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They were well-matched in and out of the bedroom but these past not-quite two weeks weren’t reality.They were a brief respite from their real lives.What would happen, what would they do, if in the end they couldn’t be together?

Colum shoved those thoughts away.

“I love you,” Colum breathed, the words coming out too shaky.

Annie smiled and because she was closest, she wrapped her arms around his waist, her cheek pressed tight to his chest.“I love you too.”

Xavier crossed the room, enveloping them, Annie cuddled between them as they all embraced.When they parted, Xavier studied Colum’s face.“Don’t think I don’t love hearing those words, but what’s going on inside that clever mind of yours?Something’s bothering you.”

Colum ran his hand through his hair, the gesture cueing Annie into his heavy thoughts.

She cupped his cheek.“What is it, Irish?”

God, but he loved when she called him that.

“What if it doesn’t work?”he whispered.“What if Eric won’t annul my marriage?What if he says we can’t wait years for Xavier to become admiral, and I have to be married to someone in leadership right now?What if the Grand Master won’t agree to let you marry us?”

Colum wasn’t really worried about that last one, sure Franco could convince his wife, but there might be factors at play he didn’t know about that would force the issue.Or maybe Hande and the other admirals would object to the archivist being married to an American, even if she switched to being a member of the Masters’ Admiralty, because, again, it felt like the Americans had more access to the new joint archive than the Masters’ Admiralty.

“Nothing is settled.While I’m not a superstitious man, I still wouldn’t disturb a fairy circle or forget to put a cross in the soda bread.It’s hard for me to talk about this as if it’s real, when nothing’s been truly settled yet.”

“Then let’s settle it,” Xavier said confidently.“Or at least some of it.”

“How?”

Annie gestured to Colum’s phone on the nightstand.“Xavier changed the game.Call Eric.Ask for an annulment.”

Colum nodded, his heart suddenly racing, though he couldn’t tell if that was based on nerves or excitement.Probably both.“Alright.I will.”

Xavier and Annie shared a grin, both so sure everything was going to break their way.He loved their optimism, their ability to not only reach for happiness but grab it with both hands and wrestle it into submission.True happiness had always felt so unattainable to him, but not now, not with them.

Colum reached for his phone and hit the video call.He’d learned a long time ago he needed every advantage in conversations, so he preferred not only to hear someone’s voice but to be able to read their expressions as well.

“Colum,” Eric answered after two rings.“What’s wrong?Are you okay?”

“Oh, aye, to be sure.”Colum frowned.“Are you on a plane?”

“I’m on my way to Hungary to see Nikolett.”

Colum didn’t need to see Eric’s thunderous expression to know this wasn’t going to be a pleasant visit, the growling tone of his voice was more than enough.

“Oh, that’s grand.”It was the wrong thing to say, but Colum had never been much for offering relationship advice, and while he had a wee bit of experience in that realm, what Eric and Nikolett shared was so tumultuous his brother would be better off seeking guidance from a boxing instructor.

“Listen, Colum—” Eric said.

“I have something to tell you,” Colum interjected, anxious to share his news.

Eric’s gaze sharpened.“About the investigation?”

“Er…no.Nothing has changed there.”

“Okay, then let’s talk later.”Eric rubbed his face with his hand.“Right now?—”

Once again, Colum spoke over him.“You can annul my marriage to Nikolett and Sarah.”

The silence following the statement was loud.

“I found another person.One that I can marry.A finance minister, but he’ll be the admiral one day.From France.”The words were coming out too choppy, mainly because Eric’s expression had gone blank.It wasn’t the reaction Colum had expected.“I know a finance minister isn’t really leadership, but in France, you have to be a finance minister before becoming vice admiral, then admiral.In a few years, he will be, and I,we, can wait until then.I think.I mean, we could wait to start the Trinity Archive.”Colum paused to catch his breath.“You have to undo my marriage, not just to Nikolett.”