Accorded Nobility Read online

  Sean sat back, letting the two men tear at each other. After a moment, he had the vines silence them, and they both remembered who was in charge. “That was beautiful. Thank you for telling me so much. Both of you still have to pay. The bog will keep you for years. I might even let it decay you some, so your torment can climb.”

  Carver thrashed, and Sean knew he had a question, so he let the vines retract. “My daughter! What will you do to her?”

  Sean stared at the pathetic slug of a man, then snorted. “I want to leave you without knowing, so it would eat at you for all the years you’re stuck here... but I won’t. Unlike you, Carver, I don’t harm innocents if I can help it. If she never raises a finger against me, I won’t raise one to her. Enjoy the embrace of your hell.”

  Vines wrapped around both men as their heads slipped under the peat.

  Solanice sucked in a sharp breath, and Sean looked back at him. “MacDougal, surely we can come to an Agreement,” he babbled when the black-white flame of Sean’s eyes turned his way.

  “I’ll be heading to Accord,” Sean said as he stood up. “Truestrike was behind the death of my friends. I’m going to repay him.”

  “I can help! I can help!” Solanice said quickly.

  Myna’s cry of hatred snapped Sean’s head in her direction. Vines wrapped around Solanice and dragged him under as Sean sprinted for Myna.

  When he got closer, he saw Mizuki watching in shock as her daughter sprouted claws and began to tear at a man’s head.

  “Myna!” Sean shouted.

  Myna backed off a pace, breathing hard. Her eyes were wild, her tail lashing frantically. Seeing him, the madness slowly faded from her eyes. “Master?”

  “Who?” Sean asked, reaching her side and taking her bloody hands in his.

  Myna looked at her clawed hands and shuddered. “I… Zachary.”

  Sean wrapped her in his arms, holding her as Zachary’s face reformed. Sean stared down at the man with anger. Zachary was shaking in fear as he gazed up at Myna and Sean. “When did you get here?” Sean hissed the question.

  “I don’t even know where ‘here’ is!” Zachary choked out.

  “Master... I want to gut him...” Myna pleaded, nuzzling his chest. “Please, let me gut him!”

  “Easy, Myna. Easy,” Sean whispered, tightening his hold on her. “Your emotions are high. You gave yourself claws.”

  “I wanted to rip his face off... I did. It felt so good,” Myna purred, nuzzling him more, her claws digging into Sean’s back. “Please, Master... let me play with him.”

  “Myna, you’re going feral,” Mizuki said softly. “My mother warned us about this.”

  Myna panted, her claws gouging into Sean. He grunted, but didn’t cry out. “When pregnant, we can go too far… yes… But I want this… please?”

  Sean was torn— he always gave his wives what they wanted, but Myna was asking to torture Zachary. Her own mother was speaking against it, and Myna was far from calm. He took a deep breath, hissing a little as her claws dug in more. “Myna, you’re hurting me.”

  Myna’s claws vanished and her hands rubbed at his wounds. “No...! Sorry, Master... no….”

  “You’re emotional, and your mother said this can hurt you,” Sean said softly, holding his now contrite wife. “We should go for now. We can talk with Fiona and Felora. If we can find a way for you to be safe… then I’ll allow it, but I don’t want you hurting yourself. Our child needs you to be safe.”

  Myna began to cry, pressing her face into his chest. “Yes, Master... I’m sorry... I just see him and I want to tear him into little pieces. He cost us Chastity and Lilly, sided with Truestrike, and tormented me... I want him to pay.”

  “He’s under the peat now,” Sean said softly, having sent Zachary down to make sure Myna wouldn’t see him again. “I can’t let my silly kitty hurt herself.”

  Sniffling, Myna purred brokenly. “Sorry, Master...”

  Sean leaned back, then kissed her softly. When it finally ended, he stared into her eyes. “Shh, my sweet, loving kitty. I’m not mad at you, just worried for you. Come on. We’ll go back to the manor. We’re spending time with our wives, remember?”

  “Yes... so you can try to give them children, too,” Myna sniffled. “Can I help?”

  “You just want to help tease me,” Sean said with a chuckle. “But yes, all of you will help.”

  Myna nodded, taking his hand. “Yes...”

  Rumia followed them. She marked the place where Zachary was, and wondered if, in time, she’d be able to help Myna get revenge without it costing her her control.

  Chapter Five

  Contented purring woke Sean up. His arms went reflexively around Myna, pulling her closer.

  “Good morning, Master,” Myna purred louder.

  “Morning to you, too, Myna,” Sean murmured as he opened his eyes.

  “I came to wake you for breakfast,” Myna said, snuggling into him.

  “How are you?” Sean whispered, kissing the tip of one of her ears.

  “Better... I was so angry when I saw him.”

  “I know.” Sean stroked her head, petting her. “Calm kitty is good.”

  “Will you hurt him for me?” Myna asked, beginning to kiss his neck. “Please, Master?”

  Sean’s breath hitched, and he gripped the back of her neck lightly. “He’ll pay, Myna. Do we have time for that?”

  “No...” Myna huffed.

  “Then stop teasing me,” Sean told her, pulling her away from him gently. “It isn’t nice to either of us.”

  “Yes, Master,” she sighed.

  “Come on. Let me get out of bed.”

  Myna slid out of the bed, allowing him to get up. “Do you think it’ll work?”

  It took Sean a second to understand the question, but he nodded. “Chastity and Lilly, you mean?”

  “Yes.”

  “I hope it does for them, but it might not. There are a lot of questions about the manor and what can and can’t be done there. I’m a little torn about them having kids on the plane, honestly.”

  “They both deeply wish to have them,” Myna said, her hands cupping her own stomach. “They want to stay equal to us.”

  “Yeah...” Sean murmured. A soft smile touched his lips as he gazed at her stomach. “It’s why I made them armor and weapons.”

  Myna smiled at him, then arched her back a little so her barely-there baby bump could be visible. “I’m very happy, Master.”

  Sean shook his head, but he was smiling as he crossed the room to her. He held her gently from behind, placing his hands over hers. “They will be a handful, much like their mother.”

  Myna giggled as she leaned into him. “They might shape the world like their father.”

  “Fair enough,” Sean said softly, kissing her ear. “Go on. I need to get dressed, and you keep distracting me.”

  She turned when he removed his arms, claiming a kiss that had him breathing fast when she broke it. “As you wish, Master.”

  “Damned brat cat,” Sean laughed as she swayed toward the bedroom door.

  Looking over her shoulder, her eyes traveled to the problem she’d caused, and she giggled. “Yes. You let me be who I feel I am.”

  “Always,” Sean replied, watching her go.

  ~*~*~

  “Sorry for the delay,” Sean said, entering the dining room just ahead of the cooks.

  “No one was delayed, husband,” Fiona smiled. “The cooks arrived with you.”

  “We went with simple this morning, since we’re having family over for dinner,” Glorina told them. “Scrambled eggs with slabs of ham, and there is fresh bread.”

  “Thank you,” Sean said. He took his seat and quickly served himself so the others could do the same. “Ladies,” he said, looking at the staff, “do any of you want to have family over before we leave the city?”

  Headshakes came from up and down the table.

  “None of you?” Sean was surprised.

  “Not sure who our fathe
r is,” Quinna said, looking away from him. “Mom was glad we left the farm.”

  “If I did, we’d have to admit where I was,” Prita said softly. “They didn’t raise a fuss when I was told to go with the men who wanted to hunt me...”

  Sean winced.

  “You have a better family now,” Rumia said softly, covering Prita’s hand with hers.

  Prita blushed, then nodded. “Yes.”

  “Okay,” Sean said. “I just didn’t want anyone to have hard feelings.”

  “Sir?” Tiska asked. When he nodded to her, she went on, “We have our family now.”

  The others agreed with her, and Fiona smiled. “You’re family to us. We’ll always be here to care for you as you do for us.”

  “I wish my mother and father could get away, but they have an inn to run,” Andrea sighed. “And it’s the wrong way from Accord.”

  “We could make a longer trip?” Sean suggested.

  “No. It’s okay, Sean. I’ve been writing them. They’re happy for me, even if they don’t fully know everything you’ve done for me.”

  “I’m glad they approve,” Sean smiled. “Your mother is a strong woman.”

  “Yes. Like you, though, she has trouble with people.”

  Sean laughed, finishing crafting a sandwich out of his breakfast. “What do we have to do today, besides dinner with Ida’s family?”

  “We finished Saret’s bus yesterday,” Fiona said. “She’ll be coming by with her daughter, Rosaline.”

  “We’ve started on Amedee’s,” Ida said. “It won’t be as big as Saret’s, but still larger than Jefferson’s.”

  “And we’ll need one more for Charie,” Felora said.

  “Sir,” Quinna asked, “could we help?”

  “You could. Talk to Fiona; I think she’s taken it over,” Sean chuckled. “I’m between projects right now, so we can get this done quicker.”

  “Not starting on something new?” Ida asked.

  “Not right now,” Sean said. “Oh, I need to get those bags made for your parents and Hallie… and all of you,” he added after a small pause. “Family.”

  Everyone at the table smiled at him.

  “Which includes you all, as well. Just you, though,” Sean said, looking at six Fairies at the table. “Doing them for the entire clan… is a bit daunting.”

  “We understand, Sean,” Ven said.

  “I’m curious... might it be okay if I attempt Shaping?” Mizuki asked.

  “Yes,” Myna said. “I will Bond you.”

  “Thank you, Myna,” Sean said with full sincerity.

  Myna looked at him, then gave him a sharp smile. “But maybe Master should instead.”

  “Nope. Not doing that. You or one of the others can.”

  Myna giggled, and Mizuki snickered as they watched Sean turn red. The rest of the table began to join in, seeing Sean’s rising discomfort. Sean just started eating his makeshift sandwich, trying his best to ignore them.

  ~*~*~

  “Saret, Rosaline, good to see you both,” Sean greeted the mother and daughter.

  “Thank you, Sean,” Saret smiled. “Could we get Arliat to take a trip with Rosaline to give her a refresher on the bus?”

  “Of course,” Sean nodded.

  “She’s being told, Sean,” Ven said from above him.

  “While they do that, I was wondering if I could get you to take a trip with me?” Sean asked.

  Saret’s eyebrow went up and a smirk came to her full lips. “Oh, the ways that could be taken... I’m sure you mean something like a trip to your planes of power?”

  “Yes,” Sean said, giving her a put-upon look.

  “I’m behaving,” Saret laughed. “Where are we going to do this? Surely not a bedroom.” Saret’s lips again curled up into a wicked smirk.

  “Not behaving is not a form of behaving,” Sean sighed. “Just the study. Come on.”

  “At least give me a few minutes to warm up first,” Saret laughed as she followed him.

  Rosaline watched them go, pouting at her mother. “Tell me to behave, and then you act like that...?” she muttered.

  “Rosaline, are you ready?” Arliat asked, coming up behind the half-Succubus.

  “Yes. Let’s go. The sooner we leave the city, the sooner I can find a husband.”

  Arliat watched Sean walk into the house and sighed wistfully. “It will be wonderful when it happens.”

  Rosaline glanced at her, then to where her mother was stepping into the home. “Him? So unfair.”

  “Why?” Arliat asked.

  “I was told not to go after married men, and here you are, pining for one.”

  “We’ve been told we’ll marry him in time,” Quinna said, coming around the far side of the bus, “so we aren’t pining. We’re waiting.”

  “You, too?” Rosaline huffed.

  “All the staff,” Quinna smirked, but then her smirk faded. “Though I’m getting a little worried...”

  “Because of how he acts with Mizuki?” Arliat asked.

  “Yes. What if he only takes me or my sister, and not both of us?”

  Arliat frowned. “No… he wouldn’t.”

  “I’m going to ask Fiona,” Quinna said. “Breakfast really made me worry.”

  “Let me know when I get back,” Arliat told Quinna, who was already striding toward the workshop.

  “He won’t take sisters? That would explain why mother told me not to try,” Rosaline sighed.

  ~*~*~

  Getting settled in the study, Sean moved the two chairs side by side. “Saret, I wanted to try opening the way, but if I can’t, can you take over?”

  “Of course, Sean. Why are we going?”

  “It’s changed, and I want your opinion,” Sean said.

  “Ah. Very well.”

  Sean touched his core and focused on doing what Felora had done dozens of times for him. “Follow me across the planes to the place where the soul resides: Home.”

  Blinking, Sean got out of bed and headed downstairs. He got to the stairs just as Marjorie answered the door.

  “Saret, right?” Marjorie asked.

  “That is correct,” Saret smiled. “Sean should... ah, there he is.”

  “Just you two?” Marjorie asked.

  “Yeah,” Sean said as he reached the front door. “It’s just a quick visit so she can give me her opinion on the changes.”

  “Okay. The others are out back, sparring.”

  “We’ll see them shortly,” Sean smiled. “Thanks, Mom.”

  Marjorie smiled brightly. “Of course, Son.”

  As Sean and Saret left the manor, Saret glanced back. “You made her day by calling her ‘Mom,’ Sean.”

  “I thought so, Mom.”

  “Skip that for me, please,” Saret laughed.

  “If you behave, I will too.”

  “The forest is new,” Saret said as they approached the front gate. “It feels… different, but familiar.”

  When they got to the gate, Saret nodded slowly. “It’s a pathway between the planes for the dead. Only those who believe in you can follow it here, but they can choose to not come.”

  “Enemies or others can’t use it to get here?” Sean asked.

  “No... not yet, at least. Your plane is a tiny pocket in the vastness of nothing. To find it without belief would beggar the imagination. Even if they did, the gate would close to keep them out.”

  Sean exhaled in relief. “Good. Come on. There’s another change to show you.”

  When they reached the other gate with the buildings just beyond the wall, Saret smiled. “You are growing in faith. Jefferson will be glad to have his own place… and there would be one for me, too, yes?”

  “Of course. Family will always have a place.”

  Saret smiled at him fondly before she exhaled. “My daughter shall rise high... much higher than even I will ever reach.” She kissed his cheek. “Thank you for loving her, Sean.”

  Sean coughed, looking away from her. “Yeah, no problem
.”

  “Oh yes, your weakness: female affection,” Saret laughed, “even when it’s motherly. Can we visit the bog again?”