a Pleasure Rites, #1 by Ines Johnson (top ten books of all time TXT) 📗

brushing, brows drawn in. "Every man worships women. They are sacred."

"That's not what I mean," said Chanyn.

Now, Tem and Rianald mirrored Clent's look of incomprehension.

"I mean... well..." Chanyn decided to just come out with it. "He's gay. Isn't he?"

The men took their glances off Chanyn and looked at each other to see if one of them understood this strange, wild creature who remained an uncultured, ignorant thing, even after they painted over her rough canvas.

"Dain and Khial... they're... together." She felt her face heating.

"Right," Tem nodded, appearing glad they were speaking the same language again. "Lord Dain and Lord Khial are a bonded pair."

"So, maybe they aren't interested in having a female?"

The three men laughed at that.

"Every male pair bond, every individual man, dreams of having a woman," said Rianald.

Tem and Clent nodded.

"It’s a dream that most men will never attain," Rianald continued.

"Especially thirds," said Tem.

"Thirds?" Chanyn asked.

"Third sons," Rianald answered. "Female births are rare since the Great Destruction. The majority of women have sons. First sons are first in line for female partners. Second sons rarely bond with a female. They typically go into trade, in service of women. And third sons..." Rianald shrugged and let the sentence trail off.

"Lord Dain and Lord Khial are first sons," said Clent.

First sons. So, that meant they were in line for a female.

Tem adjusted a fold in Chanyn's dress. "Lord Dain is very wealthy—"

"Very wealthy," Clent emphasized.

"And Lord Khial is very high born—"

"Very high born."

But then, "Why haven't they married a woman?" asked Chanyn.

Tem drew in a breath, but then abruptly shut his mouth.

Clent scrunched up his nose as though the words were having a struggle in his head. None came out.

Rianald looked at Chanyn, testing the weight of his words. "They've both had some family... difficulties that some women might find... hard to contend with."

The hair on the nape of Chanyn's neck perked up from its carefully brushed place. "What kind of family difficulties?"

Tem and Clent exchanged another look. She'd seen Dain and Khial do the same during the drive into the city. That look, Chanyn was coming to understand, belonged to a long mated couple.

Rianald didn't flinch from Chanyn's questioning eyes. His face softened into a smile. That smile let Chanyn know that whatever the "difficulties" experienced by Dain and Khial, all three menservants stood loyal behind their employers.

"That is information that you should hear from your bondmates," Rianald said.

Chanyn's heart sped up at the renewed idea of being a part of Dain and Khial's bond. But she shook her head. "They haven't asked me to be a part of their bond."

Now all three men smiled a knowing smile at her reflection.

"In that dress," said Clent.

"With that hair," said Tem.

"And that body," said Clent.

"You'll be spoken for before the third meal," Rianald finished.

Chanyn wasn't so sure. She thought back to Dain as he lay in her mother's bed tracing lazy circles on Khial's back while gazing openly at her. She thought of all the easy smiles, brief touches, and easy conversations they'd had in the span of a day. She thought of last night and how he came to her defense against his horrible uncle. Then she glanced once more at her own reflection.

Chanyn stood, spine straight, shoulders back, head up. "Where do you suppose I would find Lord Dain, right now?"

Rianald directed Chanyn toward the first floor, to a door at the end of the long hallway. She wobbled as she made her way down the stairs. Chanyn had seen pictures of heeled shoes. They looked lovely in the photographs and illustrations. They made her own strong legs look elegant and long. But she was sure the wobbling wasn't attractive.

Luckily, she didn't have to walk very far, and she didn't have to run any longer. Nothing chased her here. She was barely allowed to do much for herself. The manservants fetched her drinks before she noticed being parched. They brought her food before her stomach thought to grumble. When she'd had to use the restroom she was almost surprised they didn't insist on coming in behind her.

Women, they told her, were not meant to want for anything. Chanyn decided she enjoyed being an object of worship. She almost wished she had asked Rianald to be her walking stick as she made her way down the hall. But having been independent her whole life, Chanyn was determined to master the art of walking on the twigs of her new shoes.

She made slow progress.

As she got closer, Chanyn heard the most beautiful sounds emanating from the open door. Drawn by the sounds, she picked up her pace.

On the other side of the door, Chanyn caught the profile of Khial. His eyes were closed. His scowling face relaxed and vulnerable, like when he lay in Dain's arms after they made love. In one hand he held a curved instrument, in the other, a long stick.

No, it was called a bow. And the instrument was a violin. Chanyn had seen them in books, but she'd never heard the sound. The cries of the strings pierced Chanyn's heart and she wanted alternately to weep with joy and burst into a grin.

Khial appeared similarly affected. His eyes fluttered as he made the strings quiver. His lips would part when he pulled the bow long and drew out the sound. Chanyn couldn't decide what to watch. Khial's fingers or his face.

Finally, he pulled the bow to the end of its length and off the strings. He stood still for a long moment, until the vibrations fell silent. Chanyn felt trapped, feeling that she should escape such a private moment, but unable to move. She felt she'd caught him in the act of making love.

Again.

She remembered that when she'd caught them before, Dain welcomed her perusal.

"So, that's music," she said.

Khial stiffened. She expected him to turn toward her. Instead, he turned away and began putting his instrument away.

"That was the first time I've ever heard it," Chanyn continued.

It may have been her imagination, but she thought she