Chapter Twenty-Eight: First ClaimThe first time she worked with them together, she expected them to stake a mutual claim. Instead, they just worked with her on strengthening her fire and water magic. Their goal seemed to be to train her to instinctively switch between each ability without even having to think about which would be better for a given situation.She was encouraged by their show of cooperation, and that they only occasionally argued, but was perplexed that they hadn’t pushed her to allow them to claim her. She was ready—more than ready after hours spent in their company, pressed close to both, surrounded by their scents, and fantasizing about both of them taking her simultaneously. Her frustration was reaching a fever pitch by the time a week had passed.When she met with them that afternoon in the water room where Marek had first taken her, she sensed something different right away. It wasn’t because they immediately assaulted her with magic, with Marek sending a blast
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Change of HeartThe ball was slightly better than some of the others, but she was still anxious for it to be over. It was approaching midnight, and the royals had yet to make their farewell speeches. She’d gotten more accustomed to keeping these late hours as their guest, but was currently resenting the demands on her time when all she wanted to do was surround herself with her guards to have a heartfelt and honest discussion about their future.She let out a breath of relief when quiet descended around the ballroom as the symphony abruptly stopped playing. The king and queen got to their feet, and trays of champagne circulated. She took one and put on a polite smile, preparing for a political speech. At least she was certain King Arlo and Queen Tempest actually liked her though, unlike the Drakkens, who’d seemed to merely tolerate her presence.“You all know we’re here to bid farewell to our favorite guest, North Campbell.” At the king’s words, the assemblage bur
Chapter Thirty: Second ClaimIt was quiet as the party eventually broke up in the early hours of the morning. North walked beside Eamon and Orin, with Eli bringing up the rear, and Ryland, Marek, and Kriss moving in strategic places around her. They were all a little tipsy, but she was certain her men were as alert as ever. Eli hadn’t looked at her throughout the evening, and she was conscious of the slight.When they reached her room, they walked her inside, and she was the last one through. North locked the door behind them, and they frowned as they turned to her. She leaned against it, as though forming a barrier with her body. Eli appeared resistant, while the others were either intrigued or slightly befuddled. Orin had a gleam in his eyes that was difficult to read, but he seemed eager to hear what she had to say. Only Marek and Kriss looked completely amused, so they must’ve guessed what her plan was.“I’ve made my decision.”The four of them stiffened, while Marek and Kriss lea
Chapter Thirty-One: ReturnIt was disorienting for a moment to step through the portal and return to Earth after so long in Fire & Ice. She trailed Orin and Ryland out of the portal, with Eamon, Eli, Marek, and Kriss following behind her. They stepped off the platform, and only Caius was there to greet them. He came forward, but didn’t reach out in welcome to any of them.North didn’t feel slighted in the least. She was relieved to avoid any physical interaction with the man. The room was cool, and she shivered slightly. Having been in his presence before when he was displeased, she was sure the coolness originated from Caius’s power—whether intentionally or subconsciously.“Welcome back to Earth. I trust your trip was productive?” He asked the question in a knowing way, and there was no doubt Caius had already been fully apprised of everything that had occurred in the other realm. She doubted he approved of her interference, a fact which seemed confirmed when he looked at her a momen
Chapter Thirty-Two: HomecomingWhen they reached the cabin a while later, it was strange to come back and find it looking exactly the same, though North had changed so much in such a short amount of time. She looked around as she stepped out of the van, fearing there would be another attack, but Orin and Eamon caught her attention.They stood facing each other, their palms touching, and their fingertips resting lightly against each other. As she drew closer, she realized were both mouthing the same spell, though they weren’t speaking audibly. Purple magic flowed from Eamon’s fingertips, and green magic burst forth from Orin’s a moment later.It twisted and entwined with each other, and then arched up into the sky in a straight shot before spreading outward. It was almost like being in a dome composed of sparkling purple and florescent green mingled together. With a whoosh, the visible dome disappeared, and her lovers stepped away from each other. She assumed they had warded the proper
Chapter Thirty-Three: In Hot WaterThe tempting smell of food woke North, and she rolled out of bed before realizing she was alone. That caused a mild surge of disappointment, but the pleasant ache between her thighs went a long way toward assuaging the feeling of abandonment. No doubt, Ryland had been practicing discretion, or perhaps he’d left to help the others with something.She stretched and yawned, feeling calm and refreshed after her nap. Her head felt stuffy from all the crying, and there was a slight pain in her chest, but the grief had faded again to a more manageable level. It was the first time she’d really had a chance to process and cope with it, so she doubted she would’ve been so composed if Ryland hadn’t fed from her negative emotions and then found another way to soothe her with their lovemaking.Her clothes remained in the closet where she’d left them, so she quickly slipped on a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt, not bothering with anything else as she left the roo
Chapter Thirty-Four: A FirstNorth wasn’t certain where to find him in the beginning, but he was waiting in the pole barn when the van pulled in. She didn’t have to ask for privacy. Her men were sensitive enough to take it on themselves to quietly melt into the darkness, presumably heading back to the cabin.It was just the two of them, and she shivered at the chill in the air. Her coat was in the van, but she didn’t reach for it since she was still damp. Instead, she focused on the water and caused it to evaporate using a bit of fire magic. A hiss accompanied the steam pouring off her for a second before it was all gone.Eamon grinned, and his hair was suddenly completely dry too. “I do like that trick of yours.”North stepped forward and put a hesitant hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t notice right away that you had left. It wasn’t that I forgot about—”He brushed his finger against her lip to silence her. “I know. You were definitely occupied, and I slipped out. I’m
Chapter Thirty-Five: TiranogThey left the cabin the next morning, and North prepared herself to face another contingent of Pytor’s people. They reached the edge of the ward, which Eamon and Orin quickly stripped. There was a faint shimmer in the air, and she could tell a difference, as though the barometric pressure had dropped. A moment later, the van crossed the invisible threshold, and she sensed they were vulnerable once again.A bright flash made her cry out, and she clenched her hands around Ryland and Eli’s thighs, since she sat between the two of them in the backseat of the van. A group appeared before them, and she didn’t recognize them, but they weren’t wearing magical camouflage. “Who are they?”Eli patted her thigh. “They look like Council guards.”“I sent a call to Caius last night and asked him to send a rift to the edge of the ward, so we could avoid the danger of traveling.” Marek offered that information without looking away from the guards.North frowned. “If they c