Carnal Rites by Ines Johnson (learn to read books .TXT) 📕

hand had ever strayed. He thought of Jaspir, whose hands had strayed, but who’d never allowed another to touch his heart. He thought of Merlyn, who'd allowed Liam's kisses, Liam's touches, but her eyes had always sought Jaspir's.

Liam had been having a bad day before, but it went from bad to dismal at this new revelation. Even if Merlyn came back to him somehow, she would never love him. Lust for him, maybe, if he were lucky.

Liam looked once more at the manservant whose eyes locked onto the door where his Mother and her current lover must now lay exhausted in each other's arms. Liam backed away and out of the house. He began down the steps but stopped when he saw a man approaching him. The man had skin the color of bronze and light brown eyes. His face was grave.

"Lord Liam?"

"Yes?"

"My name is Emet. I've been searching for you all day. I'm a friend of Jaspir's. He needs you."

19

They'd stripped him bare. Gone were Jaspir's fine silks and high quality cotton, which had covered his body for the last few years. In its place was polyester, the fabric of his youth when he was a discard with nothing of his own. The cloth humiliated Jaspir more than anything else.

Many familiar faces packed the gallery. Men from The Stallion looked on, partly with glee at his fall, partly from fear that it could've easily been them sitting before a Justice.

A small group of women sat apart from the men. Many of these faces were also familiar to Jaspir. They all surrounded Lady Myra, whose shoulders shook with the gravity of false accusations. Jaspir watched the women coo at her with wide eyes, and then sneak lascivious glances at him from beneath their lashes.

Jaspir looked away. His eyes caught the light. There to his right sat his brothers. It was the first time they'd all been together in the same place in over five years. Jian had a comforting hand on Adom’s back as they both leaned forward to listen to Emet.

Emet and the man known as the Male Voice conferred in low voices. The two men turned, in time, to Jaspir with heavy expressions. The Male Voice's face sank with the gravity of the situation, Emet's hardened to steel.

Emet nodded once to Jian and Adom. Those two mirrored his look, as though they didn't see the insurmountable odds facing them. Moisture pricked the edges of Jaspir's eyes. His throat constricted at the sight of those three men. No matter what the outcome of today's events, this was a moment he'd hold dear for the rest of his days, wherever he might spend them.

Emet made his way over to the table where the Peace Officers had placed Jaspir.

"I have bad news," Emet said. "And I have worse news."

"Go on."

"We won't be able to recoup your funds."

"Is that the worse news?" Jaspir asked.

"Depends on your perspective." Emet inclined his head towards Lady Myra. "She's offered to drop the charges."

"If?"

Emet sighed. "You know what if."

Jaspir looked over and saw her. Lady Myra was surrounded by a number of mature women, some of whom Jaspir knew intimately. They cast him thunderous looks in unison, but as he looked at each one in turn their eyes softened. None of them believed her. Jaspir's eyes caught Lady Myra's, a smile of desire played at the edge of her lips. Jaspir looked away.

"I saw that," Emet said. "You could undo all of this with a few minutes alone with her behind closed doors."

"It would never be a few minutes," Jaspir said. "It would be the rest of my life. That's all that I have left. My free will." He'd lost his dream home. After this, Merlyn could ever come near him again. "I won't give it up without a fight. Let's get on with it."

Lady Myra's case was simple. She had been seduced away from her husbands by Jaspir. Then, once he got her out from under her mates' protection, he'd conned her and demanded more money and gifts from her. She'd gone to The Stallions that fateful night to break it off finally, when Jaspir became incensed. She'd tried to leave, but when she pulled away from him, he'd struck her down.

"I tried so many times before to break it off with him, but..." Here she broke down. The women in the peanut gallery murmured their pity. When finally Lady Myra composed herself, she continued. "I simply wanted to try and live a virtuous life in the name of the Goddess. But he would not let me leave."

"You were trying to leave?" her lawyer prompted.

"Yes, I was at the door. I pulled away from him." The waterworks started again.

Lady Myra's lawyer handed her a tissue. "I know this is difficult my lady, but your testimony will ensure this scoundrel never hurts another female again." The lawyer cut her eyes at Jaspir.

"I pulled away from him," Lady Myra lied. "But he reached out and struck my face."

"That's not possible."

The shout came from the audience behind them all. It was a male voice. Jaspir knew that voice. He turned and the first thing he saw was that mop of red hair. Liam's green eyes were narrowed, a frown on that strong face. His shoulders were drawn back, one arm raised, a finger pointing indignantly at Lady Myra.

"Order," the Justice intoned.

"But it’s not mathematically possible," Liam insisted.

The Justice banged her gavel again. "We will not hear testimony from the audience."

"This is one of my experts, Madame Justice." Emet motioned for Liam to come forward.

Lady Myra stepped down with the help of one of the Peace Keepers.

Liam stood, slightly bewildered. His eyes met Jaspir's. He straightened his spine once more and marched forward. He took the seat and sat straight like the noble first son that he was.

"Your name, my lord?" Emet began.

"Liam of the House..." Here he stumbled over his words.

Jaspir assumed he hesitated to name Lady Regyn's house so that he kept the family out