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He considered tromping up to the kitchenette to make a cup of tea, but even that short journey would take more energy than he had.

This afternoon’s panic attack had left him feeling completely drained.He wasn’t looking forward to seeing Annie tomorrow morning after acting like a complete gobshite at the pub.No doubt she was sitting in her hotel room, wondering what the hell her Grand Master had dragged her into.If he was lucky, her sweet disposition would allow them to continue as if he hadn’t made a gigantic arse of himself.

He rubbed his temples, a headache pounding behind his eyes, and he considered heading downstairs to his flat.There was no staircase connecting the main building to his basement flat, which meant he had to go outside to enter it.

Colum dismissed the idea immediately.His flat was little more than a place to sleep and eat, while the majority of his life was lived up here, surrounded by artifacts, books, maps, all the tangible, lifeless things that brought him comfort and allowed him to hide away from the outside world.

Leaning back on the couch, he sighed heavily.He would pay for this afternoon’s long nap.Sleep was elusive most nights, so it was unlikely he’d manage to fall back to sleep tonight.Better he stay up here where he could put the wee hours to good use, working.

He considered taking another look at the portrait of Oscar or rereading the manuscript, wanting to be prepared for any questions Xavier and Annie might have tomorrow, now that they’d had some time to mull over everything he’d told them.He’d sent Xavier a digital copy of the manuscript to read, unwilling to let the original out of his sight.

Colum glanced toward both items, still on the large worktable where he’d left them this afternoon.He didn’t rise.

This listlessness had settled over him ten days ago, right after the Trinity Council meeting, making him absent-minded, leaving him distracted.Burying his head in the sand wasn’t working.Pretending his trinity marriage wasn’t right there was a mistake.

He needed to make peace with it.

But how?

He’d expected Eric to call him after the meeting, so these ten days of radio silence had him at a loss.Nikolett hadn’t wanted the union, and God knew she was a force to be reckoned with.Perhaps she’d convinced Eric to change his mind.Of course, even if that was true, it would only changehercircumstance, not his.

Hande had insisted he be married to someone in a leadership position, and Nikolett was the only unmarried admiral.There was no getting out of it.Initially, he’d wanted to push back, to remind them—Eric—that the archivist wasn’t under his command, wasn’t required to marry.

But two things had stopped him.

The first was the archive that he’d dedicated most of his adult life to.He and Franco were right to combine the knowledge.It was not only a good idea but a necessary one.Failing to share information left both their societies vulnerable, and that was something Colum couldn’t allow to happen.

And while he felt strongly about that, the second reason he agreed had been the more compelling one.

Because, even as blindsided as he’d been, his brain had kicked into high gear, thinking that there was no reason he had to betrulymarried.His union could be on paper only, and Eric had unwittingly ensured that would be true.

As admiral, Nikolett would need to continue living in Hungary.He would have to remain in Dublin to run the archive.He didn’t know what Sarah would do.Stay in her own territory or move to Hungary to serve as a knight there?Sarah was also an active member of the Masters Protection Force, so there were many times when she was called away on missions.

Eric had created a trinity that couldn’t survive unless it was a sham, because he’d bound three people who were tightly tied to their own territories and roles.

So, the three of them would live their lives as normal.

Nothing would have to change.

Hewouldn’t have to change.

He could have the archive and his privacy, and his life could go on as usual.

Solitary, quiet…lonely.

Josephine would have hated it.

ChapterFour

Colum: Why is there a stereotype that French men are hot?

Franco: I think the stereotype is that French people of any gender are hot.

Colum: Sure enough.

Franco: WAIT

Franco: COLUM