Sins of Basilia (Shrouded Thrones Book 4) Read online

  “Do you not fear the same army seeking out my sister?”

  “No. Because of her actions, your kingdom has shunned her. She is not wanted any longer.”

  Tesher hung his head. His poor sister deserved better. He looked up again, only to find Carmela taking Imran’s hand.

  “I cannot thank you enough,” she said. “We will do all we can to stay invisible.”

  He covered her hand with his own. “You have always been special to me.” He stared at her and his mouth opened as if he intended to say more, but he snapped it shut again.

  “And you have always treated me with kindness. I will find some way to repay you, though at present, I have no access to funds.”

  “Speak not of compensation. You are my guests, and therefore, you shall not pay.” He stood and clapped his hands. “My servants will show you to your chamber.”

  Two young boys bustled into the room and bowed to the king.

  “Chamber?” Tesher asked. “One room?”

  The king fisted his hands on his hips. “If I am to hide you, it will be easier keeping you in a single chamber.”

  Tesher looked to Carmela for aid. She simply smiled, and he found himself speechless.

  “Show our guests to the gold room,” Imran said to the boys, “and tell no one of their presence.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” they said in unison.

  Carmela’s eyes glistened. “The gold room?”

  Imran reached out and helped her stand. “Only the best for you.” He kissed her hand, then motioned for her to follow the servants.

  She eagerly did so.

  The king spun on his heels and peered down at Tesher. “Do you wish to stay here, rather than with your beloved?”

  “No, but…” He scrambled to his feet. “Being alone with her may prove to be difficult.”

  “As I told you, nothing will happen to you here that you do not desire.” He curtly nodded. “Once you have settled yourselves, I will arrange for you to see your sister.” Without waiting for a response, the man strode from the room in the opposite direction of the others.

  Tesher had never been more conflicted. He had landed himself in a realm boasting ways in direct opposition to everything he had been taught. Being in hiding had become even more complicated.

  Yes, sharing a chamber with Carmela could render temptations, but he would not allow himself to succumb to the laws of the land.

  Chapter 14

  Carmela fingered the sheer canopy that encased their large bed, then lifted a portion of it, pressed it to her nose, and inhaled. “Everything here smells delicious. Somehow, there is a hint of cinnamon in this fabric.”

  She looked over her shoulder at Tesher, who hovered close to the shut door. “It is remarkable,” he mumbled without feeling.

  Perhaps she had been wrong to bring him here.

  She crossed to him and took his hand. “I know you are uneasy, but I promise, it is not as bad as it seems.”

  “Bad?” He released her and splayed his arms wide. “This room is exquisite. Every finery imaginable is within reach. Extra linens, towels.” He pointed here and there. “Oils for our skin, and even a gold chamber pot for heaven’s sake.”

  He moved to a table that had been filled with food, grabbed an apple, tossed it high in the air, and caught it again. The tall ceiling allowed his hefty throw. “Do you see all this food? Fruit, pastries, bread, dried meats. We have no need to leave this chamber.”

  “Is that not as it should be?” She wanted to calm him, but was unsure how.

  He yanked out a chair and sat. “I will go mad if I must endlessly enclose myself in a single room. Yet even if we are able to wander the halls of the castle, how can I, when at every turn, I see things that repulse me?”

  “Repulse?” She pulled her own chair from its place at the table and sat facing him. “What did you see that you found disagreeable?”

  His eyes widened, and he stared at her as if she were insane for asking. “Did you not see the same statues as I? And the bench upon which we sat—the king himself admitted what took place there.”

  “Tesher…” She reached for his hand and was relieved when he took hold. “Their ways are different than what you and I are accustomed to, but I do not fault them for their beliefs. Truthfully, I find the statues to be beautiful.” She glanced behind her. “Like those by our bed. Whoever crafted them was quite skilled.”

  “Why design them without clothing? I will not be able to rest with those body parts protruding toward me. Honestly, I had planned to reposition them and have them face the wall.”

  “So…it is the human body that repulses you?”

  “No!” He rubbed his temples. “It is the way in which they display it and so freely give it.” He licked his lips, then frowned. “I am no prude, but this place confuses me. I am constantly reminded of Angeline and her wicked enticements. How am I to not see this place as evil?”

  She got up, moved her chair beside him, and sat. “Angeline misled you and was wrong in doing so.” Her heart ached for him. She knew how it felt to be engulfed in Angeline’s hateful ways and offered comfort by once again taking his hand. “I assure you, these people are different. Their intentions are not evil.”

  “But they are opposed to all I believe. I confess, it troubles me that you seem so at ease here. Are your beliefs not those of mine?”

  She gently stroked the back of his hand. “I worship the one true God as you do, and I have no intentions of lying with anyone except my husband.” The instant she said it, every bit of tension seemed to melt from his body. His shoulders relaxed, and he breathed much slower.

  “I was afraid…” He shifted toward her. “I do not wish to lose you.”

  “You will not.”

  “Can you therefore explain why you are not uncomfortable here?”

  She smiled and nodded. “You cannot imagine all the questions I had after coming to Issa the first time. Father explained things sternly and told me to learn from what I saw and heard. He insisted our ways were righteous and proper, and our God was the only God. I never challenged that fact and have always felt assured in my faith.”

  “So, why did he allow you to return?”

  “I was quite surprised when he did, time and again. Whenever I was to go to Issa, Father took me aside and told me that while there, I was to hold my head high and remind myself I was better than every Issan alive. My brothers spent more time in the village than in the castle. They claim never to have partaken of the women, merely to have observed, as Father had instructed them as well.”

  “It makes little sense. Why was your father not more like mine, insisting distance be kept from the realm?”

  “I am uncertain. What I do know, is that I became friends with Imran’s children, and I enjoyed being here. I did not see the king on every visit, but when I did, he welcomed me. My visits became less frequent as I grew older. You see…” This was not so easy to tell. “I was especially close to Wynne, who is a year younger than I. On my most memorable visit, she openly shared details of her first intimate encounter. At the time, I was fourteen, making her merely thirteen. Worse yet, she had coupled with her brother, Flint, and she spoke of it as the most wonderful thing anyone could do. I cared too much to scorn her, but the account troubled me, and I chose to distance myself.”

  Tesher’s face screwed together as if tasting something sour. “And you wonder why I am conflicted here? As much as Wynne’s revelation disturbed you, I could see you were happy to see her again.”

  “I disapproved of her actions, yet I never stopped feeling fond of her. So, yes, I was glad to see her, and I still am. Having you in my life has strengthened my resolve. I can be here, knowing I do not have to become a part of their ways. Wynne not only shared what she did, she also told me Flint was willing to have me as well, if I desired him. I was conflicted, believing if I declined him, she might think less of me. I thought that I, too, needed to lie with a boy, just to show her I was able. A silly notion, but one I c
annot deny having felt.”

  He stroked her cheek. “It must be difficult speaking of this. You are a complex woman with a heart of gold, and I treasure it.” His eyes peered deeply into hers. “Should I worry myself over Flint?”

  “Tesher.” She leered at him. “That was uncalled for.”

  “Forgive me. I am not concerned over you in this instance, but he, too, has a memory. I do not want him to feel he is free to offer once more that which was previously declined.”

  “He will not. Everyone here knows I am yours alone.” She eagerly kissed him, and within moments they wrapped their arms around each other and the kisses intensified.

  Being surrounded by provocativeness had affected them both.

  Tesher pulled back, breathing heavily. “How are we to stay true to our beliefs while bound together in a single chamber?”

  “If we are indeed outcasts, perhaps we, too, should marry, just as Pasha and Yakar intend.”

  “Has this place affected your memory? I am not of age.”

  “Here, it matters not.” She kissed him again and he enthusiastically reciprocated.

  It would seem she had succeeded in ridding him of his glum disposition and unease. A giggle escaped her and forced them apart.

  “Why do you laugh?” His beautiful eyes sparkled.

  “I could not contain my joy. We may be in a world we do not understand, but we are together, you are well, and we are far from Angeline’s hateful hand.” She could not take her eyes from his handsome face. “There is more I must discuss with the king. I need to warn him of what I believe to be her intentions.”

  He stared at her like he wanted to capture her into himself. “It is best you go now,” he nodded toward the bed, “for I am tempted to lay you down. Once there, I doubt I could keep my actions to kisses alone.”

  “Out of love, Tesher, or has Issa enchanted you?”

  “I am bewitched, but not by this realm. It is your love that moves me to want for more.”

  She placed a soft kiss on his brow. “We should both go. You to your sister, and I to the king. First, we must change.”

  As she arose, a giddy lightheadedness caused her to sway. She easily righted herself and crossed to a large wardrobe. To her delight, she found it filled with assorted items of clothing, fitting of Issa.

  She removed a yellow tunic and held it up for Tesher to see.

  His face scrunched together. “Much too bright.”

  After thumbing through abundant garments, she found the perfect one. “Is this better?” She walked to him with the turquoise tunic in hand. “It will match your eyes.”

  “Am I no longer required to hide them?”

  “Within the walls of the castle, you are safe. If trouble comes, we will be alerted, and we will lock ourselves within our chamber. I am confident King Imran chose the gold room for its location. We are high in the castle and difficult to obtain.”

  “That we are. The many steps to reach it winded me, but then again, I hurriedly climbed them out of frustration.” He took the clothing from her and smiled. “The needlework is exceptional, and the cloth lighter than our garments in Oros.”

  “It will feel wonderful against your skin.” She returned to the wardrobe and selected a red gown for herself. Unlike the heavy wool dresses in Thanwine, this one was made of silk and felt light as air.

  She untied the strings of the servant’s robe, anxious to don something so splendid.

  Tesher loudly cleared his throat.

  She giggled. “Forgive me. I was not thinking. Can you face the other direction while I change garments?”

  “I will do even better.” He stood and crossed the vast room, then positioned himself in front of the window. “We have the most incredible view.”

  As fast as possible, she shed the ugly clothes and wiggled into the red dress. “You can turn around now.”

  He faced her and froze. “I stand corrected. The sight before me surpasses all.”

  “Do not speak falsely, Tesher. My hair is in disarray and I have not washed my face in days. I must look awful.”

  His head shook slowly back and forth. “More beautiful than ever.”

  She rolled her eyes and pointed at the tunic. “Now you must transform. You will find trousers at the base of the wardrobe. I was unsure of your size, so I did not select them for you.”

  While he dressed, she took his place at the window. It truly offered a lovely view. Being seven floors up, they towered over the village. Most every brightly-colored cottage was in sight, as well as many people walking about.

  As often as she had come here, she had never stayed in this room. She had been told it was used for the king to court potential lovers, far away from the bedchambers of his wives. Yet that was merely a story, or so she thought.

  “I am ready.”

  She pivoted and delighted to see Tesher looking more like himself. Princely and fine. “The color is perfect and does bring out your eyes.”

  He extended his hand, and she took it, then they left the room. Returning to it tonight could prove to be an entirely new challenge.

  “Tesher!” Pasha rushed across the floor and embraced him. “King Imran told me why you are here. I am sorry for your difficulties, but I am overjoyed you have come!”

  He held onto his sister longer than he ever had before. They had been closer than he and Marni, yet had not had a decent conversation in more than a year. He had been too preoccupied with other things, and he had essentially ignored her.

  Yakar strode toward them. “Good day, Prince Tesher. I, too, am sorry for the circumstances which brought you here. But if your presence pleases my love, I, too, am delighted.” He moved closer to Pasha, then draped an arm over her shoulder and gently pulled her away.

  She immediately encircled his waist.

  Tesher studied the pair, not at all convinced of their love. At least, not on the part of Yakar. He carried himself with great arrogance, and his tone had been condescending. However, Pasha’s eyes shone bright every time she looked at him—similar to the way Carmela’s lit up in his presence.

  He decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and chose to be respectful to the man. “Issa is remarkable. Carmela and I do not know what we would have done, had we not come here. Our choices were limited.”

  Pasha’s brows dipped in. “Are the rumors about you and Carmela true? Did you lay with her?”

  “No. I have treated her with the utmost respect.”

  Yakar laughed. “I will never comprehend your silly ways. Why would lying with a woman you love be disrespectful?” He tightened his hold on Pasha. “Are you saying you disapprove of what we did and continue to do?” His tone grew even more hateful.

  Since Tesher had nowhere else to go, he needed to speak with caution. If the young prince—one-day, king—held hostility toward him, he would likely find himself in the streets. “If you indeed love each other, I do not fault you for your actions. That being said, because of your hastiness in bedding my sister, she is forever shunned by our people. Pasha is honorable and it pains me to know she cannot return home.”

  “You speak boldly.”

  “I was told I am allowed to express myself freely in Issa.”

  Yakar pointed at a chair, and Pasha dutifully hurried to it and sat. The sight sickened Tesher.

  “From my understanding…” Yakar widened his stance and crossed his arms. “…You yourself cannot go back to Oros.” He smirked. “Actually, let me rephrase that. You are unwilling to return there out of fear of your father’s reprimand. A sound spanking perhaps?”

  “Why do you provoke me?” Tesher matched his rigid posture. “I was led to believe you have a good heart, and yet, from the moment we began to converse, you have spoken down to me as if I am beneath you. If you marry my sister—”

  “When I marry your sister,” he interjected.

  “Very well, when you marry her, you and I will become brothers. Currently, we are both princes and of the same status. Because you have treated m
e so rudely, I can only assume I have done something to offend you.”

  Yakar looked at Pasha, snapped his fingers, then jerked his head, beckoning her to his side again. She was next to him before Tesher had time to blink.

  “Yes, you offended me,” Yakar snarled. “You criticized your sister and the choice she made in giving herself to me. Do not shame her again.”

  Pasha lowered her head, rested it against Yakar’s shoulder, and clung to him.

  The shameful prince had caught her in his web. Yet now that he had spoiled her, no other man would have her.

  Tesher swallowed hard. “Did you seduce her?”

  “Excuse me?” Yakar leered at him.

  Pasha whimpered, but otherwise kept silent and made no remark.

  “You heard me plainly,” Tesher said. “Did my sister willingly go to your bed, or did you entice her—perhaps give her so much wine, she knew not what she was doing?”

  Yakar’s hand flew up, seemingly to strike, but Pasha grabbed hold of it before he could. “Please, Yakar, do not be angry.” She lifted her head and looked straight at Tesher. “Truthfully, I seduced him, so make no more accusations. I understand you only mean to protect me, yet I assure you, I have never been happier.” She smiled, then gazed up at her beloved.

  Yakar took her chin in his hand and kissed her. Not a simple, friendly kiss by any means. As their contact progressed, his tongue probed her as if searching for her throat. She whimpered once more in a much different manner.

  “When are you to be married?” Tesher spoke louder than necessary, hoping to stop them from proceeding to other things.

  Pasha somehow managed to remove Yakar’s lips from hers, but he shifted them to her neck and continued devouring her.

  “When the moon is full,” she panted.

  “You follow our laws?”

  The question stopped Yakar altogether, and his head popped up. “The choice has nothing to do with your laws. I agreed to the day to gratify Pasha. She will become Issan and abide by our statutes.”