Page 7 of Shifter’s Promise (Devourer of Magic)

Chapter

Five

A rap at the door had me shooting up in bed, heart pounding and gaze darting around for a weapon. When soft sheets slipped against my skin, I immediately returned to the present.

I’m safe. I’m not there anymore . I repeated the words, a mantra in my head, until my heart slowed.

It was only when a second knock interrupted that I realized what had awoken me.

“Come in!” I called while scrambling out of bed. A glance at the window told me I’d majorly overslept.

If my mind hadn’t raced all night, maybe I’d have been able to sleep, but so far? No such luck. Every time I drifted off, a stream of nightmares new and old invaded my dreams.

The door flew open and Kara burst inside.

“You’re still in bed!” she chuffed, face screwing up in a comic look of disapproval. “They’ll be here any minute!”

Shit, right . My would-be husbands .

Ick .

I had so much to do, but putting those three in their place was first on the agenda.

Before any of them got it in their heads that they were in charge, I would set them straight.

I was in charge here. I would choose whom I married.

If they didn’t want to put in the effort, then I would simply choose none of them.

Then I’d make Jeremiah decide like he should have in the first place instead of passing off the responsibility.

I sighed. “I know.”

Kara crossed to the windows. She tore open the sheer blinds, allowing unfettered sunlight to stream inside. Blinded by the brightness glaring off the surrounding sandstone homes, I shielded my eyes.

“I still can’t believe you both let me go to the market while you were off getting engaged ,” Kara continued, her same spiel from last night. She had been none too pleased to learn her big sister was dancing with the devil. “I would have liked to be there!”

“You’d have torn off their father’s head,” I countered.

Kara snarled. “He would have deserved it!”

I snorted. “You’re not wrong.”

Throwing herself onto the bed in a huff, she groaned into the sheets.

“Comfy?” I asked with a smile.

Her mumbling was incoherent through the fabric beneath her face.

“What was that?”

She groaned and rolled onto her side. “I said, you should have let me rip his head off. ”

I laughed. “If I did that, you’d be mauled by jaguars.”

Kara shrugged before rolling onto her back.

“It might be worth it to see the looks on their dumb faces.” She made a few faces based on the reaction of the triplets—a story she’d pulled out of father after enough arguing.

Based on her expressions, you’d think the trio were the most hideous, foul men on the planet.

While I certainly wouldn’t call them ugly, foul was still on the table.

As if Kara had conjured them by sheer thought alone, a bang on the front door vibrated through the house.

“Shit,” we said in unison.

We both got our foul mouth from mom, much to father’s dismay. The thought of her sent a pang of loss through me. She’d tried so hard to save me. Fought until rivulets of blood coursed down her majestic golden fur and her whole body trembled with the effort to stand. I could still?—

“I told you, you should have gotten up sooner,” Kara said, her attitude suddenly blase.

I blinked out of my thoughts and sighed through my nose. “It wasn’t like I meant to stay in bed all day.”

“Could have fooled meeee,” Kara sing-songed as she rolled off the bed and to her feet. “Up you go! Three bachelors are downstairs, and you’re not even dressed.”

I hated that she wasn’t wrong. I hated that I couldn’t just bury myself in bed and block it all out. Instead, I got up like a dutiful daughter and put on the most warrior goddess outfit I could find. Leather chest plate, leather bracers. I was going to war. Might as well be prepared.

By the time I finished, nearly ten minutes had passed. Kara secured my braids at the back of my neck—the braids she’d tirelessly woven last night. I ran a hand over the tight strands, feeling more like myself than I had in years.

To my surprise, Father didn’t call up or rush us. He knew I was getting ready for this. The day I faced my fate.

Stepping back in front of the mirror, I tightened the straps of my armor, then faced Kara.

“How do I look?”

Her face lit. “Badass.”

I chuckled, a rattle of nerves shaking my voice. With a cough, I cleared the sound.

“Thanks, sis.”

“Anytime.”

With no time to lose and nothing left to stall with, I finally made my way downstairs. The creak of the stairs silenced the murmuring beyond the living room archway. A moment later, my father’s rumbling voice returned, but none replied.

Tense silence rested as I steeled myself and straightened my spine before stepping into my future.

Two long burnt orange sofas made up the majority of the living space. A pale wooden coffee table sat between them. Darker wood outlined a brick fireplace set into the back wall, a painting of my mother hung above it.

Before I could take in the rest of the room, my gaze slid to someone entirely unexpected. Our eyes widened simultaneously—my gold-green, her orange-gold.

The lioness from the market. Blonde waves descended over one shoulder, the other shoulder capped in metal armor with black twisting runes peeking beneath it. Her lashes, blonde and thick, fluttered open and shut, like I might disappear if she blinked.

Transfixed by those orange orbs, I was oblivious to everyone around me until Kara’s gentle shove propelled me inside.

“Twinlin!” Father exclaimed with relief.

Shit, shit, shit!

This couldn’t be happening. My teeth set, leopard on the edge of my mind for the first time since we’d met Jeremiah.

She hadn’t liked him one bit. After Gina’s death, she’d almost completely retreated.

Feeling her here with me now, so close to the surface, I was overwhelmed with both joy and fear.

If my leopard was this worked up, that could only mean one thing.

This woman was my mate.

Fuck.

“Twinlin,” Father said. He cleared his throat, glancing between me and our guests. Three rather boring jaguar men now that I looked at them—especially in comparison to the absolute goddess standing behind the sofa.

“Hi, s-sorry for the wait,” I stumbled over my words. Gods help me. I had to get a hold of myself.

“What’s wrong with you?” Taka snarked. His short dirty-blond hair fell over his scarred brow, giving him a ridiculous brooding look.

I narrowed my eyes. “Nothing.”

“Well then, why don’t you have a seat.” Where my father had stood upon my entry, he slowly sat, patting the sofa cushion beside him. Kara was nowhere to be seen, having already disappeared. That left me with two against four. I wasn’t liking my odds.

Taking a deep breath, I soothed my inner beast. Wait for now . This was too delicate of a situation to address in front of mixed company. I eyed said trio with suspicion in the corner of my eye—trying to not appear outright hostile.

I took my seat and immediately met her gaze. Her brow scrunched in confusion. Questions burned in her eyes. I looked away, shame burning up my throat.

“Can’t even look at us and we’re supposed to court her?” one of the other brothers quipped.

Gods , I’d have to learn their names now.

I snorted derisively and steeled my nerves. I could panic later. Jutting my chin out, I met their gazes, avoiding the sunset orange eyes I wanted to meet most.

“You’re just not much to look at,” I said with a shrug.

A wagon rolled by outside, clattering. The room was so quiet I could make out the conversation of the passengers—something about eggplants.

Her guffaw broke the quiet. My gaze snapped to the person I was trying to avoid. Her lips twitched in a smile, my small grin mirroring her. Something in her gaze had settled. Her brow was no longer pinched. Instead, something like understanding had blossomed.

This time my entire being flamed as if the hells burned beneath my skin. I laughed half-heartedly, half coughing in my attempt to cover myself.

“You men really can’t take a joke, can you?”

“Oh!” Father blinked from his stupor and turned to our guests. “Of course, a joke! Apologies.” His fake laugh wasn’t fooling anymore, but it did help clear the air.

“A feisty one, hm?” the one on the right with the deep freckles said. His hair was the shortest of the three, cropped close to his ears. As if reading my mind, he answered, “Aya. Call me Aya.”

I nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

The words came automatically and sounded insincere even to my own ears. That only seemed to egg on his brothers, who laughed and poked at their sibling.

“I’m Raxa,” the quiet one added. Though he certainly hadn’t been as quiet with his brothers this time. Maybe it was the lack of Jeremiah that allowed him to relax. In fact, he was leaning back, lounging on the sofa, a pensive look on his face as he regarded me.

I noted his interest, despite my lack thereof. It wasn’t that they were ugly. I knew a good-looking man when I saw one. But it was hard to even see them next to my mate standing over their shoulders, directly behind the middle one, Taka.

“And if you don’t recall, I’m Taka.”

“Twinlin,” I said for brevity’s sake. “So, you’re here to begin courting me today so my people can regain their rightful land in our truce? ”

I didn’t miss the stiffening of their guardess. Her broad shoulders tightened with her pursing lips. I’m sure she realized I’d explained it for her sake. She was the only one here who might not be aware of how the jaguars got their land.

“Yes,” Taka said slowly. He seemed to be the leader of the group, sitting center, less obnoxious than Aya, but more boisterous than Raxa. They all might look nearly identical but they weren’t copies of one another.

“All right,” I said, “How will you begin?”

Raxa surprised me by chuckling first. He seemed to find my behavior most amusing. Again, noted. If I had to pick one to marry, I’d prefer that he liked my sense of humor. His quiet nature might be a boon. He might not talk over me like other men. Men like Jeremiah.

“We’re taking you out,” Aya said simply. He leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his legs. “To the cliffs for some diving.” His grin spread, too cocky for my liking.

As much as I wanted to shoot down their idea, which from Aya’s grin, I suspected they might desire, I couldn’t. I loved cliff diving. Though I’d only been able to do it a few times as a girl, I suddenly missed it so much my entire chest swelled with need.

“Absolutely.” I grinned, honestly and sincerely.

A small gasp was barely heard over the rumble of the men’s reactions, but it wasn’t lost on me. I dared the briefest glance up to find those amber eyes shining.

“Really?” Taka asked, half disbelieving, half intrigued .

I yanked my gaze to the male with much difficulty. “Yes, really. When do we leave?”

The triplets exchanged furrowed brows and questioning glances. After some wordless communication, they seemed to agree. Standing, Taka offered me his hand.

“How about right now?”

Anticipation zipped through my gut like fluttering wings. “I’ll gather my things and meet you at the door in a moment.”

“Take your time,” Taka called as I hurried from the room, completely ignoring his offered hand.

I will . Enough time to get my head on straight and back in the game.

I might have somehow stumbled on a second gorgeous mate—the biggest blessing I could have ever been given—but that didn’t mean I could do whatever I wanted.

I had to help my people reclaim their land.

And how was I supposed to do that peacefully without a marriage?

I gritted my teeth as I climbed the stairs, all too aware of eyes searing into my back. We’d talk soon, mate. But first I had to keep this betrothal on track.