Page 50 of Glass Hearts

Getting back into the routine with the princes is almost too easy.

I find myself swooning over their sweet touches and kind words.

I have always prided myself on removing myself from the need to seek pleasure or formulate a romantic connection.

Yet these damned princes easily break down all my walls that I carefully constructed.

My heart still reels from that dark night, but now I know it was never what they wanted or at all what they felt.

Truthfully, I know I am just using it as an excuse to maintain my emotional distance from them.

What would a relationship with them even look like?

Eventually, they would make me choose between them.

But I could never choose, nor would I want to.

“Copper for your thoughts, Princess?” Archer asks as we head towards the forest for privacy for my first fighting lesson.

Archer has also been an interesting addition. Ever since that night in the library, I knew he had feelings. But the icy prince is completely gone towards me. Instead, he feels like a warm breeze that I could get lost in.

“Why aren’t you so cold towards me? What changed?” I ask, avoiding the real reason for my innermost turmoil, he grabs my hand.

“I probably deserve that questioning. I-” He sighs and runs his free hand through his snow white hair.

The forest is quiet as he stops, deciding to sit on a large fallen tree.

“I have a hard time trusting. Especially potential love interests. Last time I fell in love, I was stabbed on our wedding day.”

“You were married?”

He chuckles and pulls me down to sit on his lap. Sylas crosses his big arms, looking relaxed, leaning up against a tree, giving us space.

“I was. On our wedding night, while she was riding me, she pulled a dagger, and in my lust, I almost didn’t see it.

Luckily, she missed anything of consequence.

She was a childhood friend turned lover.

So the betrayal felt extra brutal. It turned out she was groomed from the day she was born by her power-hungry father.

He wanted to make her the wind queen. The whole isle wanted it, too.

She did have really impressive wind powers and was an exceptional warrior.

” I try not to bristle with jealousy at his description of his ex-lover.

He chuckles as he pulls me in closer, nuzzling into my neck.

“What happened to her?”

“I had to kill her. It was either her or me. I realized that as she continued to try to stab me. I think part of her loved me, but her love for her father and power apparently was unmatched.” His eyes sadden, almost lost in thought.

“I can’t imagine having to kill someone you had loved. I am sorry that happened to you. I can see why my thieving ways would have brought alarm to you. Do you still love her a bit, even though she became villainous?”

“Definitely not. I loved her as a friend, as a companion. Our parents matched us to marry at sixteen. What I thought was love at the time was just youthful lust I think. And yes, she would have made a good queen. She had that kind of mentality. But I don’t think it would have been the happiest of marriages.

” I nod. He swiftly stands up, taking me with him.

I can’t help but let out a little shriek at the swift movement.

“Wait! Doesn’t that make you a king, then!?”

“Technically, yes.” He chuckles lightly as my eyes widen.

“But the council intervened, saying they would keep my coronation a secret from the remaining isles and Velora, so I could not only grieve my betraying wife, but also so I could learn to be a good king along with my brothers. I was lonely and heartbroken, and as much as I dislike where the council has been heading, I also have a great appreciation for their intervening when they did.” Still holding me, he pecks me with a sweet kiss along my neck and jaw.

“Now let’s stop stalling and get you all trained up, my little thief. ”

* * *

Five hours later, my muscles ache and I am dripping in sweat. The bastards look completely relaxed and unaffected, apparently not dying like I am.

“Alright, Vixen, come at me again,” Sylas instructs as he gets in a fighting stance.

I run quickly to attack, but so swiftly he has my back to the floor.

I don’t miss how gently he places me onto the floor.

“You are telling me your attack plans with your eyes. Next time, try to be more impassive and instead of looking at my knees, which I knew you were going to kick out, look at my face, then make the action.” Before he even gets up, I hear a gigantic roar and one angry bear running up to us.

Thinking quickly, I raise my elbow, hitting Sylas in the face as he rolls over in pain.

“Fuck, I am so sorry!” I look to the bear barreling forward as Archer gets in a fighting stance. “Max! Stop! It’s okay, they are just teaching me how to fight, big guy!” This has Max slowing down but still looking menacingly at Archer.

“Are these the men that hurt your heart, Miss Ella?”

“They are, but Gwen was right; it was a misunderstanding.”

“Oh, good. Do you still want me to bite them a little?”

I laugh as Archer yells, his hands up motioning for the bear to stop, not taking his eyes off the bear. “Princess, I am assuming you are talking down the bear? Why does he still look like he wants to bite me?!”

“Because he does want to bite you.” I snort, though I turn my attention to Sylas, who is holding his nose as blood pours down. “Oh, shit! I am so sorry, Sy!”

“I’m not.” He chuckles. “That was quite the elbow to the face, Vixen. Definitely do that in a fight.”

I pull his face into my hands as I inspect his face. Worry furrows my brow. He is quick to smile.

“Are you worried about me, Vixen?” he whispers, getting closer to my face.

“Of course, you big brute.” I go to slap at his chest, but he intercepts my wrist and pulls me into him for a kiss.

I can taste a bit of the copper from his blood and feel it on my lips as I pull back.

He takes off his shirt, exposing me to his glorious muscled chest. He uses the shirt to wipe off the blood from my face, then his.

“I like the look of my blood on you, Vixen, but I think the bear wouldn’t be too keen.”

“Humans are strange. But everything is okay, Ella? I see you are in a romantic relations again?”

“I am okay, Max. It’s… complicated,” I say as I look into Sylas’s wolfish eyes.

He looks like he is about to say something when his smile grows. Koi and Grayer enter the forest, Koi holding a bow and arrow set.

“It’s a bit different then your set at home, but I think it would be good for you to practice something at long range,” Sylas says, keeping me close. Thankfully, his bleeding has subsided.

Home. Is Eldor even my home anymore?

“The bear tackle you or something, Sy?” Grayer jokes as he comes closer to lift me for a kiss. They really don’t do boundaries, not that I have asked for any. And I should… Yet I remain in his embrace.

“It was me, I accidentally got his face with my elbow.”

He lets out a barked laugh, throwing his head back.

“Vicious little thing, you are,” Koi says as he caresses my chin for a kiss.

Grayer finally puts me down, and I inspect the new bow and arrow. It’s beautiful. It is smaller than my previous set, as if a craftsman had made it for me.

Sylas takes me to the side to teach me how to use and properly aim at a target. I took my old one to the forest once, but I almost hit a squirrel and decided to stick to running away as my defense.

“Any little creatures around here, please be advise I have poor aim at the moment and I do not want to hurt anyone.”

Max chuckles with a few gruff huffs, I am assuming it’s a laugh, and settles onto the floor next to the other princes.

Archer and Koi look a bit intimated and uncomfortable next to my friend.

Sylas remains by my side, guiding me. I miss most of the makeshift targets Sylas created for me.

Until finally I hit one of the leaf targets dead in the center.

I drop my bow and jump in excitement. Sylas is quickly there with an impressed smile and opts to catch me mid-jump, my legs circling his waist.

“Well done, Vixen. With a bit more practice, you will be a force to be reckoned with.”

Without even thinking about it, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him stupid. He deepens the kiss even as I hear Archer mumble, “Where is my kiss? I taught her how to fight today, too.” I get lost in Sylas’s kiss, and it starts to feel more. Like, love.

I break the kiss as my face falls. Sylas notices, and I squirm to get out of his hold. But he doesn’t let me go.

“What’s wrong, Arabella?”

I look into his deep green eyes as I sense the other princes circling around us.

“I-” I chicken out and drop my forehead to his shoulder.

I hide my face as I mumble my confession, “I am scared about my feelings for you all. What it means for me. For us. I want to be selfish for once. I want to go on adventures and figure out who I am without my stepfamily’s claws in me.

But I also don’t want to lose you all either; it’s nice to feel safe for once. I-I can’t choose between you all.”

Koi lifts my chin with two fingers, drawing my gaze into the depth of his blue eyes.

“Sunshine, who says you have to choose? You have us all. How about we get you cleaned up? So we can explain our feelings better than we have been. Plus, we have a surprise waiting for you back at the inn that may help you see our intentions.”

I say goodbye to Max, letting him know we will be back with a plan, if he still wants to be a part of it. Of course, my brave bear says yes.

Sylas doesn’t let go of my hand the whole way back to the inn.

* * *

Shock fills me as I enter our room. A gorgeous baby blue dress, thankfully not corseted, lays on the bed.

It shimmers in the setting sun. I run my hands through the soft fabric that feels like butter.

A pair of comfy-looking silk shoes lay next to the dress.

Koi circles his arms behind me. “Get washed up, and wear that for us. Gray and I will be downstairs, Sunshine. We are all taking you out tonight.” He kisses my cheek and leaves with Grayer.

Archer turns to me and starts to undress, along with Sylas. I can’t help watching as they almost get fully nude, only standing in their underwear.

“I think the shower is big enough for the three of us, darling,” Archer says as he inches closer to me.

He lifts my shirt up, slowly undressing me.

Sylas gets to his knees as he starts to unlace my boots.

Archer turns to head to the bathroom, and I hear the shower turn on as Sylas and I follow him into the room.

The bathroom is quite large, yet it feels so small with these large men in here with me.

They both remove their underwear, their hard dicks springing up.

Archer’s seems to be the longest while Sylas is thick.

“Vixen, you are going to have to stop looking at us like that if you want to make our date.”

“Very well,” I say as I get into the large shower. The hot water blissfully numbs my already sore muscles from the day. Archer takes a bar a soap and washes me, the movements feeling so good while Sylas washes my hair.

My heart sings with delight at their gentle ministrations. My hands find themselves naturally moving between the princes. Their gentle touches turn more passionate as their lips find all the spots that make me weak. I moan with pleasure at all the sensations.

“Really wish we hadn’t promised to get you downstairs quickly,” Archer groans as he kisses my rinsed shoulder. Sylas chuckles as he turns off the water.

“A girl could get used to this,” I quip as Sylas turns up already dried and with a towel for me.

“Here, let me.” Archer comes up behind me, using his wind magic to dry my hair.

“Now that is handy.” I giggle as the warm air brushes my skin and hair.

“It sure is, Princess. Whenever you need me to blow you, just let me know.”

I snort at the absolutely awful joke.

Sylas pokes his head back into the bathroom. “Fucking terrible joke, Arch,” which has me fully laughing out loud.

Both of the princes decide to get ready and help Gray and Koi for the ominous ‘surprise,’ leaving me to finish getting ready alone.

I wring my hands as I take one last look in the full-length mirror.

I almost don’t recognize the woman in front of me. Yes, it’s me—but it’s different. I am different. Every time I look into the mirror these days, I see a different woman. Changing and growing.

My hair shines as it cascades down to my breasts.

I never usually wear my hair down. I had always worn my hair in braids or ponytails; no sense in having my hair down, getting in the way.

There is a flush to my skin, but the first thing I notice is my smile.

A smile I had not realized occupied my face.

My heart swells at the feeling, tears prickling from my eyes. Of happiness, freedom, and… love.

“Arabelly! You look so beautiful! Why are you crying?” Bert asks from the top of the settee headrest. Kip climbs up to stand beside him.

“Wow! Like a princess! You glow, Arabelly!”

“Thanks, boys. I am just happy, is all, Bert,” I say as I turn to give them little head scratches. “Be good, don’t eat too much.”

I step out of the room, memories of a past dinner still lingering like a shadow. But this time, there’s a quiet hope in my chest that things might turn out differently.