Page 30 of Tasteful Anarchy and Tangled Auras
“No, no. It’s not you. It’s just.... Bryn left the Court last week. He said he’d be back soon. But he hasn’t returned.”
“And you're worried for him.” Ossy is attempting to understand. He isn’t mad that I care for another. This could be going worse, I suppose, given I had been slightly concerned he’d go Hulk-smash over this.
“It’s more than that. It...I can...just feel it.” My hand goes unbidden to my chest.
Ossy’s face lights. “Ah, you have two mates. You are Goddess-blessed indeed, baby. Surely this Bryn is a mighty warrior and we shall both protect you and pleasure you.”
Ugh, these Norse Fae...then my mind catches up. Did he saytwomates?
“Why do you think he’s my mate?”
He smiles. “Where is he?”
“Well, I don’t know, dammit. That’s the problem!”
Ossy chuckles. “No, no, my cross little mate. Answer with yourheart. Where is he?”
I take a deep breath. Maybe he’s right. I close my eyes. I can feel the pull of my heart to Ossy. It’sloud, for lack of a better term. I breathe slowly, trying to feel if there is anything else there.
And then I find it. A shimmery green thread tangled around my heart. I turn in the direction it tugs. “That way,” I whisper.
“Does he feel hurt?” Osmund asks gently. “Trapped? You would know. You would feel any strong emotions from him, just as we feel from you.”
Really? Shit. That could be inconvenient. I shift my focus back to the thread. “No. Nothing. Just the hum of it.”
Ossy smiles. “Then he’s fine. No rescue party needed. We just wait.” He grins lasciviously. “And I get more time to discover how quickly I can make you come for me.”
Osmund
THE CRONES OF MY FECteach that our people used toalwayscreate families with two males and two females. That way, if a male died, another was there to protect the family, and if a female died, another was there to lead the family. It’s only recently, in Fae terms, that we’ve changed. I explain this to Adi.
“But twomates?” she asks. “You’ve heard of this?”
“Yes, though multiple mates has always been less common than a single. And now, in the new country, even finding one is rare. As are children in many species of Fae.”
She nods. “Do your people know why?”
“No, though you’ve probably noticed that mixed-blood Fae, whether interspecies or with human blood, seem to produce babes more easily.”
She looks at me for a long moment. “This is taught to all the children of your village?”
“My stadiz. Yes. We are taught by the older females.”
“Will you tell me all you know of mates?”
I grin. “It’ll cost you.”
ADI HAS EXPLAINED THATher grandmother likes to have themed dinners. I do not understand what “Goth” is, nor whyone would want to dress as it, but the outfits sent to us by the grumbly seamstress are little more than black straps.
“What is this?” I hold up what I had thought would be a dress for her, but it’s an odd, smooth, black material and metal rings. I raise my eyebrows. “Please tell me I get to tie you up with this.”
She laughs and tries to snatch it from me. I hold it over my head with one hand and press her to me with the other, stealing a kiss.
“No, it’s a pentagram halter bra...thing.”
“Show me,” I command. She looks at me, playfully stubborn. I grin. “Please, my sweet-tempered wee mate who’s body fits into the curves of mine while she snuffles fitfully, show me?”
She swats me then and I grab her hand, holding it to me. “I do not snore,” she grumbles, then she rubs her palm on my chest. “Alright, alright. Hand it over.”
