Brianna (27 page)

Jamiros is a terrible tease. Don’t believe anything he tells you, especially if he is smiling.”

Brianna looked to Char for guidance, but all he did was grin.

She was saved from a reply though, by the arrival of the Hardan clan. Both Jamilinlalissa and her sister Vanilinlalissa leaped into Jamiros’ arms and were thoroughly hugged.

Xdana greeted the girls warmly but said in a wry voice to Brianna, “My house is not going to be the same after this visit.

Sheala has great plans for the three of them.”

Barely had those words left her mouth than a younger version of Xdana rushed into the foyer, threw her arms around Char in an exuberant hug, gave Brianna a curious stare and a quick hello, and barreled out through another door with Jami and Vani in tow.

“See what I mean?”

Beti had been in the same car with the sisters. She stood silently inside the doorway.

Xdana greeted her with a smile. “Hello, Beti,” she said. “Is Kahn with you?”

Beti nodded once affirmatively and said, “and Dorce, Sloan, and Feni.”

Xdana’s eyebrows rose. “You remember where the rooms are?”

At Beti’s affirmative nod, Xdana continued, “Good. All of the Hardans will be in the blue suite. Char and Brianna will have the heir’s apartments.”

“And what about me, Aunt?” Bandalardrac asked with a grin as he walked in the doorway. “Do you think you have room somewhere in this great mausoleum for me?”

If Xdana was surprised to see Ban, she didn’t show it.

Cupping his face in her hands, she kissed first one cheek then the other. “Silly boy, there has always been room for you here.

You will be in the heir’s guest suite, but,” she added with mock seriousness, “I absolutely forbid you to wander around naked! I will never get any work out of the maids if you do!”

Ban was momentarily speechless. He was being given a great honor and he didn’t quite know how to react.

Char was equally surprised.
Why did you put him in my
suite, Mother? Why put him so close to Brianna?
Unfortunately for him, his mother’s wishes overrode his.

Ban grinned and said, “I promise to be naked only under the right circumstances.”

“Or on top,” Meri grumbled as she entered the house followed by Ademis, who was carrying Celene.

Smiling with delight, Xdana accepted Celene from Adem’s arms. The baby chortled happily at the many colored beads she wore.

Jamiros took Brianna’s arm. “Come along, my dear. We have a wonderful lunch waiting.”

As his father led Brianna away, Char slowed his mother with a hand to her arm. “Where’s Rodane?”

“Char,” Xdana said with complete sincerity, “he wanted more than anything to be here when you arrived, but Todan don al’

Upin demanded satisfaction about a bill.”

Char grimaced. Todin don al’ Upin was the most cantankerous of all the merchants they dealt with. He didn’t envy Rodane his afternoon. Todan would not be satisfied until he thought he’d bested the Alalakans.

“We’ll be lucky if we see Rodane before tomorrow morning,”

Char muttered mostly to himself.

Xdana chuckled. “He promised to be home for dinner even if he had to give the wool to Todan at a loss.”

Char sighed and shook his head. “Todan would still think we were cheating him. No one in the universe is more distrustful.”

Xdana patted her son’s arm as best she could while still holding Celene. Ban, Meri, and Ademis had followed Brianna and Jamiros into the dining room. Only they remained in the foyer.

Char placed his hand on her arm. “Mother, how does Rodane really feel?”

“Oh, Char, Rodane told you that he doesn’t begrudge you the status of heir apparent. I think he’s rather relieved, as a matter of fact.”

They entered the dining room as Jamiros was holding Brianna’s chair for her. Char had barely reached the table when a voice called to him from the doorway.

“Hello, Char.” The lovely young woman sauntered across the room, threw her arms around his neck, and proceeded to kiss him—thoroughly. Nor did he step away from her embrace.

Brianna stiffened and her nostrils flared.
Who the hell is
that, and why is Char kissing her?

Char reached up and pulled the woman’s arms from around his neck and pushed her away. “Hello, Singy. Visiting Crystas again?”

She snuggled closer. “She invited me for Solstice. Then when I heard you’d soon be home, I decided to come early,” the woman purred, caressing his arm. “It’s been toooooo long.”

Char nodded. “Quite a while, Singy.”

“Ahem.” Jamiros nodded towards Brianna. She was sitting in her chair, chin up, eyes sparkling, and she was very, very pale.

Char pushed Singy away and hurried to her side. “Brianna, do you feel all right?”

The woman followed him, snaking her arm through his. “A new…guest?”

“My wife. Brianna, this is Molontonon dem al’ Singy, an old friend. Singy, my wife, Brianna.”

The woman’s shock was apparent to everyone. “Wife!”

“Didn’t Crystas tell you I married?” He kept his attention fixed on Brianna.

Jamiros cleared his throat. “We thought it best to keep the information a family secret until you got home.”

Char nodded, but his immediate attention was still on Brianna. She hadn’t greeted Singy yet, and that wasn’t like her.

She hadn’t shown any reticence meeting anyone up to this point, but she only stared at Singy. And she was still pale.

“Brianna?”

“How do you do?” Brianna finally choked out.

Singy looked down her elegant nose and nodded—barely.

Then she turned back to Char, pressing her body against his side.

Unlike Char, Xdana immediately understood her daughter-in-law’s reaction.

So did everyone else in the room, especially Ban. An amused grin settled on his face as he watched the tableau unfolding before him.
I can’t believe you can be so stupid,
Cousin. Why even look at Singy when you have perfection in
Brianna?

Xdana handed Celene back to Meri. “I didn’t know you were joining us for lunch, Singy. You informed the kitchen you’d be eating with Crystas and Fio.”

Singy kept her attention on Char. “When I heard Char was back, I just had to see him. Sit next to me, Char. Or—we could have a…private…lunch?”

Brianna’s color rose again. She rose to her feet so fast, her chair slapped to the floor. “I’m suddenly tired, Xdana. Show me to my room—please.” Her request was more like a command.

Char grasped her arm lightly.

She shook herself free.

His voice sounded worried. “Brianna…”

Her tone voice was icy. “No. Stay with your…friend.” Head held high, she swept from the room followed by Xdana, who glared at her son over her shoulder. Both Beti and Kahn followed.

Confused, Char looked from his father to Ademis to Meri.

Both Ademis and his father rolled their eyes.

Meri glared at him.

Ban grinned like an idiot.

“Char…” purred Singy, caressing his arm.

“Not now,” he said, shaking himself free of her clinging hands. “Father, have lunch sent to our rooms.”

Xdana had barely shown Brianna to her suite when Char barreled into the sitting room. “Brianna, what’s wrong?”

Amazed, she stared at her husband. “What’s wrong? You play tonsil hockey with another woman and you ask
me
what’s wrong!”

Xdana withdrew. This was best settled between Char and Brianna.

“Tonsil hockey? Brianna, I don’t understand…”

She threw her braid back over her shoulder and fisted her hands on her hips. “How could you kiss her like that?”

Understanding dawned on Char’s face. “Singy? She was doing most of the kissing.”

Brianna’s mouth dropped open. She snapped it shut.

“Most?”

Char combed his fingers through his hair. “Well, what was I supposed to do?”

“What were you supposed to
do
? You ass.” Jerking her eyes around the room, she spotted a small vase of flowers sitting on a nearby table. One step had her next to it.

Char ducked as it flew by his head, shattering on the wall behind him.

“Damn it, Brianna…” He was faster than she was and wrapped his arms around her.

“Don’t you ‘damn it’ me! You’re the one who…”

“Kissed somebody else. So?”

“So? So!”

Brianna struggled in his arms, but he refused to release her.

“Brianna, stop, you’ll hurt yourself.”

She jabbed an elbow into his ribs then cursed when it hurt.

“How could I possibly hurt myself? You’re the one holding me.

Let me go!”

“Only if you promise not throw anything else. Why did you throw that vase?”

“Why? Why!”

Confused, Char stared into her face.
She thinks I should
know why she’s throwing this temper tantrum. Is it just because
I kissed Singy? What of it? She’s a past bed partner. I couldn’t
just snub her.
Then he thought about the kisses from her point of view.
And how is she supposed to know that? All she’s heard
for months is how promiscuous Drakians are. She doesn’t
understand.

Sure now that he understood why Brianna was upset, Char released her, slowly—with an apology. “I’m sorry, Brianna. I forgot you’re not Drakian.”

“And what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?”

“Tea? China? I don’t understand.”

Brianna crossed her arms over her chest and glared.

Grateful that she was no longer searching for things to throw, Char continued, “Singy isn’t a stranger. She’s a past bed partner. I couldn’t just snub her. Mother taught me better manners than that.”

Brianna’s mouth fell open. His explanation was not what she expected. “Past bed partner! Taught you better manners! You fucking asshole!” Whirling, she stomped into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Char heard the lock click.

“I never realized how incredibly stupid you could be, Cousin,” Ban commented from the doorway.

Char turned furious eyes on his Medirian cousin. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Ban indicated the door to the suite’s guest rooms with his chin. “I live here, remember? Haven’t you learned anything about Brianna? Do you ever listen to what she says?”

“Of course I listen to my wife,” Char snarled. “And our marriage is none of your business.”

“You won’t have a marriage if you keep kissing women and introducing them to Brianna as bed partners.”

“It’s been almost two years.”

Ban sighed. “Damn, but you’re dense, Char. I don’t know why I’m bothering to explain this to you.”

Sneering, Char snapped, “I don’t need any explanations from you.”

Ban’s own anger surged. “Damn it, Char, Brianna’s afraid.”

That pronouncement drained Char’s anger. “Afraid? Of what? Bakom can’t touch her here.”

“Don’t you ever think of anything besides Bakom? You no sooner walk in the front door than she sees you with another woman in your arms. Think. And remember, Brianna’s a Hardan princess now. If she wants to leave, I’ll take her.”

With those words, Ban strode past a now thoughtful Char and disappeared into his room.

Char turned and stared at the locked door that separated him from his wife. Jealous? Could she be jealous? A slow smile spread across Char’s face. His wife was jealous of another woman.

Brianna lay on the huge bed, curled on her side, silent tears running down her cheeks. Meri had warned her about Drakians.

They jump from bed to bed to bed. Char was no different. He only married her to protect her from Bakom. If she hadn’t gotten pregnant, he would have divorced her. She was just another one of his “bed partners”. All she had to look forward to was a broken heart. Brianna stiffened at her own thoughts. A broken heart? Oh God, she loved him.

A soft knock. “Brianna, it’s Meri. Let me in. I brought you something to eat.”

Brianna’s stomach rumbled.

“If Char thinks he can use you to get me to open the door, he’s crazy!” she shouted.

“He’s not here, Bri.”

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks as Brianna squeezed her eyes shut. He probably went back to—her.

“Brianna, are you all right? Please open the door. I’m worried about you.”

After fingering her tears from her cheeks, Brianna pushed herself off the bed and stumbled to the door. A quick turn of her wrist, and it was unlocked. Meri entered followed by Beti, who carried a tray filled with covered dishes.

Setting the tray on the table next to the bed, Beti bowed her head and left.

Brianna’s stomach growled again.

A half-hearted smile appeared on Meri’s face. “Well, you can’t feel too bad if you’re hungry.”

Brianna glared at her friend. “There’s nothing to joke about, Meri.”

“Well, there’s nothing to pout about either.”

Brianna’s nostrils flared and two red splotches appeared on her cheek. “Pout! Do you know what he told me? He slept with her!”

“I doubt that they did much sleeping,” Meri answered dryly.

Brianna gaped. “Meri! Whose side are you on?”

“Yours. That’s why I’m here.”

Brianna’s shoulders slumped. “Well, it sure doesn’t sound that way.”

Meri picked up Brianna’s hand and squeezed it. “Were you a virgin with Char?”

Brianna wiped tears from her cheeks with the other. “You know I wasn’t.”

“Then how can you hold his past against him?”