Luther's Pride Part 23

“So it’s true?” The priestess asked, staring at Jo. 

Jo nodded. “It’s true. I married Lord Le Fey last night after he married Helena.” 

Helena and Luther looked aside at one another and returned their gaze to the two priestesses facing one another. Their builds were nearly identical in their posture and training, but their faces couldn’t be more different. The dark-skinned young woman who’d entered was the temple official Wulfric summoned for the union ritual, which was necessary since Jo had to participate as a member and not the ritual singer. 

The priestess huffed in response and glared at Luther. 

Luther looked to either side of him, double-checking there was no one behind him the priestess was directing her ire at. No, it was him. He smiled softly and deduced what was going on. 

“I take it you two… used to see one another?” Luther asked. 

The priestess didn’t answer. 

“We discussed a union, but Priestess Sune didn’t wish to bind herself to me.” Jo said. “So we dissolved.” 

Luther nodded. Such things happened all the time. Courtship and romances were normal and even plentiful. The only question remaining was whether the break was mutual, and judging by the anger in Sune’s gaze, she had more to say than she was willing to before her current audience. Still, Jo had made her decision, and as her new spouse, it was Luther’s job to support her. 

“Well, I’ll understand if you don’t wish to complete the ritual. We can send for another official.” Luther said, apologizing with his bow. 

“It’s fine.” Sune snapped. “I’m honored to conduct the ritual for you, my Lord.” She turned her glare to Jo, then swept the room for anyone else wearing the white robes. She spotted the twins and turned to Luther again. “Sisters?” 

“Twin sisters, yes.” Luther said. He knew the binding ritual required sex, but it wasn’t as if the siblings had to have sex with each other. They simply had to share the same partners. There was no incest, even if the empire was less strict about such things than other locales. “I know it’s uncommon, but sororate marriages are perfectly legal, or so my solicitor tells me.” 

Criella stepped out from behind Luther as if she’d be standing there the entire time, causing Sune to take a step backward in surprise. If her reaction bothered Criella as much as it did Luther, she showed no sign of it. She smiled and dipped her head in a bow. “Priestess Sune.” 

“Criella.” Sune’s eyes narrowed. 

“You two know each other too?” Luther asked. 

Criella laughed. “Not in the same way.” 

“Definitely not.” Sune said, her tone harsh. 

Luther frowned. 

Criella placed her hand on his arm, a familiar gesture that neither Jo nor Helena missed as they glanced at her palm on their husband’s upper arm. 

“Luther and I are old friends.” She said, explaining to Sune. “His father practically raised me.” 

“Yes, I’m aware of your patronage from the former Lord.” Sune said, not returning Criella’s bow. She turned to face Luther. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to speak with the brides.” 

“Not until you return Criella’s courtesy.” Luther said, his voice harsh. 

Sune’s frown deepened. 

Criella turned to Luther, her hand squeezing his arm. “It’s fine, Lord Le Fey. There’s no need to dwell on civilities between Sune and I.” 

Luther glared at Criella, who held his gaze without flinching. The fire between them made Jo’s eyes widen in recognition. The moment passed, and Criella was the first to bow. She stepped away, took a step back, and disappeared among the shelves, removing Sune’s need to bow. 

Sune bowed to Luther instead, then departed, marching to the brides-to-be. 

“What was that?” Helena asked, looking at Luther and whispering. “Are you and Criella…” 

“I’ve asked her to marry me several times, she refuses.” Luther said. “I’ll not hide it.” 

Jo nodded. “We know, but it’s her decision, my lord. We’ve no objection to Criella, of course, but…” 

“I expect this union to remain unfrayed.” Helena said. Her meaning was clear. The purpose of the union was the strength between its members. The strength of the union required unity and proximity in flesh to establish and maintain the bond in spirit. They were forever a part of each other now, but the strength of their bond could wax and wane, even if death was the only thing that could break it completely. Sleeping with those outside the marriage bond, without permission or participation, was considered taboo by most and unforgivable by some. 

Luther sighed. “I honor my vows.” 

Helena nodded. Jo nodded. The three of them relaxed. 

“I knew you liked her. But that… I didn’t know you’d already crossed lines with her.” Helena said. “I apologize, husband. My jealousy was uncalled for.” 

Luther hugged her. “It’s fine.” He said. “Criella and I have a lot of history. It’s reasonable for you to be jealous of that. We’ll have our years together yet.” 

“Yes, we will.” Jo agreed and joined the hug. The three of them could feel the press of their bodies through the thin white silk robes. 

Sune rang the gong, and they took their positions for the ceremony. The Verdell family watched from the floor. The other guests watched from the balconies above, gazing down on the ceremony and its participants as they circled each other. Sune stood at the top of the circle, with Eira, Rhosyn, Luther, Helena, and Jo completing the arc from her left to her right. They raised their hands together as they faced each other. 

“We gather to join these souls in union, now and forever!” Sune’s voice echoed against the stone floor. 

The guests cheered, raising their fists in celebration. The participants lowered their hands, joining them in the middle. 

“Helena Cerul, Priestess Jowangshin, Luther Le Fey, Rhosyn Verdell, and Eira Verdell. You join this union freely and unpressed?” Sune asked, glancing at Jo. 

“I do.” The five of them said together. 

“You are sober and of sound mind?” Sune asked. 

“I am.” They said together. 

“You understand the permanency of this ritual and will endure no matter what hardship may lay ahead?” Sune asked. 

“I will.” The five said without hesitation. Eagerness, rather, tinted the chorus of their voices. 

Branan coughed a single cough but loud enough to be heard. 

“You wish to be bound together in body, mind, and soul?” Sune asked. 

“I wish.” They said together. 

“Your partners consent to this union, and can anyone here provide any reason why these five should not be wed?” Sune asked. 

Silence filled the library. Luther had half expected Branan or one of his tribe to protest at his marrying the sisters. The unconventionality was novel and seemed an easy objection to delay the proceedings and weaken a potential enemy. Then again, Branan had proven himself overconfident or less cunning and did not take every opportunity for an advantage. 

“Very well.” Sune said and raised her hands toward the heavens. The participants raised their hands, uniting them in the circle. The song left Sune’s throat in a surprisingly low alto, her register somewhere between Jo’s and the much older priest’s from the night before. 

It was strange for Luther to think of this as his third wedding in two days. Twenty-four hours ago, he had no partners. Now, four partners stood beside him. The song turned quick and joyful, and Sune’s pronunciation of the ancient language produced a vibrant hum in the air. Sune untied Helena’s sash first as she sang, followed by Jo’s, Luther’s, Eira’s, and Rhosyn’s. The silk fell away to reveal their bodies. The pale skin of the twins bloomed ruddy with heat. Luther, Helena, and Jo couldn’t help but observe the similarities and lack of differences. 

There was no shame between them. The ritual demanded their nakedness, and they joined as willing participants worthy of celebration.

The twins, in turn, took stock of the bodies before them. Rhosyn’s eyes lingered between Luther’s legs. She’d seen him before at the weddings, but never so close and foreboding. Eira’s eyes lingered on Helena’s ample breasts before rising to see Helena’s smile greeting her. 

Sune continued the song, taking a step out of the circle and circling them from the outside. She knotted their sashes together, draping them over them and binding them together literally and symbolically as she sang. The magic between them swelled and pressed, pulling them toward the center of the circle. They embraced. Eira took to Helena’s and Jo’s arms, and Rhosyn moved to Jo’s and Luther’s. Helena and Eira kissed, and Rhosyn and Luther kissed. They changed partners, moving until Eira had kissed Helena, Jo, and Luther in turns. Rhosyn did the same. 

Their bodies lowered to the floor, in their embraces, and the tangle of limbs made it challenging to discern exactly who was touching whom. Eira focused her attention on Helena and Jo. Rhosyn kept her attention on Luther and Jo. Then they switched, grinding, groping, kissing. Luther slid inside Rhosyn to find her tighter than anyone he’d yet pierced. She gasped, and her moan joined the alto song surrounding them with its magic. 

A spot of blood dripped against the white silks enshrouding them from the guests, but Rhosyn smiled as she ground her hips against Luther on his back. 

Criella looked away and disappeared once more into the shelves. 

Eira took her sister’s place before long, and Rhosyn turned her attention to Helena, whose thigh was thick muscle between her legs. 

Eira winced as she descended onto Luther but threw her head back after completing her journey. His piercing through her hit the same resistance as Rhosyn’s, but she was more relaxed and better prepared. She shook above him and squeezed him inside her in a roll of her stomach and pelvic muscles that made Luther see stars. 

He lost count of who was where, but he felt the tether of connection surge between himself and Rhosyn and himself and Eira when they joined. Their presences lingered with him, and their power pooled with his, Helena’s, and Jo’s. The muscles in their bodies clenched and quivered, and as the song ended, they collapsed in a pile on the floor. Eira lay in Luther’s arms, Rhosyn in Helena’s, and Jo between the pairs, her arms trapped between them. 

Sune blanketed them with their robes, helping them to their feet. She sang the final note and raised her arms to the ceiling once more. “May the gods of heaven bless your union, and may you prove mighty!” 

“To your might!” Most of the guests chorused, though everyone lifted their fists toward the sky. 

Luther shook on his feet, his legs unsteady, but his breathing slowed as he held Eira’s hand in his. She looked at him, smiled, and winked at him. 

“To your union!” Bertilak cried, and the guests answered by repeating the cheer in riotous volume. 

The servants opened the doors to the library, and Luther gestured. “Please! Honored guests! Join us for a celebration of feasting and drinking! To celebrate this union and the safety it brings our humble valley!” 

There was a chorus of cheer, and the guests descended to the floor below to follow the servants to the dining hall, where the feast waited for them. They shook hands, hugged, clapped them on their shoulders, and generally congratulated Helena, Jo, Luther, Eira, and Rhosyn as they passed. The five newlyweds turned to take up the rear of the procession through the hallway, but Luther lingered behind. 

“Where… is Criella?” He asked. 

Helena and Jo searched the library’s balconies, looking for her, but none saw her. 

She left during the ceremony. Rhosyn’s voice echoed in Luther’s mind without leaving her lips. She’d kept her mouth closed when she ‘spoke,’ and Luther turned to her with his shock plain on his face. 

“You’re a…” Luther failed to remember the word. 

Psyomancer. Rhosyn supplied the missing word for him. 

“Psyomancer.” Luther said. 

Rhosyn nodded, then smiled. “Yes, husband.” 

Eira giggled, giddy at the phrase. “A diviner, a psionic, a brute, a geomancer, and…” She turned to face Luther, then raised an eyebrow. “Now that we’ve told you our gifts… will you tell us yours, husband?” 

Luther glanced at the doors, still open but with no one lingering. Fine food, and drink were difficult summons to deny when supplied by a refined but generous host. He sighed. He felt the pull of Eira’s power pull away from her as she used some of it, and her eyes fell on him with the weight of a truck.

Luther glanced around and swallowed. “The truth is–” 

“He’s a conduit.” Eira said, cutting him off.

The others looked confused.

“I’m not sure.” Luther said. “I’ve never shown any signs of an arcanum, but my father thinks–thought, I might be. Criella thinks so, too.” 

Helena, Jo, and Rhosyn slowly morphed their confusion into anger until they appeared ready to shout. Eira’s raised hand forestalled their wrath. 

“Go on, Luther.” Eira said. 

Luther frowned. “I know there’s not a proper term for it, or if there is, I don’t know it, but Criella thinks I’m a… conduit of sorts. Like King Annwyn out of the stories. She thinks I should be able to duplicate your arcana now that we’re bound by the union. We haven’t tested it.” Luther said. 

“Well, we’d better fucking test it.” Helena snapped. “Or we’re dead when Branan comes at us. I can’t believe you! I thought you had some secret power you were holding back this whole time.” 

“He does.” Eira interrupted whatever Luther was about to say. “He has many secrets and will reveal them in his time.” 

The others looked at Eira, then Rhosyn. 

Rhosyn glared at her sister, sighed, then shrugged. “She’s usually right.” 

Jo frowned. “We’ll discuss it later.” She said. “When our guests have left.” She pointed her finger in Luther’s face. “But I have half a mind to slap you across the face.” 

“I’d deserve it.” Luther said. 

Helena grumbled. “You’d better be right about your arcanum.” She said, pushing her finger into Luther’s sternum. “Or we’re dead. You know that, right?” 

Luther nodded. “I know. I’m gambling with my life here.” 

“Our lives.” Helena said. “You’re gambling with our lives. Not just your own. We’re in this together.” 

“We need to be honest with each other if we have any chance of survival.” Eira agreed with a glance at Rhosyn. “And we need to help Luther master his power. He’s newer to it than we are to ours.” 

Helena grunted. “I can teach you how I do my arcanum. It’s likely the easiest to learn.” 

Luther nodded. “Yes. But…” 

“After dinner.” Eira said, patting her stomach. 

“I might be able to help as well.” Rhosyn said. “Though I’ve never tried to link two minds without mine being one of them.” 

Eira took Rhosyn’s hand and Luther’s. Luther took Jo’s other hand. Helena took Rhosyn’s free hand. Together, they left the library. 

“If Branan doesn’t kill you, I might.” Helena said, looking over Rhosyn’s head to Luther. 

“Why do I have the feeling that your version of teaching me means sparring while you beat the crap out of me until I figure out how to stop you?” Luther asked. 

Helena smiled. “Because you’re smarter than you look.” 

“He’d have to be.” Jo said. 

Rhosyn and Eira giggled, still smiling as they entered the dining room. Luther smiled, too; whatever else had happened today, he was a newlywed, and there were certain expectations to fulfill.