awkward. Over the past years as the ilian settled in to their ordinary life, they had formed smaller groupings within the whole. Sometimes they changed around or all ten of them came together, but generally, Kallista slept between Obed and Torchay, Viyelle with Stone and Joh, and Aisse, Fox, Keldrey and Leyja all together. But threes and fours were as frowned upon in Daryath as tens.
“Obed is my only mate here,” Kallista said. “And Torchay is my bodyguard only, not ilias. Viyelle and Joh, Aisse and Fox, Leyja and Keldrey. You know this. We worked this out together. If we are going to pry our people out of the hands of the Habadra Line, we are going to have to play their games—"
“Do not think of them as games,” Obed interrupted. He spoke quietly, his voice fervent. “The attitude here against iliani, against more than two in a marriage is so strong that people have been killed. Traders who are incautious have been slaughtered in the countryside, and even here in Mestada. As members of the Adaran diplomatic mission, we are exempt from Daryathi law, but not from Daryathi prejudice. As servants to the Habadra, Merinda and her child are under Daryathi law until their status is changed. They could refuse to return them to wicked blasphemers. Or worse. We dare not risk them."
Kallista took up her warning again. “Do not forget who you're paired with. Especially you, Stone. Since you claim Sky as your son, that means Merinda is your mate."
They had no idea what Merinda had named the boy, nor whether he was Stone's child in truth or another of Fox's, but they couldn't keep calling him “the boy.” Stone, with consultation from Fox, had named him Sky.
“It is hard, I know, and not what we are used to. I miss you, all of you, more than I can say, even though you are right here with me, because I must watch my words and my actions.” The catch in her voice stopped her for a moment. “The One willing, we will have our ilias and our son back with us soon. Once that is done, it won't matter so much what gossip the local servants spread. Then, if there is a demon here to destroy, we will do that, and we can go back home. But until then— be careful ."
Kallista watched Torchay until he looked up and met her gaze. The sadness in his eyes at their separation tempted her to throw aside every caution she'd just spoken. Except—they still had their lost ones to consider—Merinda, and their son.
----
Chapter Four
The food arrived, and the meal in the shade of the vines and flowering trees with the children clamoring around did much to restore the mood. Baths immediately following did more.
The enormous sunken stone pools, similar to the smaller ones in the lower levels of Summerglen palace in Arikon, were obviously meant for more than one person. Once the children were clean in a massive orgy of splashing and dunking, their parents bathed in pairs, in an attempt to reinforce Kallista's reminder.
Obed waded into the steaming water and turned, too late to watch Kallista get in as he'd hoped to do. She slid all the way under, her hair floating out in a dark swirl, hiding her. Finally, just as he was about to worry, she came up, air bursting from her lungs as she dragged in fresh.
“I was beginning to wonder if I ought to pull you out.” He moved in behind her to press a kiss on her nape, hungry for the feel of her skin against his. The journey upriver had been devoid of opportunity and he'd missed her.
Kallista eased away. “I think the dirt has gone an inch deep into my skin.” She picked up the soap, its scent carrying him back to his childhood with its fears and anxieties. But she turned to rub the soap over his chest, her fingers moving over his skin, so it was all right again. She was touching him. He didn't mind washing first, especially if she wanted to wash him.
“Perhaps the dust is an inch-deep coating on the outside.” Obed captured her hands and chuckled at her expression as he rubbed his chest
“Obed is my only mate here,” Kallista said. “And Torchay is my bodyguard only, not ilias. Viyelle and Joh, Aisse and Fox, Leyja and Keldrey. You know this. We worked this out together. If we are going to pry our people out of the hands of the Habadra Line, we are going to have to play their games—"
“Do not think of them as games,” Obed interrupted. He spoke quietly, his voice fervent. “The attitude here against iliani, against more than two in a marriage is so strong that people have been killed. Traders who are incautious have been slaughtered in the countryside, and even here in Mestada. As members of the Adaran diplomatic mission, we are exempt from Daryathi law, but not from Daryathi prejudice. As servants to the Habadra, Merinda and her child are under Daryathi law until their status is changed. They could refuse to return them to wicked blasphemers. Or worse. We dare not risk them."
Kallista took up her warning again. “Do not forget who you're paired with. Especially you, Stone. Since you claim Sky as your son, that means Merinda is your mate."
They had no idea what Merinda had named the boy, nor whether he was Stone's child in truth or another of Fox's, but they couldn't keep calling him “the boy.” Stone, with consultation from Fox, had named him Sky.
“It is hard, I know, and not what we are used to. I miss you, all of you, more than I can say, even though you are right here with me, because I must watch my words and my actions.” The catch in her voice stopped her for a moment. “The One willing, we will have our ilias and our son back with us soon. Once that is done, it won't matter so much what gossip the local servants spread. Then, if there is a demon here to destroy, we will do that, and we can go back home. But until then— be careful ."
Kallista watched Torchay until he looked up and met her gaze. The sadness in his eyes at their separation tempted her to throw aside every caution she'd just spoken. Except—they still had their lost ones to consider—Merinda, and their son.
----
Chapter Four
The food arrived, and the meal in the shade of the vines and flowering trees with the children clamoring around did much to restore the mood. Baths immediately following did more.
The enormous sunken stone pools, similar to the smaller ones in the lower levels of Summerglen palace in Arikon, were obviously meant for more than one person. Once the children were clean in a massive orgy of splashing and dunking, their parents bathed in pairs, in an attempt to reinforce Kallista's reminder.
Obed waded into the steaming water and turned, too late to watch Kallista get in as he'd hoped to do. She slid all the way under, her hair floating out in a dark swirl, hiding her. Finally, just as he was about to worry, she came up, air bursting from her lungs as she dragged in fresh.
“I was beginning to wonder if I ought to pull you out.” He moved in behind her to press a kiss on her nape, hungry for the feel of her skin against his. The journey upriver had been devoid of opportunity and he'd missed her.
Kallista eased away. “I think the dirt has gone an inch deep into my skin.” She picked up the soap, its scent carrying him back to his childhood with its fears and anxieties. But she turned to rub the soap over his chest, her fingers moving over his skin, so it was all right again. She was touching him. He didn't mind washing first, especially if she wanted to wash him.
“Perhaps the dust is an inch-deep coating on the outside.” Obed captured her hands and chuckled at her expression as he rubbed his chest
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