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He almost quipped back “obviously,” but then the true meaning behind those words slipped through. A magical linking. Suddenly, Mehl’s pulse beat in his ears, a frantic but hopeful drumming. They’d spoken of claiming out in the hallway, but he hadn’t imagined Toren would be ready to do it so completely. His very spirit soared at the idea.

Except… “Ria must agree, of course.”

Toren’s lips took on a wry twist. “I imagine so, as she does the linking.”

“Without coercion,” Mehl insisted even as he flushed slightly at the hint of a rebuke.

Ria leaned up on her elbows, a frown creasing her brow. “Do I seem like I’ve been coerced? What’s wrong?”

Toren leaned over her. “We want you to join our magics as you almost did before.”

The sight of his husband hovering over Ria, caging her between his strong arms, made Mehl tremble and his cock go painfully hard, but at her dismayed gasp, his heart fell. Perhaps he’d been wrong that she was merely insecure. Maybe she didn’t want them in such a deep way.

“You’re serious?” she whispered.

“We are meant for each other, the three of us,” Toren said in a low, intense voice. “Only the gods know what is to come with Ber’s threat. I don’t want to waste another moment being anything but whole. Together.”

Mehl eased closer, stroking his hand along his husband’s side as he caught Ria’s gaze. “Almost from the moment I saw you, I knew this to be right. We should be one.”

Her eyes didn’t leave his, but he couldn’t read the emotions swirling within them.

His heart didn’t dare guess how she would respond.

* * *

Ria’s bodyburned and ached for the two men leaning over her, but her mind was left stuttering over their words.Join us. Meant for each other. We should be one.Instinctively, she wanted to ask again if they were serious, but not even her poor, insecure heart could doubt their sincerity.

But what didshewant?

A fierce sweep of love seemed to lighten her body, and her hands lifted almost of their own accord, one cupping each king’s face. Yes, she loved them. Body, spirit, heart—all sang in the presence of these men, and it didn’t matter how long she’d known them.

For sheknewthem. Toren’s fierce nobility and Mehl’s steady watchfulness. The scoops and hollows of their deepest dreams and fears, meshing and flowing with hers. Somehow, they each gave something the other lacked—more than one thing, truth be told. In her deepest self, she’d felt the same as they had.

They belonged together.

“Yes,” Ria whispered.

Mehl sagged with relief, but that possessive edge glinted in Toren’s eyes until she shivered from the stark promise. Toren darted down to nip her lower lip, then shifted to kiss along the side of her neck. Still propped up on her elbows, she had a perfect, tantalizing view of Mehl as he bent to tug her nipple into his mouth.

The twin sensations made her moan—but then Mehl’s hand slid across her lower belly. Her breath hitched. But he didn’t slide his fingers down to caress her. Instead, he reached up and wrapped his hand around Toren’s cock. Heat shot through her at the sight.

Toren’s groan rumbled against her neck a moment before he jerked his head up. “Take Mehl with your mouth,” he gasped. “Like last time. But you’ll be on your back.”

Quick as thought, Mehl propped a pillow behind her head and upper shoulders as Toren kissed his way down her body. Her legs shifted restlessly, and her heart pounded frantically in her chest. Then Mehl cupped her cheek gently and tilted her head up until their eyes met.

“Can you take me this way, love?”

Mehl canted his hips forward, and his hard length bobbed close. Gods, she wanted to take him this way. Turning her head, Ria wrapped her hand around the base of his cock and tugged gently until she could wrap her mouth around the tip.

She could spend her life in some variation of this position—and if the linking worked, she would have the opportunity to do so.

* * *

Toren glancedup Ria’s body and nearly spent himself at the vision of her mouth wrapped around Mehl. The way Mehl knelt beside her, she was able to cast her eyes Toren’s way—a better, more complete bonding than when he’d taken her from behind in the receiving room. He hadn’t been able to see her face then.

With a growl, Toren shoved her knees wider apart and licked up her slit, pausing to flick and kiss her nub relentlessly until she cried out around Mehl. Which made Mehl moan and Toren lose all sense of patience and self. Panting, he tested her readiness with one finger, then two. Gods, she was so wet.

Ria lifted her hips and squirmed, her cry more demanding than pleased. Toren shifted forward until he knelt between her spread legs and hooked his arms beneath her knees. His hands cradled her lower back as he raised her hips high. It was a vulnerable position, her body barely touching the bed, but she didn’t seem to mind since it kept him out of Mehl’s way.