Page 48 of Glass Hearts
“We either go back together, or we will follow you. We aren’t leaving you again. Not. An. Option, Duchess.”
“What Gray is trying to say, Vixen, is that we understand you may need time. Even though we didn’t intend to hurt you, at the end of the day, we still did. We all want you to be in our lives. Whether it’s romantic is for you to decide,” Sylas says.
“I didn’t agree to that,” Grayer mutters.
“But, Vixen, we do need to head back to the castle. I do not know what your stepmother will do to Bri and the staff once she finds her daughters in the dungeon.”
“They are in the dungeon!?” I laugh. I can only imagine the vitriol they are spewing at poor Bri.
“Yes, and it’s for you to decide what you want to do to them,” Koi adds. “I am also a bit worried—and this is not to manipulate you—for Elora. She said she was going to leave the castle, and I hope she did… But we have no idea if she followed our request.”
I nod, realizing my adventure may need to be on pause for now.
“Fine,” I relent. “Once we deal with Bernice and Victor, secure the castle, and find Lo. I will be leaving.” Grayer growls, but the other princes have smirks on their handsome faces.
“Whatever you say, Princess,” Archer says.
“Now that everything is sorted, I think we should go back to Quotina. We have some business to attend to before heading towards Eldor. We should also spend some of that time making a plan,” Elliah says, packing up his abandoned gear.
“That sounds reasonable,” Sylas says as he grabs my satchel for me.
“Well, shall we, men?” Jax says, walking back north.
“AND woman!” I add indignantly. They all laugh again. Great, now I’m surrounded by even more arrogant men.
* * *
Midway through our walk back, Grayer decides to give me a piggyback, saying that I am too slow.
I thought I was catching up just fine, but I think it’s just his excuse to get me closer.
If I were a better woman, I would have refused.
But all this walking is quite enough for me.
When we get to their horses, they seem to argue about who gets to ride with me.
“So, who gets the mercenaries? I don’t think they will want to ride with either of you. So I will just walk with them.”
“Nice try, Blondie. We will meet you tomorrow at the Grand Quo.” Jax smirks.
With that, they leave me alone with the princes. I didn’t realize how much I needed them as a buffer. My traitorous heart skips a few beats when they’re around. My heart is still confused, not meeting up with my brain that constantly reminds me that falling in love won’t lead to anything good.
“Hello, Mistress. I think you should pick me as your steed. Prince Grayer will hold you tight, ensuring your safety,” the white horse says.
“No, Mistress, Paul is no good. Pick me, smooth ride. And Prince Archer would be a gentleman.” I giggle as I pet each horse.
“No, choose me, Prince Sylas is the steady and reliable one,” the brown horse with white spots says.
“What’s so funny, Vixen?” Sylas asks with a smile.
“Your horses are arguing for your sake. I would definitely feed them extra apples for that.” They all neigh in agreement, which makes me smile even more.
“It’s good to see you smile, Sunshine.” Koi scoops me up onto his horse.
“Sorry, all, looks like it was chosen for me.”
The princes all get on their horses as Koi gets on behind me. Instantly, I notice how he is gentle in not touching my back yet gripping my hip to ensure I am secure. I blush at the contact. Especially as his thumb creeps under my shirt, moving it in a comforting circular motion.
They all put on bandanas and lift their hoods even though it’s downright balmy for a mid-spring day.
“I suppose you all can’t just roam around like us mere regular folk,” I quip.
“We like interacting with our people, but it was also slowing us down getting to you. You seemed to have gotten into quite a bit while we were apart.” Koi jests.
“You can say that again,” I reply as we head back into the loud city of Quotina.
Once we get to the inn, Koi is instantly off his horse, offering his hand to assist me on the dismount. The inn is one of the fancier ones, much different from the budget one I had originally chosen. Fit for royalty.
“I will get us settled, why don’t you take Arabella to get some food and I will meet you there.”
The Gilded Acorn is a cozy pub near the inn. Firelight dances across carved walnut beams and polished acorn-shaped sconces. Archer finds us one of the vacant corner booths, perfect for them to remain hidden. Wine and a few amber colored drinks make their way here from the waitress.
“I hope you don’t mind I ordered for us all,” Koi says as he slides in beside me. Sylas is quick to join us.
“So, Vixen.” Sylas takes a large sip of his drink. “What the fuck happened before you met the mercenaries? We saw the note you wrote to Lo. You got married?”
“And widowed in less than 24 hours, Cheers!” I raise my glass and smile pitifully. Sadly, they don’t appreciate the joke. I sigh, taking another large gulp.
“My betrothed was an abhorrent man. He bought me and apparently had killed his previous two wives. After Bernice and Victor left, he tried to consummate the marriage without consent. I wasn’t having any of it, so I panicked and called for any kind of help.
Maxwell, a bear, burst in and took care of husband dearest.” Growls go around the table at my story.
“I am glad that bastard is dead. But I wish I could have been the one to do it for you, Duchess.” Grayer pulls me in closer.
“It was traumatic. But it also freed me from Bernice.” I shrug.
“Until she finds out he is dead… I think we will need to deal with her. As long as she is alive, I feel like she will always go after you,” Archer says as we all nod in agreement.
“So, how much does this place charge for a room? What am I going to be indebted to you for my own room?” I offer Bert and Kip some bread from the plate. They happily take it. But I don’t miss Archer sneaking me his bun in replacement. I will never say no to carbs.
Grayer snorts, but Sylas replies, “Sorry, Vixen, you will be staying with us. After everything that has happened, I would rather you be with us.” I want to argue, but honestly, I am just so exhausted. The last few days starting to really catch up with me.
Dinner passes in comfortable silence as we eat and drink.
Sylas orders me a wine for the room, and I feel extra appreciative.
The room is large with two king-size beds, a sitting room, and even a cute little kitchenette.
Gold details sprinkle throughout the decor and furniture.
I definitely wouldn’t have been able to afford one room to myself.
I sit on the bed, and as expected, it is so lovely and soft.
Bert and Kip are already scurrying to the settee, curling into the furry white pillows. Sylas comes to stand in front of me, his hand reaching out in silent invitation.
“Come, my love, I think you deserve a bath and some time alone to clear your head.” I shouldn’t, but I take Sylas’s offered hand.
“When you get out, I have some spelled cream; it will help with healing your back.”
“Where did you get that?”
“I brought it from the castle, of course.” Meaning he packed for me, knowing he would see me again.
The walls around my heart start to chip.
He gives me one more heavy look, a silent weight pressing down on me, conveying more than words that I am not ready to untangle yet as he silently leaves the bathroom.
I immerse myself in the perfectly heated bath. The heat is so inviting, moaning as I dip my whole body in. My back stings a bit, but it’s worth it as I soak.
After a few hours, I get out, noticing they set out a pair of pajamas for me.
I put on the sleep shorts but opt to wait to put on the shirt, especially since they have a healing ointment.
I get out of the bathroom, covering my breasts with my arm, as four sets of eyes stop what they are doing to look at me.
Instantly, they are all crowding me. They are all shirtless, in their own sleep bottoms. The naked chests are quite distracting. Why did they have to be so attractive?
“Come, let’s get you on the bed.” Archer scoops me up from the front so we are chest to chest. He places a kiss on my jaw. The traitorous butterflies in my stomach flutter; it’s the first time Archer has been so openly gentle and affectionate with me.
I think he is just going to set me down onto the bed, but I am surprised when he falls onto his back, with me on top of him.
“Sorry, darling, I need to hold you,” he says.
I should fight, be a strong independent woman and all that. But I am just so tired. So swallowing my independent pride, I rest my head on his chest, the subtle beating of his heart soothing me.
“Fuck, Arabella. Your back,” Koi says as he tucks a piece of hair behind my ears.
It stings as I feel gentle hands applying the ointment. Tears gather in my eyes.
“Am I hurting you, love?” Sylas asks softly.
“It just stings a bit, but I will be fine,” I lie. Tears are falling from the tenderness, not the pain. The walls of my heart crack even more. I have never felt so taken care of.
I am surprised when I feel a distinct set of big hands scooping my hair and putting it into a bun. Grayer kisses my cheek. “I don’t want your hair to get all oily from the ointment.”
The floodgates open.
“Why are you all being so sweet?”
“Because we had to watch the woman we love get abused. This is just as much for us as it is for you. We couldn’t do anything then, but we can now. And we vowed to protect you, Arabella,” Koi says as he cups my cheek.
I sit up for a second, forgetting that I am half naked from the torso up. Archer’s eyes heat as he takes me in, straddling him. I feel the hardness poking my ass. The blush rises. Again, my heart wants to grab one of their faces and start something I shouldn’t.
“Duchess, you are thinking too much.” Grayer kisses my shoulder. “Do you want Archer to make you feel good?”
I bite my lip and look again at my icy prince. He is looking hopefully at me, so I do the insensible thing and nod. Just as fast as I confirm, Koi is lifting me under my armpits, and Grayer is ripping off my sleep shorts.
“You can’t lie on your back for a while, Sunshine, you will have to ride Archer’s face.” Before I can protest, he places me over the wind prince.
I hover above Archer, nerves prickling under my skin. I’ve never done this before—never straddled someone’s face like this—and a flicker of anxiety catches in my throat. What if it’s too much? I am not a dainty little thing; I could crush him. What if I-
But I don’t get the chance to spiral.
With a low growl, Archer’s hands clamp around my hips, firm and commanding, pulling me down onto his waiting mouth. My gasp is lost to the air as his tongue parts me, hungry and relentless. He devours me like he’s dreamt of this exact moment and refuses to waste a second of it.
My head tips back, a moan spilling out of me as heat pulses low and deep in my belly.
The wet, lewd sounds of Archer’s mouth working against me fill the space, mixing with the rasp of my breath and the quiet groans from the other side of the room.
I feel them watching, my other princes, feel their gaze like hands gliding across my skin.
I clutch the headboard in front of me, grounding myself as I start to move, slow at first. Archer encourages me with every flick of his tongue, every desperate grip of my hips. The world narrows to his mouth, my pleasure and the growing knot inside me begging to unravel.
Just as I teeter on the edge, Koi’s hand slides along my jaw, tilting my face toward him. His lips crash into mine, deep and possessive. The contrast of the molten heat of Archer below, the breath-stealing kiss from Koi above undoes me entirely.
Pleasure detonates through me like lightning.
I break apart in their hands, trembling and gasping, utterly consumed.
“Sorry, Sunshine,” he says breathlessly. “I couldn’t help it.”
Archer kisses my thigh before rolling away, a soft brush of lips on skin, but I grab his face and kiss him with the same raw passion I just gave Koi. He happily returns it, growling into my mouth, nipping at my lips.
“I think it’s time for you to get some rest, darling,” Archer says as he sets me down right next to him.
Deciding not to fight it, I let my heavy eyelids drift off to sleep.