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Dammit! Why did I say that? I’m just making it worse!

Jax made a derisive snort, and I sagged into my chair. Attraction or not, I’d be lucky if they even wanted to stay at this point.

Suddenly, Jax pushed away from the table and stood. “I need some air,” he grunted, then stomped out of the room.

I deflated even more, as much as my tight corset would let me.

“I’m sorry about him,” Tannin said. “I know he can be an asshole sometimes, but he’s a good guy under all the bravado and ego. I’ll go talk to him. Thank you so much for the food.”

He gave me one last smile, then stood up and left too.

No. No, no, no. They couldn’t leave. I had to do something. I could not go back to being alone in this castle. I would die first. And truthfully, I would die without them if more of those cusiths came.

Chapter 7

Aliya

AFTER CLEANING THEtable from dinner, I wandered around the castle in search of them. I didn’t really know what I was going to say, but I hoped the right words would come to me in the moment.

They weren’t in the den or anywhere outside, so I ventured up to the royal chambers where I had set up rooms for them. I could hear muffled voices carrying down the wide hallway as soon as I emerged from the staircase.

They were in the room in which Jax had found me this morning.

Okay, I can do this. Offer them whatever they want. Food, riches, even my body if that’s what it takes to make them stay.

Though, at this point, that wouldn’t be much of a sacrifice. I didn’t understand this intense desire for both men, but I was more than willing to give in to it.

I walked up to the door and lifted my hand to knock, but something stopped me before my knuckles could touch the wood. I paused there, curious at this strange hesitation.

“I saw the way you touched her at dinner,” Jax’s voice said angrily on the other side. “You can’t fool me,brother!”

“You’re one to talk,” Tannin countered. “Your hands were all over her when she fell in your lap, and you were looking at her like you wanted to bend her over the table!”

My breath hitched. They were talking about me. My intuition told me to listen in, and though I felt slightly guilty for eavesdropping, I was also burning with curiosity. So I hunched down and peeked one eye into the keyhole.

Tannin was leaning against the bed post, his arms folded, and Jax was pacing across the floor, moving in and out of my limited scope of sight.