Page 29 of Lord of the Lone Wolf
“Indeed,” Kisano agreed, bending closer for a sweet kiss they both savored. “Though I imagine if Powers were aware of every intimate moment where their names were invoked, they would have little attention left for their actual duties, especially the Love and Fertility Powers.”
Sephen chuckled at the image. “Poor Liros. He’s probably trying to catalog knowledge while being bombarded with the thoughts of every nerdy scholar having a fantasy about him.”
“They likely have selective awareness,” Kisano suggested. “Perhaps focusing only on instances where the connection is sincere or meaningful.”
“Do you think ours would qualify?”
Kisano was quiet as he considered his answer. “Perhaps. Our relationship to him is unusual. Yours comes from your devotion to Liros and Reskin’s work as a scholarmancer of the Knowledge Power, while mine stems from my relentless pursuit of understanding. What unites us is the same passion for learning.”
The knot binding them together subsided, but Kisano made no move to separate their bodies, content to remain joined for as long as possible. Sephen appreciated the continued connection, both physical and emotional.
“Kizoshi’s been so direct about Kitsuki and Auslin having a trinity bond with someone. Has she hinted that the same might be possible for us?” Sephen asked.
Kisano hummed in indecision. “While she has always been very clear all members of the Ariake clan are fated to have more than one mate, she speaks to Kitsuki more directly about such matters, presumably because of his position as heir. With me, she is more circumspect.”
Sephen groaned when Kisano pulled out as he softened. As soon as Kisano settled in bed, Sephen flopped onto him to cuddle. “I wish she’d give us some of her infamous cryptic hints. All she’s told me is that I’ll meet him someday. But that could be a week or years away.”
“Then your paths will most certainly cross,” Kisano said.
“Ourpaths,” Sephen corrected with emphasis. “If I’m meeting him, so are you. It’s only fair.”
Kisano kissed Sephen’s forehead, hugging him closer with a contented murmur.
“What about Uncle Jaega?” Sephen asked. “If all the Ariake have more than one mate, why does he only have Fersen?”
“He believes it is because his first mate was Caprina, and Fersen is his second mate. So it is still true, although Caprina is no longer with us.”
They lay in comfortable silence for a while, watching the blue-tinted light shift and change as the sun continued its journey across the sky. The alcove felt different to Sephen now, charged with new meaning and possibility. What had begun as a private sanctuary for their pleasure had become a sacred space where they could forge a connection that transcended ordinary bonds.
After some time, Sephen spoke again. “Do you know when the last trinity bond was formed?”
“According to historical accounts, the last remarkable trinity bond formed after the Sundering, when Talwyn separated into a collection of kingdoms,” Kisano explained, shifting to maintain their comfortable position. “Three individuals worked togetherto preserve knowledge that would otherwise have been lost forever.”
“How have I not heard of this?” Sephen exclaimed.
“The records are fragmentary, as this occurred eons ago,” Kisano said. “The human member was named Orinth, a skilled scholarmancer with an extraordinary memory who could recall entire libraries of text after reading them only once.”
Sephen’s eyes widened. “That’s incredible. Was he born with that ability?”
“The texts suggest it developed after the trinity bond formed. Their connection enhanced his mind.”
Sephen traced idle patterns on Kisano’s chest. “Who were the others?”
“Palimirno was a fox shifter,” Kisano explained. “A wardmancer whose protective magic was unmatched in that age. He specialized in creating barrier wards between dangerous knowledge and those who would misuse it.”
“I didn’t know that was possible. Who was the Power?”
“Zenathir, who held the mantle of Knowledge long before Liros. The records describe him as being more involved in mortal affairs than most Powers.”
“Tell me more about their bond,” Sephen urged. “How did it work between them?”
Kisano’s mood became thoughtful. “Their trinity bond forged something greater than the sum of its parts, as Orinth’s human adaptability, Palimirno’s shifter instincts, and Zenathir’s vast Power-born wisdom each strengthened the others.”
“How so?”
“Orinth gained the ability to understand concepts far beyond what a mortal mind should have been able to comprehend,” Kisano said. “Palimirno’s protective magic grew to shield not only bodies but also minds. And Zenathir, despite being a Power, gained a deeper connection to the mortal experience through them, allowing him to preserve knowledge in ways that remained accessible to living beings rather than becoming too abstract.”
“That’s fascinating,” Sephen said. “Did Orinth’s lifespan extend to match the others?”
