Read Online Bound by Sin by Jacquelyn Frank - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jacquelyn Frank
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the side of where Garreth had been eating, crossed her legs, and began to peel her fruit. “I don’t consider this our one meal, Jaykun,” she said, reminding him of their bargain. “I am thinking the midday meal is the one you are required to attend. It will be easier and less rushed than the evening meal.”
“Less rushed?” Garreth asked as he picked up his cup.
“Yes. Before he has to burn like a star.”
Unfortunately, Garreth was drinking at the moment she said this, so he sputtered and coughed. “She knows about that?” he wheezed, looking around the room hastily to see who was there to overhear her. The room was empty of all save the four of them.
“Well, of course. I’ve watched him these past four nights.”
“Of course,” Dethan said. Clearly he was disturbed that she had this intimate information about his brother. “Midday meal?” he asked, arching a brow at Jaykun.
Jaykun had not prepared himself to answer his brothers’ questions about Jileana. In fact, some part of his brain had thought he could keep them completely ignorant of her existence. Now he saw just how foolish that idea had been…even more so now that she was standing there in front of them.
“Jileana is visiting the city for three days. I told her I would have a meal with her once every day while she visited.”
Dethan frowned at that. “Jaykun, we have a great deal to accomplish before winter sets in. Garreth and I return to our wives soon and you need to have the harbor secured for the winter.”
“I know what my responsibilities are,” Jaykun snapped. “But it just so happens that eating is one of those things I will be doing regardless of the constraints on my time, so I don’t foresee it interfering.”
Jaykun had changed his tone in such a way that the brothers knew arguing further would risk his wrath—something neither of them welcomed and both had learned to avoid. The truth of it was that Jaykun was more than capable of seeing to his responsibilities and didn’t need his brothers making attempts to corral him, even if Dethan was the eldest of the three and by right of birth seemed to think he had the management of his brothers as his responsibility.
Dethan was concerned. Women, whatever their use or function, were a distraction and a potential powder keg. He should know. He was at present tightly entwined around the finger of a beautiful, good-hearted woman whom he had only intended to marry as a means of getting himself a kingdom and an army. He had given up his immortality for her, now had three children by her, and couldn’t imagine living a day on this planet without her. It was hard enough being required to campaign away from her in the summer months, but he knew he could have a much worse fate.
He could have Jaykun’s fate. Jaykun now carried the burden of the brothers’ pact with the goddess Weysa. She had forgiven Dethan and Garreth of that duty, save for the summer months in Dethan’s case. Garreth was simply there to assist them as needed as he fulfilled his own agenda for the god of love, Mordu, who required Garreth to open temples in his name and garner him followers just as Garreth’s brothers were doing for Weysa. Weysa had made way for the two brothers, but it was clear she would not be so forgiving a third time. No, their only hope for rescuing Maxum—their fourth brother—from unending torment was Jaykun. If Jaykun performed well, he might earn a boon from the gods. Or if they covered enough of the planet, listening to tales of the gods, maybe they could find Maxum themselves, just as they had found the Fount of Immortality that had started all of this—the fountain from which they drank and subsequently earned the wrath of the gods for their presumption.
So the complication of another woman in their midst was most unwelcome. In fact, it was quite dangerous. They could do nothing to anger the mercurial Weysa…and Jaykun dividing his attentions might do exactly that.
“She is
“Less rushed?” Garreth asked as he picked up his cup.
“Yes. Before he has to burn like a star.”
Unfortunately, Garreth was drinking at the moment she said this, so he sputtered and coughed. “She knows about that?” he wheezed, looking around the room hastily to see who was there to overhear her. The room was empty of all save the four of them.
“Well, of course. I’ve watched him these past four nights.”
“Of course,” Dethan said. Clearly he was disturbed that she had this intimate information about his brother. “Midday meal?” he asked, arching a brow at Jaykun.
Jaykun had not prepared himself to answer his brothers’ questions about Jileana. In fact, some part of his brain had thought he could keep them completely ignorant of her existence. Now he saw just how foolish that idea had been…even more so now that she was standing there in front of them.
“Jileana is visiting the city for three days. I told her I would have a meal with her once every day while she visited.”
Dethan frowned at that. “Jaykun, we have a great deal to accomplish before winter sets in. Garreth and I return to our wives soon and you need to have the harbor secured for the winter.”
“I know what my responsibilities are,” Jaykun snapped. “But it just so happens that eating is one of those things I will be doing regardless of the constraints on my time, so I don’t foresee it interfering.”
Jaykun had changed his tone in such a way that the brothers knew arguing further would risk his wrath—something neither of them welcomed and both had learned to avoid. The truth of it was that Jaykun was more than capable of seeing to his responsibilities and didn’t need his brothers making attempts to corral him, even if Dethan was the eldest of the three and by right of birth seemed to think he had the management of his brothers as his responsibility.
Dethan was concerned. Women, whatever their use or function, were a distraction and a potential powder keg. He should know. He was at present tightly entwined around the finger of a beautiful, good-hearted woman whom he had only intended to marry as a means of getting himself a kingdom and an army. He had given up his immortality for her, now had three children by her, and couldn’t imagine living a day on this planet without her. It was hard enough being required to campaign away from her in the summer months, but he knew he could have a much worse fate.
He could have Jaykun’s fate. Jaykun now carried the burden of the brothers’ pact with the goddess Weysa. She had forgiven Dethan and Garreth of that duty, save for the summer months in Dethan’s case. Garreth was simply there to assist them as needed as he fulfilled his own agenda for the god of love, Mordu, who required Garreth to open temples in his name and garner him followers just as Garreth’s brothers were doing for Weysa. Weysa had made way for the two brothers, but it was clear she would not be so forgiving a third time. No, their only hope for rescuing Maxum—their fourth brother—from unending torment was Jaykun. If Jaykun performed well, he might earn a boon from the gods. Or if they covered enough of the planet, listening to tales of the gods, maybe they could find Maxum themselves, just as they had found the Fount of Immortality that had started all of this—the fountain from which they drank and subsequently earned the wrath of the gods for their presumption.
So the complication of another woman in their midst was most unwelcome. In fact, it was quite dangerous. They could do nothing to anger the mercurial Weysa…and Jaykun dividing his attentions might do exactly that.
“She is
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