AGE OF CARDIN: Book 2 - Circle Trilogy
Author: Leigh Jarrett
Genre: Epic Gay Romantic Fantasy
The empire's military has moved to Cardin, a desolate planet of
endless undulations of blistering, shifting sand. The palace stands alone
amongst a sea of battle-ready fleet ships. The Cardinian slave trade still
flourishing under the previous rule.
Prince Leozeuramun, now the ruler of Cardin, is anxious to bring an
end to the slave trade and return some dignity to his people, with his husband,
Sebastian, King of Mycea and High Commander of the Empirical Forces by his
side.
Sebastian is looking forward to beginning his life on Cardin with
Leo. His husband has been craving time alone with him, away from Sebastian's
relationship with King Meshia. More than anything else in his life, Leo's
happiness is paramount to Sebastian's existence.
Soon, discussions turn to ideas, and ideas lead to decisions, and
the concept of reinstating the once-powerful and technologically advanced
Cardinian Empire is borne.
Much to Leo's disappointment, this means Meshia will need to join
them on Cardin.
As enemies sharing the palace, Sebastian, Meshia and Leo must set
aside their differences to bring forth the rise of the Cardinian Empire and together
learn to wield the unprecedented triad bond that has connected them all.
Meshia
grunted at Leo and nodded, not wanting to commit to anything in specific. Sharing
was not in his nature. The source of his knowledge came from the destroyed
library in the Mycean palace. There were entire volumes of references to blue
prints of great ships. He had never been able to track down the blueprints,
though. The warships on Mycea, they'd had to develop themselves. And it seemed
Mycean engineers were not as clever as their Cardinian counterparts.
His disgruntled mood
changed to apprehension when plumes of sand dust rose from the floor, making it
difficult to breathe. As sand began pouring down from the ceiling in heavy
pockets, rapidly filling the room, he watched in morbid fascination as Leo, in
his attempt to reach Sebastian, was engulfed by an ocean of sand, disappearing from
view.
The sound of
Sebastian screaming in terror startled him. He had never heard such intense
anguish in Sebastian's voice before. An anguish he knew would never be equaled if he were the one
lost. Perhaps this was the answer. Let Leo perish so Sebastian would be his and
his alone—but he couldn't do it. Watching Sebastian, it tore at his heart to see
the man he loved claw at the sand, helpless, frantic, trapped near the
controls; his panic mounting as his repeated attempts to retrieve Leo using
spells failed.
Resigned, Meshia pulled
hard at the sand's weight and threw himself forward in an attempt to reach Leo.
His hands combed through the sand, searching, and finally made contact with
Leo's body. He was completely limp, and Sebastian's anxious sobs filled the
room as Meshia pulled Leo free of the sand, lifted him above its surface, and cradled
him in his arms.
He blew a breath
of air toward Leo, attaching a spell of his own, and Leo coughed, clearing his
lungs as he clung to Meshia's shirt, the sudden appearance of tears leaving
trails in the dust that covered his face; his pink tongue licking sandy lips.
"Meshia, I am
so sorry … about everything," Leo whispered hoarsely, then tucked himself
tightly against Meshia's neck and sobbed, his body shaking.
"It's all right." Meshia rubbed his thumb across Leo's cheek, attempting to wipe the steady stream of tears away. The act of affection caused Leo to look up, his breath catching as he sniffed and shook. "We'll work things out," Meshia added as he looked at Leo properly for what was probably the first time since they had met so many years ago. He studied Leo's teary, sand-encrusted eyes and the soft, dusty contour of his mouth. Sebastian loved this man. For reasons utterly unfathomable to him—but Sebastian loved him, and the thought of losing someone so important to Sebastian was too painful to even contemplate.
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