no memory of how he had come to be here after … after …
What he had discovered about Staefyn was suddenly more important than any dishonor he had brought upon the emperor's house. He spun to look at Lady Arora. "My lady! There is something I must tell you about Staefyn!" She had to know as quickly as possible what that horrible female had done to her son.
She reached out her hands to him, but seeing the faint glow in the depths of her golden eyes, he scrambled away to avoid her touch. His last memory of a Guerani touching him was still painful.
Amyr caught him. "Mother, he is terrified."
"Justifiably so," she said softly as she let her hands drop.
Shamara came to stand by her mother and Taeron felt his fear increase knowing that she was as powerful as her mother, but he could not struggle out of Amyr's grasp. When had the crown prince grown so strong when all he had ever done was laze about in his pillows with females?
"We have not disturbed his memories of the present, have we mother?"
"No, but we left him in the past."
In the past? What were they talking about? Why was Shamara dressed in black like her mother? They reminded him of the warriors of Meridon's clan on Ulfynaeus. Had their manner of dressing become accepted garb at the imperial court during the brief time he had spent in the hills with Staefyn?
Staefyn! Taeron was finding it difficult to concentrate because his thoughts felt as if they were scrambled which was hardly surprising after what Staefyn had attempted to do to him. What did surprise Taeron was that Staefyn had failed to lock away his memories. Perhaps he had not failed? Maybe Staefyn wanted him to remember! That thought comforted Taeron and gave him to courage to speak to his mother.
"My lady, Prince Staefyn has been bonded to Lady Xuxa against his will!"
He expected to see horror, but he saw only resignation. "I know," she told him.
How did she know? He had only just discovered what that female had done to Staefyn when they were children. But then his gaze dropped to her hands and he knew that she had taken the information from him. Lady Arora had never done such a thing to him before, and he was heartsick at wondering what else she had devined with her touch. Did she betray his trust in his mother by learning the truth about Lord Duo?
When he did not speak, she looked from him to Chaela who was standing nearby. For a moment she said nothing and then she suggested, "Why don't you take Taeron to his room so that he can rest?"
Taeron could trust Chaela because she was not Guerani and she had no reason to punish her like Amyr who still had him subdued with his arm across his neck to prevent him from escaping. When Chaela came to him, Amyr released him and Taeron wondered when and how the crown prince was going to make him regret his audacity for resting on his bed. He would be relieved to leave his room with Chaela, to get away from Arora and Shamara who were looking at him with their glowing golden gazes.
Chaela reached out her hands, and he quickly took them as Amyr released his hold, but when he raised his head, he saw that her eyes had become golden. Taeron could not snatch back his hands because he felt as if he had been spun in a web as her spell immobilized him until Lady Arora came to them. When she put her hands over Chaela's, Taeron arched back from the power that slammed through him straight to his head where he felt as if he had taken a blow during training.
When he became limp, Amyr caught him and dragged him back to the bed just as his mind was inundated with images that he did not recognize. He was caught in a raging river and he could not keep his head above water, not until he felt hands catching him, pulling him up and calming him so that he could breathe. His could not open his eyes for several moments as the images continued to assault him until he realized that he was reliving moments of his life over the last several years. There were so many happy memories, and yet there were memories so poignant that tears escaped at the corners of his tightly closed eyes.
When the memories had finally eased to a standstill, he opened his eyes to see that all four Guerani healers were holding him down. Lady Arora smiled at him and he felt instantly comforted. "I am sorry, Taeron. You lost consciousness earlier before we had time to realign your memories"
His brows drew together, remembering how he had awakened. "How do I know you have not erased any?"
Shamara laughed and leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead. "With four Guerani, how could we fail?"
He looked at her skeptically. "With you among them, Shamara?"
She blushed and hit his shoulder with her fist. "I haven't misused my powers for many years now."
"Has Dagan been training you?" He could not resist teasing her.
Chaela laughed when her sister sputtered with indignation. "I think our lord prince has been restored."
"Does that mean I cannot issue a suitable punishment for sleeping in my bed?" asked Amyr with a grin. "I already had something in mind."
Taeron nodded to the mat on the floor where he had spent many uncomfortable nights guarding him. "That is your bed now."
Arora took his hands and he felt her gratitude more deeply than in the words she spoke. "Thank you, Taeron, for all that you tried to do to save my son."
"I do not deserve your thanks." Not when he could not protect Staefyn from the evil of that woman. How was he supposed to feel now that he knew the truth? His duty would be to destroy Staefyn, and yet he felt even more reluctant than the emperor. Staefyn was the brother of his heart, no matter what he did.
Arora stroked back the hair from his face before resting her hand on his cheek. "There are times when we must do things that are abhorrent to us."
He sensed something that she was hiding, but she quickly withdrew her hand and looked at him quizzically for a moment before sighing deeply. Had she done something for which she felt shame?
"I am very tired and I suspect that I will have a very long night," she said with a short laugh.
Shamara and Chaela giggled while Amyr looked uncomfortable and Taeron even felt himself blush when he remembered what she was planning.
"Should I suggest to father that he take a nap?" asked Amyr albeit with reluctance.
Arora waved her hand dismissively and laughed again. "That will not be necessary. Just keep him away from Lady Trynity's potions."
Taeron rose from the bed. "You may rest here, gracious lady. I should visit with the emperor to give him my account of the skirmish on the road. Although I no longer have a need for the medicine, we take tea together in the evening after our meal. Amyr and Chaela will join us tonight and Chaela can pretend to make his medicine since she already has experience in such deception."
Chaela and Amyr laughed while Shamara and her mother exchanged a bemused look until Chaela offered to tell them the story behind their amusement. Taeron was glad to leave them behind and wondered if Lady Arora would have a chance to rest or whether Chaela would regale them with many stories about his stay on Teralon.
When he left his chamber with Amyr, his mind still felt cloudy and Amyr told him that he lost consciousness at the point in his memory where Staefyn had invaded his mind. Afterwards, he and Stryfe had carried him back to his chambers. They had not encountered anyone, so they did not have to explain that the lord prince had succumbed to exhaustion. Taeron wondered if anyone would have believed them.
Although it was late in the day, there were still many people waiting for a chance to speak to the emperor to air their grievances or ask for favors. Upon their entrance into the receiving hall, many heads turned in their direction. His memories had returned, but walking side by side with Amyr instead of a few paces behind felt strange to Taeron, and judging by the confused looks on the faces of the men and women in the hall, they did not know how to react to the change in their positions.
They were not in there for long before females pushed their way through the crowd. Taeron was regretting his decision to leave his chamber when Amyr nudged him with his elbow and indicated with a nod of his head that one female bolder than the rest was headed in his direction. Two others had taken hesitant steps forward, but seeing the young woman approaching him, they fell back to the protection of the males of their houses.
Keilana of house Caron came to them and as she bowed her head and lowered herself respectfully, Amyr looked at Taeron with raised brows before she rose and tilted her face to look up at Taeron. "Greetings, my lord prince."
He did not want to kiss the hand of the shapely, dark-haired beauty, but Taeron noticed the males of her house watching, and while he was even less eager to speak to her now that he had learned of the actions of house Caron against Lady Arora, he would not rebuff her when she was innocent, and like him, had not even been born when her grandfather had attempted to murder the emperor's mate.
Her hand was cool and limp in his, so he was glad to quickly brush his lips against her knuckles so that he could release it. Turning to Amyr to introduce him to her, he noticed that she wiped her hand on her skirt although she kept a pleasant smile pasted on her lovely face. He did not know how he should feel about what he had seen, so he chose to ignore what she had done since he had no interest in her anyway.
"You are not acquainted with Lady Keilana of house Caron," he told Amyr who started and narrowed his gaze at her. Taeron looked back at the female. "I am pleased to make Lord Prince Amyr known to you."
Amyr did not acknowledge her, but looked beyond her as if she were not there, and when her smile faltered and when she glanced over her shoulder, Taeron was irritated to see her brothers surge forward with frowns for them both. By the gods! He had not done anything wrong and Amyr's rudeness was going to cause an incident in the hall. Aevan and Caerl of house Caron had their hands on the hilts of their swords as they came to stand behind their sister.
"So you have returned, Prince Amyr," said Aevan with a curl to his lip.
Amyr raised a brow. "Lord Prince Amyr," he corrected him. "I have earned the title of warlord for my accomplishments on Teralon." His gaze dropped to Aevan's sword. "I noticed that you did not accompany your men on the excursion with the lord prince commander. Have you blooded your sword yet?"
The other man jostled his sister when he tried to move forward, but while Keilana stumbled and would have fallen had Taeron not caught her, Caerl seized his brother to keep him from advancing. Taeron could not deny that Keilana's curves pressed against him was pleasant as was the exotic scent she wore. Given her earlier apparent distaste, he was surprised that she lingered longer than necessary before Aevan reached out to snag her back to them.
She was blushing when she raised her pale blue gaze to Taeron. "Forgive me, my lord prince."
"You would not have to apologize if your brother was not such a clod," remarked Amyr.
Now Aevan had to prevent Caerl from attacking Amyr and Keilana was jostled again, precipitating another rescue. As Taeron caught her around the waist, he wondered if she had some defect that made it difficult to maintain her balance and he imagined a strong wind blowing her over. She brushed her breasts against his chest as she pushed away from him and he was annoyed by the instinctive reaction of his body.
Aevan reached out to grasp his sister's arm to jerk her next to him. He ignored Amyr as he nodded to Taeron. "We are pleased that you have returned from Teralon triumphant."
"Allow us to express our dismay that their princess chose to reject you," added Caerl with a sly smile. "Is it true that your bond has been dissolved?"
Taeron was taken aback by their bluntness.
"Is that any of your gods' damned business?" demanded Amyr before Taeron could speak.
The males of house Caron glared at him for a moment and then turned in unison to walk away without speaking further, pulling their sister along as if she were some recalcitrant servant. When they were far enough away and the other nobles turned their heads away, probably to gossip about what they had seen, Taeron remarked, "I think you played me right into their hands."
Amyr snorted. "Or rather into Lady Keilana's hands. You did not seem all that bothered to have her groping you."
"She was not groping me." She had not seemed to want to touch him but had been forced by her brothers when they shoved her into him.
Amyr smirked at him as he fell into step beside Taeron. "She is an attractive female."
Taeron did not respond. Keilana was a very beautiful woman with no equal at the imperial court, but he had no desire to for her, and he sensed she had little interest in him. But as they continued on their way to see the emperor, he noticed that other females seemed to have been intimidated by the marked interest the jewel of house Caron had shown him because they hung back. Although Taeron did not like the feeling that he had been claimed by that house, he was glad not to have to fight through a gauntlet of females to reach the emperor's presence.
The guards immediately opened the doors to Amyr and Taeron. He did not know how they had managed it, but Aevan and Caerl along with their sister had already gained an audience with Trey. Keilana stood demurely off to the side, her hands clasped before her, her head bent and eyes downcast as Aevan spoke to Trey. Caerl noticed their arrival and glared at Amyr who held his gaze with his own belligerent look.
Trey saw them and waved Aevan quiet as he stood. "I was expecting you sooner, Taeron. What have you been doing besides riling our allies?"
Taeron shot Amyr a dark look before responding. "I was reporting to the scribe." Lady Arora would tell him about Staefyn and Xuxa for which Taeron was grateful because the memory of the wretched female was too fresh and he did not think he could tell him what had happened without losing control of his own emotions. The Guerani had restored his memories, but that particular incident seemed as if it had happened only yesterday, and he felt as if he had taken a sword to the heart, giving him more pain to wound still so fresh from Dijana's rejection.
The emperor was drumming his fingers on the wide arm of his chair, his thoughtful gaze now on Keilana, and then he looked at Taeron. "I am told that the flowers blooming in the garden are quite lovely, but I have not had time to see for myself. Why don't you take Lady Keilana to see them?"
Taeron looked from the emperor to the open doorway at the side of his private reception chamber that led directly to the garden where he could easily see the flowers. When he looked back at Trey, he saw that he was looking studiously at his fingernails. Gods! Could he even try to be less obvious?
With an inward sigh of resignation, Taeron went to Keilana who had not risen her head. "My lady, will you accompany me?" He did not look back at Trey although he did notice that Aevan wore a smug smile of satisfaction.
Looking first at her brothers who nodded in approval, Keilana put up her hand without speaking or raising her gaze to his and Taeron took it to place around his arm wondering if it had gotten colder. When he headed to the door, Amyr fell into step behind him.
"Where are you going?" demanded Aevan with a frown.
Amyr looked surprised. "I am the imperial guard of the lord prince commander."
"Do you think he will find danger in the garden from which you can save him?" scoffed Caerl.
"Snakes and such," drawled Amyr. "I would not want his attention diverted from the flowers."
The emperor coughed but Taeron suspected he was covering a laugh.
"Then I shall accompany the female," said Caerl as he moved closer to Keilana.
Amyr shrugged. "I can protect you and her just as easily as I can my lord prince, although my priority must be to the prince."
"Amyr," Trey growled in warning when Caerl stiffened at Amyr's subtle insult.
"My brother shall accompany the female while I speak to the emperor," said Aevan. "We have important matters concerning the future of house Caron for which I have been authorized to speak on my father's behalf."
Trey frowned. "Why did your sire not come to Imperia himself for a discussion of this nature?"
Aevan exchanged a look with Caerl that made Taeron wonder what they were hiding, but he said, "My father has not been well of late, but he hopes to come within the next few weeks to conclude our business."
Taeron hoped that their business did not involve him although he was sure it must. He would rather stay and listen to their conversation, but Keilana's hand on his arm trapped him into stepping out into the garden with Amyr and Caerl following at a discreet distance.
There was a path that wound through the beautiful display of flowers and shrubs. The well-maintained garden of the imperial palace was nothing like the overgrown garden he remembered on Teralon. Taeron wondered if Neria had already ordered that it be cleared of overgrowth and cut back so that it could be enjoyed more fully. Unfortunately, his thoughts wandered to the grotto and the last time he had seen Dijana. How could she send him away when she was part of his soul? But she had, and the sorceress of Norvana had removed what she could of his bond to her. She could never remove his love, just as she could not remove Amyr's love for Quynn.
"Is it true that you were enslaved by a creature called a Yolovian banshee and that you served her basest needs?" he heard Caerl ask Amyr.
If Caerl hoped to disconcert Amyr, he was going about it poorly. "She was a demanding taskmaster," Amyr said with a shameless chuckle. "I would offer to introduce you to her, Caerl, but Taeron filleted her."
Taeron heard Keilana's soft gasp and wondered if she was shocked by Amyr's remark, but she did not ask any questions about what he had done. Suppressing another sigh, Taeron continued on the path with the quiet female, and would have preferred that she speak so that he could be distracted by his own thoughts. He did not want to think about Staefyn and he certainly did not want to think of Dijana as he walked with another woman. What did Trey want of him? He supposed he would find out after this trial in the garden came to an end.
"Our men have reported that Lord Prince Taeron defeated and killed you, and you were revived by the spell of a sorceress." Caerl snorted derisively. "I would have liked to see that."
"Would you like for me to arrange for Taeron to defeat and kill you as well?" asked Amyr and Taeron heard Caerl make a choking sound. He was about to turn around to give Amyr a warning look when Keilana spoke.
"The flowers are lovely. There are no flowers at my father's home."
Taeron reluctantly turned his attention back to her. "There is an even lovelier garden at my father's palace on Ulfynaeus. His mate has brought back flowers from …"
"I would like to go back inside," she interrupted. "I am unused to the heat of your northern climate."
Before he could turn back, her brother moved forward and reached out to snag her arm. Taeron watched as he wrapped his hand around her forearm just as she drew her hand away from Taeron. As Caerl briskly escorted her away, Amyr came to stand beside Taeron and they watched Keilana nearly running to keep up with her brother's long strides, and when they stepped back inside the palace, Amyr looked at Taeron.
"I think Caerl enjoyed my company more than Lady Keilana enjoyed yours."
Taeron grimaced, but he did not respond, not when many of the warriors that had gone to Teralon with him had been of house Caron and he was afraid he knew why the emperor had sent him into the garden with the female. Keilana was beautiful, but Taeron could not so easily forget his feelings for Dijana. He intended to tell the emperor, but when he and Amyr stepped back into the palace, Trey came to him and put his hand on his shoulder.
"That was not so painful, was it Taeron? Lady Keilana is a beautiful young woman."
"She has little to say," commented Amyr.
His father frowned at him. "And you had much to say."
"I was merely responding to Caerl. He was very interested in my adventures." Amyr winked at Taeron. "I was trying to distract him so that Taeron could charm Lady Keilana."
Trey snorted. "He was not out there long enough to charm anyone."
"I was charmed."
Now his father laughed. "Amyr, have I ever told you that you are incorrigible?"
"Many times, father, but usually shouting."
Taeron smiled as father and son shared a laugh, and then he said, "If you have no further need of me, my lord, I will spend some time in the practice yard." He wanted the distraction, from the revelations of that day, from his broken heart and from the fear of what the emperor had planned for his future.
Amyr accompanied him to the practice yard but he did not bring up Keilana or anything else personal. They worked until first sunset, attracting a crowd to watch which included Aevan and Caerl without their pale female. Amyr held his own when they were sparring, giving the imperials a show that ended with their applause although Taeron noticed that the males of house Caron had not reacted except to exchange an irritated look between them. Taeron did not usually enjoy entertaining the imperial nobility, but today, after hearing Caerl's veiled derisive remarks, he wanted to prove to the fickle men and women that Lord Prince Amyr had earned his title.
The emperor was busy for the remainder of the day, so Taeron did not see him until later in the evening by which time Lady Arora had slipped into her own apartments so that she could prepare for the evening. As she hid in one of the children's rooms, Taeron, along with Chaela and Amyr, sat with the emperor in the salon to take the evening meal. Midway through, Stryfe arrived with apologies that he had been busy and Taeron noticed that his brother had dust in his hair and he sneezed several times before Trey asked him if he were getting ill.
Stryfe shook his head vigorously. "I have been busy in the archives today."
Amyr frowned at him when his father looked puzzled.
"I thought that Taeron was telling you about the skirmish outside the city with Kai's men."
His brother looked at Taeron and for a moment they did not speak and then Trey narrowed his eyes at Taeron. Before he could speak, Amyr did. "The skirmish was short, father. And Taeron does not have Stryfe's flair for telling a story, so I suppose that gave him time to clean up that abysmal mess in the back room of the archive."
"The backroom is not an abysmal mess," muttered Stryfe.
Trey frowned at Stryfe. "Were you entertaining females in the archives again?"
Taeron watched his brother's face grow a dark shade of pink, but then he said, "It was a spur of the moment occurrence. I will try not to let it happen in the future."
The emperor grunted. "I shall have an architect design a proper apartment for you. That cot in the backroom was adequate for your predecessor, but you are a young man, and some day you may wish to have a family. I cannot continue to treat the son of my imperial guard as if he were a dried up old scholar."
Stryfe's eyes widened. "I am honored, my lord."
"If your father were here, he would probably tell you that you should consider starting your house." Now his brother's mouth dropped open and Taeron exchanged amused grins with Amyr until Trey said to Taeron, "You must have realized that I have not forgotten about my decree that you should start yours."
Taeron sobered instantly. "When Dijana comes to her senses ..."
Amyr grimaced just as Trey made a sound of disgust. "You will not make your house with a female that has to 'come to her senses'!" He looked at Chaela. "Pour me some tea, please. I am suddenly in need."
Chaela poured the tea. "Apolo says that mercurial females are entertaining." She handed the cup to her father.
He sipped the tea. "I prefer the constancy of your mother. Trynity and Larya made my imperial guards miserable."
Nobody reminded him that Arora had abandoned him in the human system, making him just as miserable if not more than the couples he had cited as examples. "Shall I prepare your medicine?" offered Chaela after a moment of tense silence.
He smiled warmly at her and reached out to take her hand to bring to his lips. "Have you become a biddable daughter, Chaela?"
She drew her hand away and gave him an impish smile. "No, father, but I am hoping the medicine will make you remember that mother is not as constant as you would like to think. Your bond is making you speak nonsense so I think you should have your medicine before you force one of the pilots to fly you to Bayman."
Trey grunted. "I suppose you are right." When she moved away to prepare his medicine, Trey looked at Taeron. "Lady Keilana is a beautiful female, and I should not have to remind you of the power of her house. Several years ago I made preliminary inquiries on your behalf after you left for Teralon with Amyr. Renaeld was more interested in securing either Amyr or Staefyn for his daughter, and after we received news of Amyr's death, his attention turned to Staefyn. Staefyn refused to consider her as she was yet a child."
"She is not a child any longer," remarked Stryfe with a suggestive wriggle to his brows.
The emperor smiled. "Indeed not, so when I was about to consider how best to persuade Renaeld to offer his daughter to my newest warlord, I was surprised that they arrived at court with their own offer."
"She is too cold for Taeron," said Amyr as Trey took the cup from Chaela and drained it.
Trey reached out to pat Taeron's hands. "I am not pleased by what transpired on Teralon, but you have gained useful experience from that female. Use that experience to thaw Lady Keilana." He yawned and stretched. "Now I think I will find my bed. Aevan insisted that we meet and discuss the future terms of the alliance with house Caron."
Taeron knew those terms included his own service, not with his sword, but with that female, and his heart felt as if it were torn down the middle, but he did not show the emperor how disappointed he was in the honor of being offered a beautiful woman as his mate. "My lord, you have said that you wish to hear the ballad I sang on Teralon."
The emperor sighed deeply. "Stryfe told me that it was very moving. I suppose tonight is as good a night as any."
They made arrangements to meet on their respective balconies after second moonrise and then Taeron left with Amyr and Stryfe to return to his own chamber. Neither men brought up the alliance Trey had mentioned with house Caron although they were both considering how he would feel. Nor did they speak of what they had all discovered that day about Staefyn. Taeron sat on his mat to meditate, to push away the anxiety he felt at being forced to give up Dijana. But as he tried to concentrate, he could hear Amyr questioning Stryfe about what he had been doing and the latter informing him that he had been searching the Guerani scrolls for the reason that Staefyn was still bonded to Lady Xuxa despite his enormous power. He had been unable to find any instance of bonding among the Guerani so they concluded that because the witch had trapped him before he received his power, he was unable to fight the bond.
When the second moon rose, Taeron stepped out onto his balcony and waited until Trey appeared wearing a lose robe. He did not see Taeron at first and he turned his gaze to the night sky, past the moons looming large and bright to a small bright light that was Bayman. A movement on another balcony drew his attention to Chaela who had also stepped out from her chambers to listen to Taeron. During the distraction, Taeron saw Lady Arora move to the shadows where her husband would not be able to see her unless he looked closely, so Taeron did not give him a chance before he started to sing. As he poured his own heartache into the words that told the story of the lost prince, he looked up at the night sky as the emperor had, but he would not be able to see Teralon where his heart remained, and when he sang of losing his soul, he could not help but look in the direction of the Guerani hills.
Taeron doubted that Arora had planned to start weeping before he finished singing, and when Trey heard her, he gave a startled cry of joy mingled with sorrow as he closed the distance to his wife and swept her into his arms. For several moments they held each other close and Taeron ached to imagine how it would feel to hold Dijana. Not wishing to witness their private moments, Taeron moved into his chamber, pausing at the doorway where Amyr stood silently staring into the direction of the hills where his own mate was held prisoner. Briefly he touched Amyr's hand so that he could understand his feelings, and then drew him into an embrace.