Page 20 of Bound and Beguiled

I took a deep breath. “It was always assumed Franklin and I’d get married. Our mothers are best friends. I was never in love with him. I was just...weak.”

Emyr grunted in disagreement, but didn’t interrupt.

“Until you,” I darted my gaze around, including all four of the fae watching me so carefully, “I’d never been interested in anyone romantically. Or...desired them.” My cheeks felt like bonfires, and I rushed on. “I didn’t think I was capable of it. So it didn’t bother me that I wasn’t interested in Franklin that way. He’s successful, a friend of the family, and I thought he’d make a good partner.”

“What changed?” asked Efa, brushing her thumb across the back of my hand.

“We had sex.” The words were dull, and my eyes focused on nothing. “Everyone said it would get better.” I focused on the movement of Efa’s thumb, blocking out the shame. “It didn’t. And the more...dissatisfactory I was, the crueler he got.”

“Dissatisfactory my fat ass,” Mared bit off. “If I’d been more satisfied I would have woken up a dried-out husk.”

The sucking darkness ebbed with my laughter, and I leaned forward, kissing her gratefully. “Thank you. About that same time, Katarina hooked up with Sid and Fenn. I saw her happy and fulfilled, and thought, ‘Don’t I deserve a little of that?’ So, I broke it off with Franklin.”

“Fuck yeah,” Emyr cheered. Kynan squeezed him with his thighs, and he grinned as he pretended to lock his mouth.

“He didn’t take it well. He, our mothers, and the Keepers convinced me to give him one more chance. We went away for the weekend. We had sex. The whole thing was awful.”

“Did he—” Kynan started, a dangerous growl in the words.

“No.” I shook my head. “But nothing had changed. He refused to accept my decision and told everyone we were ‘working things out’.” I swallowed and forced myself to continue.

“A couple weeks later I found out I was pregnant. It shouldn’t have been possible. He’d been receiving the contraceptive blessing from the Keepers for over a year. He’dinsisted, said he didn’t want to put the responsibility on me.” My free hand curled into a fist on my thigh.

“I called him. Told him I refused to bear his child, that if he wanted it, he could carry it himself.”

“Hell yeah, you did!” Mared whooped.

Emyr peered at me. “Wait, you mean that literally! What the—how?!”

I blinked. “Ah, so...the Covenant dictates that the decision to create life is a binding contract. Family planning is taken very seriously, and abortion is forbidden. But in situations like surrogacy, or when the mother’s physical or emotional wellbeing is in danger from the pregnancy, Ymet can move the child to the other parent.”

The silence lasted for several heavy beats.

“How would he give birth?” Emyr asked, overcome by curiosity.

“In the usual human manner. Ymet changes both the internal organs and external genitalia. It’s pretty intense. I was surprised when he agreed. I should have trusted that doubt.” My eyebrows bunched at my own folly.

“This part I pieced together later. He told the Keepers I was experiencing psychological distress, and I was requesting sanctuary to keep from self-harm. He must have bought a hex or something, because one second I was parking the car, the next I woke up locked in a windowless room deep in the Temple.”

Curses broke out around me, the vicious snarls strangely comforting.

“It took a few hours to convince the Keepers I was cogent and didn’t consent to being there, but eventually they let me go. I immediately called Katarina, who was furious.”

“Rightly so,” growled Mared.

“She made me an appointment at a clinic a couple towns away. I threw a few things in a bag,”after that awful text from my mother, “and left. A few days later, I showed up here. You know the rest.”

“Is it obsession on his part? Does the fucker think he loves you?” Efa gritted out, rigid with anger.

“I’ve been thinking about that, and no. It’s more that he wants a wife and an heir. Ymet commands that we choose only one partner. I was willing to be celibate forever rather than be with him—” Emyr choked, and welcome amusement sparkled through me. “But he’s unwilling to be a shameless oath breaker like me. His whole life, his business, is tied up with being a faithful member of the Bound.”

“Shameless, hmm?” Kynan purred.

I squirmed. “He’s convinced everyone this was all a bid for attention. According to my mother, the binding ceremony is scheduled for next week. He’s ‘forgiven me’ for my bad behavior.” I rolled my eyes. “Without me, he can’t father a child or have a partner. Not openly, at least.” I had suspicions about his fidelity, but whatever poor girl had the misfortune to lie beneath him would never be his wife. He was as trapped by me as I’d been by him.

“Can the Keepers tell when someone’s lying?” Efa wondered, a considering frown wrinkling her eyebrows.

“Yes, but only in certain circumstances; like when someone must be questioned or testimony is in doubt. It’s a discrete ability, not something they do all the time. Why?” I asked.

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