“Hard enough that he landed on his ass and skidded back about a foot,” Dra’Kaedan reported, snickering.
“Protector Roriethiel,” a female voice hollered.
“I should have never left the library today,” Rorie muttered as a pissed-off sioskallo rushed to them with a crying woman holding her hand.
“Where is the Noble Protector?” Sioskallo Christianti demanded.
“I know not. What is ailing your v’airsell nioll?” Rorie asked quietly.
“A man cupped her breast right in front of me. I had him placed under arrest, but the Noble Protector must do something.”
“The laws are in place again, Christianti.”
“It is likely your fault they were ever lifted. Not only is your v’airsell nioll not one of us, but your parents did nothing to protect the laws.”
Two setieons marched up to them. “Protector Roriethiel, the Noble Protector requests your presence in the siofllar’am.”
“We are going with you,” Christianti informed Rorie, who nodded woodenly in reaction. Renny glanced at Dra’Kaedan, who shrugged as the entire group fell into step behind the setieons. All around him, Renny could feel the fury vibrating through the poor people whose mates were being treated as if their soulbound partners were of no consequence.
As soon as they arrived in the siofllar’am, Renny saw distress on Drekkoril’s face and wondered if the bemollo had experienced the same complaints from mated pairs in the market and had retreated to safety.
“Noble Protector, my v’airsell nioll was assaulted,” Christianti announced.
“My apologies for the harm that has come to you,” Drekkoril told the woman, who was still sniffing while she leaned against her other half. “Many reports have reached the castle of similar issues. We have discovered that someone bespelled the drinks coming from the refreshment booths. Either it was a fairy who was playing a trick or someone who wished to test the constraints of the newly enacted laws by making every drinker at the mercy of their baser instincts.”
“Someone used an aphrodisiac spell?” Renny asked.
Drekkoril nodded. “Yes, the setieons are going to clear the market. We cannot have v’airsell niolls at the mercy of fairies and bemollos who are acting inappropriately. The aggressors will be locked up until the effects wear off.”
“This is the fault of Tizisan and Morashi,” Christianti accused. “They pushed every law of decency we possessed.”
Next to him, Rorie gasped as a series of holograms appeared around the elegant room. They showed a couple engaging in various sex acts. Aleksander and Brogan slapped their hands over their mates’ eyes as a couple that resembled Rorie climbed into bed with either one or two others, or in some cases in large orgies that happened in the same space that Renny had dined in for special events.
“I will not allow you to continue to walk around Sindrell pretending as if you are unaware how horrid your parents were,” Christianti snarled. “They did this to experience pleasure and to defile the very castle that has stood as a beacon to every Fae. It was exciting to them to perform for others but also to undermine the authority of Gonisa and Volzi, who could not get them to stop. How could they? They had no choice but to stay in the company of the very fairies who were trying to destroy thousands of years of culture because they craved power. They were invited to attend meetings here in the siofllar’am but refused to listen to any opinion that disagreed with theirs. Tizisan and Morashi were not interested in helping the Fae, only pleasing themselves. They have raised you to be the same.”
“Christianti, you may say what you wish about Tizisan and Morashi. I did not know them and cannot vouch for their characters,” Drekkoril stated, waving a hand and making the pornographic holograms disappeared. “I was not given Roriethiel’s memories, but I know what type of man he is. You are aware that he was never in the castle when the parties happened. He did not know of their actions or that they were done against the wishes of the Noble Protectors, if that is even the case. I apologize again for what has befallen your v’airsell nioll. You may exit the castle using the tunnels to bypass anyone remaining at the market. I suggest you stay in your home until word reaches you that everyone affected by the potion has been rounded up so everyone can remain safe until it wears off.”
“I still want the man punished who dared touch my v’airsell nioll.”
“I will not be dictated to, Sioskallo. Now go.”
Christianti was pissed off and stormed out. Renny could sympathize with her need to have justice. The woman she loved had been assaulted and was understandably upset by the traumatic experience.
“Did you know?” Rorie asked quietly. Renny put an arm around him and tugged him close.
Drekkoril said nothing. Lowering his eyes told Renny all he needed to know, but Rorie repeated his question, and by the third time his voice had risen to a yell.
“Roriethiel, calm down,” Drekkoril answered. “You already know my answer. Yes, I knew what things your parents did in the castle. You want the truth? They used every nearly every public room for their parties and not once the vast private suite Volzi and Gonisa had made for them. You want to hear that their bemollos tried everything they could think of to get them to act appropriately, but that your parents refused and only grew worse? It does not serve you to understand the truth.”
Rorie wrapped both arms around Renny, and he was crying as he burrowed his face into his chest. “I asked them why I had to leave each week,” he managed barely above a whisper. “I begged them to stay.”
“The rule in the castle on those nights was that any person inside, barring the Noble Protectors, was fair game. You were sent away, so you were not touched,” Drekkoril responded.
Lifting his head, Rorie’s wet eyes were confused. “I had not met my v’airsell nioll. I lacked sexuality.”
“Their friends were pushed to explore whatever pleased them. Many a Fae turned dark on those nights when they took someone by force.”
“That’s seriously fucked up,” Rafe snarled.
