his braided hair glimmering slightly with his movements. “It makes a great deal of sense. After all, your natural father is one of the strongest danger sensors in his generation. It would make sense that his skill would trickle down to you.”
“But I have never felt anything like it before. Believe me, my mother had me tested extensively, hoping to trigger the gift. She went to…horrifying lengths to try and activate my gift. After much effort, she decided I was a dud, that the gift had skipped a generation. My mother told me I was so disappointing a son, the Lord of Life left me without any special skills.”
Gwarnon’s voice was rough by the end, and Lord Rell leaned forward and placed a hand on Gwarnon’s thigh. “Be easy, my friend. I have some news to share with you that you find difficult.”
“What, that my mother tried to have me killed on my wedding day?” Gwarnon spat out.
“We will get to that in a moment,” Lord Rell said while he stood from his chair and began to pace the luxurious silver and purple decorated parlor adjacent to Lacey’s, now their, bedroom. “Did your mother ever explain to you why she wanted you to bond with Lady Jelizel?”
Caught off guard by the question, Gwarnon answered honestly, “She didn’t have to. Lady Jelizel was intensely loyal to my mother and scared of her. She was a weak woman who would do whatever my mother wanted. Since no other Matriarch in her right mind would want to bond Lady Melissi’s son, Lady Jelizel was my only choice.”
Lord Rell paused, his hands behind his back as looked at Gwarnon. “I believe Lady Jelizel was selected to hold your bond for more than just her spinelessness. My mate, Commander Trenzent, can tell you more.”
Gwarnon tried to sit up straighter, to come to some kind of attention as the legendary scarred Commander came through the doorway, but the medical chair held him fast. It wouldn’t let his sense of honor injure him further. To Gwarnon’s surprise, Lorn and Nast—Lady Casey’s husbands—came in as well. Then Nosa and Cormac, followed closely by Phin and Karwin. The big Warriors all moved around the room, selecting chairs and sofas framed by exquisite leaf art on the walls of the parlor.
Lorn crossed his leg and gave Lord Rell a decidedly smug smile.
Lord Rell surveyed the group with a dry look as he said, “I do not recall inviting you in as well.”
“Our loving wives kicked us out,” Nosa said in his deep voice as he leaned against the wall next to his bondmate.
Walking over to Lord Rell, Commander Trenzent gave his blood brother a rare public show of affection. He touched his forehead to Lord Rell’s, something silent passing between them that had an intimate feeling that made Gwarnon look away out of respect. There was a deep affection there, the kind that grew between husbands over centuries.
Commander Trenzent, a legend among the Kadothian Warriors, was Lord Rell’s bondmate and husband to Lady Paige. Gwarnon wasn’t surprised to see Nosa and Cormac, or Lorn and Nast here as well. All of Lady Roxy’s friends considered Lacey one of their own and would have come to visit as soon as they could. Casey especially had a case of hero worship going with Lacey, as she thought his Matriarch was ‘one bad ass bitch,’ in her words.
Lord Rell rolled his shoulders, letting out a sigh. “I just spoke with my Matriarch, and she assures me they are merely indulging in girl talk that would bore us to death.”
A wave of tension went through the room as the men eyed each other and no doubt thought about the scene upstairs.
All of the Matriarchs were now gathered in another room of Lady Tara’s vast manor, plotting all kinds of trouble. With this public showing, they were saying to all of Kadothia that they were friends and supports of House Taylor—something he appreciated. Gwarnon didn’t need anyone to tell him that after surviving the assassination attempt during their wedding, their family would become a major symbolic target for the anti-Earther movement.
The sooner they could get off Kadothia, the better, but his people on Madre Tierra needed a little more time building the infrastructure they would need to begin construction on their manor. They wouldn’t be able to safely move to Madre Tierra for at least another two months. Gwarnon hated endangering the people of Lady Tara’s Territory, but this was probably one of the safest