Page 53 of Glass Hearts

The inn’s restaurant returns to its regular state, and the patrons are all loud and jovial. We instantly find the large mercenaries sitting at one of the hidden corner tables. Sylas heads to the counter, most likely getting me a needed coffee. Always the considerate man taking care of me.

“Well, well, don’t you clean up nicely, Blondie. Should have taken you to bed the night we met,” Jax whistles.

Instantly, Archer grabs him by the throat. “What did you say, dead man?”

“Really, Jax?” I slide into the booth across from him, crossing my arms. “You don’t have any self-preservation skills, my friend.”

Elliah and Smith laugh as Archer continues to choke him. Gray is twirling a knife, looking menacingly at the idiot. Jax looks at me pleadingly.

“Arch, Gray, he is just an idiot with no filter, come sit with me.” They both relented, albeit hesitantly.

“I take it everything is good in paradise?” Smith asks as he takes a sip of his coffee, looking relaxed. Jax is rubbing his neck, but grinning like an idiot. Crazy bastard.

“She is ours. You should remember that.” Koi points his knife at Jax, joining in on the barbaric display.

“I was just saying she is hot. Fuck, I won’t cross that line, jeez.” Jax coughs.

Sylas slides into the booth with two coffees, one for me. I smile at my caring prince. Bert and Kip slip out of my pack and go for my muffin and fruit already waiting for me.

“So now that we all understand boundaries, we need to discuss how we are going to take back control of the castle. I am not sure I want to trust you all. Yet we need as much help as we can get. What is your magic?” Archer asks.

“I am a shifter, I shift into a few different animals. A wolf is my secondary, and that’s all you need to know.

Jax can manipulate time, specifically in the slowing down of time.

And don’t ask; he cannot go back in time.

Nobody can do that. And Elliah here is a null.

But what he lacks in magic, he makes up for with his smarts.

He is the best at creating gadgets. Like this.

” Smith sets down a strange device that almost looks like a timer, but with no dial.

“What is it?”

“Clearly, you are all novices at missions, since you are already loudly talking about sensitive details out in the open. Anyone could have heard us. But this device creates a bubble of sorts. The other patrons haven’t been able to hear us,” Elliah states simply.

We really were being quite loud about our plans.

“And you have more interesting gadgets? Any in particular that could work for this task?” I ask as I inspect the unique device that is delicate and light. I can feel magic pulsing from it. Though I thought he was a null?

“He has a few workshops of gadgets,” Jax snorts, “But we brought what will be essential.”

“Which is?” I ask, setting the device back down.

“For us to know. When it is important for you to know, we will share. What is important right now is to know what we are up against. Who are Victor and Bernice, and what powers do they have?” Smith questions as he waves for the waitress to fill our coffees.

“Whattrya up ta, boys? Why can’t I hear ya?” the waitress asks as she tops our coffees.

“Always nosy, Rosey!” Jax’s joke earns a chuckle from the waitress as she parts.

“All I know so far is that Victor is a Mage, and is more powerful than I thought him to be. I had always seen him do small soul spells. But we now know he has the power to transform; he had been hiding in plain sight as a councilman. Something tells me he has more up his sleeve if he is already moving along with his plan so confidently. My stepmother, Bernice, is a null. But she is cunning and cruel. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had Victor fashion something spelled for her.

So she needs to be watched just as much. ”

“Mages are a tricky lot. We normally don’t take jobs involving them,” Elliah says. The mood sours, and he must notice as he chuckles. “Calm your royal selves. We will still help you. We are the best, after all.”

“And very egotistical,” I deadpan. The three mercenaries laugh as I roll my eyes. “So what do you reckon we do, oh great ones?”

“Finally, Blondie understands how great we are. Careful, princes, she may change her mind and come to me.” Jax winks at Sylas. Clearly, he has a death wish.

Before any of my princes can react, he continues, “I think the five of you should approach the castle. We will wait in the shadows as a backup. Can’t show them all the cards up front of course.” Elliah takes out a small pin as Jax fills us in on their end of the plan.

“This here is a communication device of sorts. Whoever wears it will have access to us. We can hear everything that is said through this little pin. So when we hear you are in trouble, that will be our cue to jump in.”

“How does this work?” I ask, picking up the small, strange-looking device.

“It is infused with magic.. among other materials that are of little importance for you to know.” Elliah shrugs, taking another casual sip of his coffee.

“This guy is quite smart, a good friend to know indeed!” Bert squeaks.

“I wonder if he can make a cat deterrent device for use meeces?” Kip adds.

I try to hold in a snort. “Let’s just stick with taking back the castle first, boys.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if we all had one?” Archer asks.

“It would. But the materials are hard to come by, and this was the spare I had available. So choose one person who will be the most important.”

“Arabella,” all four of my princes say at the same time.

I hold the roll of my eyes. I am so used to putting myself last it is unnatural to feel so protected.

“We will need one of you to release the imprisoned council members and our friends in the castle. Could one of you break them out?”

“That will be me. I can sneak in with one of my forms,” Smith says. We expect him to elaborate, but he doesn’t add anything else.

“The most important thing is for you all to protect Arabella,” Sylas adds.

“No, I am not the most important, the most important thing is to ensure all our friends, the staff, and the non-villainous council are safe. Not. Me.”

“Sure, Sunshine,” Koi placates me.

“We are going to leave this afternoon for Eldor and the castle, to prepare. Plus, it will be good for them not to see us with you from the jump. The sneaky sorts like this Victor fellow probably know about us.”

“We will leave early tomorrow.” Sylas nods, offering his hand for a handshake to the mercenaries.

“Well then, until the ‘morrow, your Highnesses.” The three get up, and Jax does an exaggerated bow with a twirl before they all leave.

“As much as I hate that guy, I also kind of like him,” Grayer says. “I just don’t know if we can trust them. I fear they may not show. Or if they do, they might jump in after we overexert ourselves on the fight, take those materials they need and leave.”

“They weren’t wrong about people like Victor knowing them. I asked the waitress last night about the mercenaries, and they are known to take on shady jobs,” Archer adds.

“You do realize they can hear us?” I point to the little pin.

“Shit, you are right, Duchess. See, this is why we need you. Also, if you are all listening, you better not fuck us over and steal our girl again. I will find you and cut off your dicks.” Grayer kisses me on the cheek.

Sylas rolls his eyes and offers me his hand so we can depart the crowding restaurant for more training.

* * *

Lo is at the forefront of my mind. Guilt sits in my stomach. Here I am basking in the attention and love of the princes, yet my friend could be in trouble. Petra had never come back to report anything on Lo.

Then there is my worry about the princes.

Before any of my own missions, I would never worry.

It didn’t matter if I got hurt, because it was just me in those scenarios.

Worry pains me as I look at my princes, who are currently drinking wine and continuing to plan in our room.

I have my glass, with my book open. Yet, I find myself trying to read the same paragraph over and over again.

Yes, they need to do this confrontation for themselves and their position in the court of politics.

But I wonder if I am complicating matters too much.

That it would have been easy if I weren’t the problem they also had to protect.

My worry also morphs into the plausibility that something could happen to us.

If one of them gets hurt, I don’t think my heart could handle it.

And yet you still deny that it isn’t love. Fool.

“What’s that, Arabelly?”

“Sorry, Bert, I didn’t realize I’d sent that thought out. I am just… worried.” Both come up from their little blanket nest and scurry up my legs to rest on my chest. They send comfort through our bond. They are both in their cute little pyjamas Lo made for them.

“It’s okay to be sad and worried, Arabelly. You found people worth fighting for. And isn’t that special!”

“What Kip said, Arabelly. We are so happy to see you smiling. And it’s nice to have people bigger than us to protect you. It’s time for you to take what is yours. No fear, that’s not like the Arabelly we know and love.”

Their kind words have me tearing up; they have been my companions for many years. Normally, mice tend to live only for two to three years, yet somehow our bond has elongated their lifespan. For that, I am grateful. They have seen and been through everything with me.

The princes must have caught me crying, because within seconds, four worried princes are hovering over me.

“Sunshine, what is wrong? Why are you crying?!” Koi asks worriedly.

“Darling, what’s the matter?!” Archer cups my cheek.

“It’s nothing.” I wave them off.

“It’s time for you to start trusting and telling them more, Arabelly,” Bert says. The princes probably just hear an angry chattering from him.

“No, it isn’t nothing, Duchess. You are sad, why? What can we do?” Grayer asks, getting to his knees on the floor by the couch.

“I am just worried about going back. I am worried about Lo. But…” I take a deep breath. Vulnerability has never been my strong suit. “I-I am terrified of something happening to one of you. I don’t think my heart can bear it.”

They all smile.

“I think the princess loves us, and wants us around more than she lets on,” Archer says as he scoops me up from my seat. I let out a yelp, and I see Kip and Bert scurry back to their little nest.

“They are going to wrestle again; I would rather not be present for that,” I hear Kip say, and I send an apology through the bond with a laugh.