“Your sister?”
“My twin, specifically. I am assuming she has the relevant requirements. It is not something one generally asks people, not even siblings. If not, then I shall have to search elsewhere for someone suitable.”
Hamish frowned at the ceiling. He had attempted to follow along with the explanation, but his trail of thought must’ve snagged somewhere along the way. “You want to impregnate your sister?”
His lover sat bolt upright, almost clocking Hamish with his head. His face was a mask of utter disgust. “I— Th-that’s the… v-vilest…” he babbled in Udynean. He shook himself, brushing his torso as if bugs crawled over him. “No. Most certainly not. I intend to have Anjali carry our child, if she is amenable. The procedure is not without risks, but I trust her with my life.”
“I’m nae sleeping with your sister.”
“No, I—” Darshan grumbled and muttered to himself under his breath. “This is why I wanted to wait until we were back at Minamist. There are people who could explain this a lot better than I. Suffice to say, the process uses magic. You are correct there. It allows two people—of whichever combination of genders those people happen to be—to merge their bloodlines.” He scooped up Hamish’s hand, linking their fingers. “There are but a few who know all the finicky details on how it actually works, but I figured it was worth a try.”
He ran his thumb across Darshan’s. “You want to risk the future of having a bairn—your heir—to an experimental procedure? How many have been successful?”
Darshan shrugged. “All I know is that it started in Niholia with Tsarina Galina. She has a wife and is rather devoted to the woman. It took some years, but her people found a way for them to have a child that shared their blood. After the method was discovered, others followed. All women at first, but they eventually found a way for it to work with men.”
Making bairns with magic. Hamish gnawed on the inside of his lip. The priests attributed such creations to the Goddess’ will. To depose her decree…
He frowned. Were they? Niholians had their own deities. Perhaps one of them had led the way to this discovery? If the gods didn’t want spellsters meddling, then surely they’d the power to stop them.
His lover eyed him, the faint flicker of uncertainty tightening his eyes and thinning his mouth. “Understand that I have no actual idea how viable it is. I hear the method for fusing the essence of two women is relatively stable, but two men?” He shook his head. “I am uncertain of the risks. I have kept all this to myself because I am attempting to dedicate my attention to the trials. I do not wish to lose you.”
“And when your position demands an heir from you?” Hamish mumbled, still drawing the threads of their conversation together. “We do it via… magic? No sex with a woman required?”
“None at all.” Darshan patted his hand. “But let us worry about one thing at a time. After can come… Well…” He offered a soft smile and a shrug.
“…after,” Hamish finished, his gaze drifting to the window. The once dull glow of dawn had grown larger whilst they had talked. “I should leave,” he mumbled, slithering his feet over the edge of the bed. “Get dressed. Let you catch a few winks.”
“Actually, it is about time for me to depart for my tent.” Darshan followed Hamish in standing. His lover paused in shrugging into his sherwani to rise up on his toes and plant a kiss on Hamish’s cheek. “No matter how the trial goes, I swear I shall not leave you in a loveless marriage. Even if I have to steal you away.”
Hamish chuckled. “Let’s hope it doesnae come to that.” The last thing they needed was an angry clan on their tail.
“Your secret will be out today, mea lux,” Darshan whispered. “Are you ready for the world to know?”
His throat tightened. Only a scant handful outside his family was aware he liked men. Putting himself in a position for everyone to learn the truth was certainly a step up. A boulder-sized step. “Aye. As long as it means I’ll still have you at the end of the day, I’m ready.”
I’m so nae ready for this. Hamish strode back and forth in what little space he had within the tent walls. His stomach bubbled. He hadn’t expected to be so far from the castle, but the archery range had been deemed unsuitable. At least, as far as his mother was concerned.
She had arranged for a single target set in a nearby field. A decision she had apparently come to whilst he had been dreamlessly sleeping at Darshan’s side.
Less of a chance for tampering. That had been her excuse upon his query. By who and how, Hamish still couldn’t figure out. Did his mother think the woman who had snuck her way into his bed last night would stoop to other means? Or was she afraid Darshan would intervene?
His mother was out there right now, addressing the crowd, ensuring the clans and their competitors knew the rules.
“Will you stop pacing?” Gordon grumbled. Only his brother shared the tent, the rest having left to wait upon a temporary stage placed at the foot of the field. “You’re giving me anxiety just watching you.”
Outside, his mother continued to address the crowd, her muffled words failing to cut through his silent terror. Darshan already stood with the other competitors, waiting. Likely hoping no one would look too closely at him.
All whilst Hamish was forced to linger in here for the chance to gain his freedom.
“I cannae just sit here.” Everything hinged on this one chance. If he failed to grasp the arrow as Darshan loosed, then it was over. “Was this how you felt when Muireall competed?”
A small, sad smile
