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Their gazes burn with raw hunger, but none moves yet, waiting for my final statement.

I let my voice rise. “Vaelith, Eryx, Zareth. You call yourselves my men. I vow to protect, to guide, to stand with each of you in forging this new future. In times of crisis, I’ll not break your trust. I claim your bodies, your devotion, your souls—and offer mine in return.

” The last words tremble with emotion. This is the final Oath: deeper than politics or fleeting lust. It binds us as a family, a pack, forging an unbreakable circle.

They answer in unison, a whispered “Yes,” resonating in the quiet.

Sparks fly in the hush. My pulse pounds, and I beckon them closer with a single gesture.

They converge, forming a tight ring around me.

The tension is heady, swirling with the memory of countless nights.

But tonight is different—an apex of everything we overcame.

I tilt my chin to Vaelith first. He lowers his head, capturing my mouth in a searing kiss that sends sparks down my spine.

I welcome him, letting my arms slide around his waist, feeling the taut muscles of his back.

The taste of him, faint wine mingled with something distinctly male, reminds me of how he once tried to subdue me.

Now he surrenders. I sense Eryx behind me, heat radiating as his palms skim my hips.

Zareth hovers to one side, his breath soft against my shoulder, an almost reverent hush.

Vaelith draws back with a ragged exhale, and Eryx shifts in to claim my lips next.

His kiss is playful yet intense, a teasing graze of his teeth that makes me gasp.

My body arches, pinned between the two of them.

Zareth’s fingertips brush across my collarbone, sending a jolt of delight.

The synergy we found that first time, in stolen moments, returns now with tenfold potency.

I turn to Zareth, pressing a demanding kiss to his parted lips.

A low moan builds in my throat as he responds, arms sliding around me with an unexpected gentleness.

The tension from our once-bitter rivalry dissolves in the weight of his vow.

His mouth devours mine until my lungs burn for air.

I break away, chest heaving. The three of them watch, their eyes dark with promise.

“On the bed,” I murmur, wanting more space to bring them all close.

Eryx laughs softly, hooking an arm around my waist to guide me backward.

We sink onto the mattress, limbs tangling.

I soon lose track of whose hands roam where.

Vaelith’s fingers skim my thighs, eliciting a quiver.

Eryx strokes the curve of my waist, nibbling at my neck.

Zareth’s quiet, skilled caresses tease over my arms, my abdomen, stoking the flame of arousal higher.

Time blurs into a series of heady moments: Vaelith leaning in, pressing open-mouthed kisses along my chest; Eryx’s sly grin as he bites gently at my earlobe, whispering filthy endearments that make my stomach knot with anticipation; Zareth brushing soft, electric kisses down my spine.

I sink into the bed’s silken covers, every nerve aflame, letting them worship every inch of my skin in turn.

I urge them with soft commands. “Here. Slower. Yes…like that.” My voice shakes with pleasure, and each man obeys, enthralled by my slightest prompt.

Our vow is more than words, it’s manifested in the way they yield to my desires, in the way I welcome them one by one.

Eryx’s laughter intermingles with Vaelith’s low groans, and I catch glimpses of Zareth’s parted lips, panting with reined-in hunger.

Soon, the swirl intensifies. My breath grows ragged.

The bed creaks under our shifting bodies.

I guide them in a careful dance, ensuring no one is left wanting.

The friction of bare skin, the taste of salt on my tongue, the raw heat building—this is the apex of everything we stand for.

Each man has a distinct presence, a distinct way of touching me.

Vaelith’s strong, protective hold, Eryx’s playful, teasing strokes, Zareth’s focused, almost reverent kisses.

They blend into a tapestry of sensation that robs me of coherent thought.

I find my nails digging into Vaelith’s shoulders as he slides over me, trembling with the force of my own need.

Eryx’s murmurs echo near my ear, a litany of praise and hunger.

Zareth’s psionic aura flickers along the edge of my consciousness, amplifying the wave of ecstasy that surges between us.

My vision hazes, the chamber’s lamplight flickering in and out of focus as we crest a crescendo that sparks all four of us simultaneously.

A keening moan rips from my throat, matched by their ragged cries.

We collapse in a tangled sprawl, the final echo of that orgasmic wave shuddering through our limbs.

My heart thunders as if trying to break free of my chest. For a moment, I can’t move, pinned under the weight of euphoria and bodies.

Then we shift slightly, letting the hot air ripple in our lungs.

Panting, I manage to whisper, “You’re… mine. Always.” My words wobble with exhaustion but ring true. Eryx’s arms tighten around my waist, Vaelith’s large hand covers mine, and Zareth’s breath ghosts along my neck.

Time drifts. We remain there in a blissful stupor, warmth and the faint tang of sweat layering the air.

My mind bobs between wakefulness and drowsy contentment.

Eventually, I ease up, wiggling free to lie between them on the bed, chest still rising and falling rapidly.

They shift too, forming a circle of protective bodies around me.

My purna markings pulse faintly, a final residue of the magic swirling in my blood.

When I find my voice, it’s hushed. “That… was our final Oath. The city can keep its ceremony, but we know the real vow happened here.”

Vaelith nods, pressing a gentle kiss to my shoulder. “I’ll stand by that Oath until Orthani’s last stone crumbles.”

Zareth’s tone is subdued yet fervent. “Your mind and heart are my anchor, Selene. I won’t stray.”

Eryx chuckles, the soft rumble comforting. “Nor I. I’d burn the entire city again if they dare harm you. Well, maybe not literally—no fiascos, no meltdown—just making sure we avoid the meltdown word. But you know what I mean.” His grin flashes, and I can’t help but laugh softly.

I let my fingers trace lazy patterns across Vaelith’s forearm, Eryx’s chest, Zareth’s abdomen. The quiet sense of completion fills me. We overcame centuries of prejudice and a near cataclysm. And now, with this final group claim, we anchor each other.

After a while, we shift to a more comfortable sprawl.

My head rests on Vaelith’s broad chest, Eryx’s elbow props him to my left, and Zareth nestles to my right, one hand casually entwined with mine.

The bed’s covers lay in a tangle at our feet.

The lamp’s glow has dimmed, casting the chamber in warm half-shadows.

I blink, feeling the airy swirl of triumph. “Where do we go from here? The city stands on the brink of a new era, the refuge grows daily, King Rython doesn’t renege on his word… It’s everything I wanted.”

Vaelith answers softly. “We shape Orthani’s future. You lead purna in forging a coven here, ensuring Ai and others remain safe. Eryx hunts any Red Purna threats. Zareth manages the wards and psionic security. I keep the guard from turning hostile. It won’t be simple, but we stand ready.”

I rest my head on his shoulder, letting that plan soak in. “Yes. We have time now to do it right. And with King Rython’s backing, we can keep forging these alliances. If tensions arise, we address them before they spark new conflict.”

Zareth’s voice emerges quietly. “And what of you, personally? Will you remain on the council indefinitely, or do you foresee traveling back to Prazh?”

I consider it. The memory of Prazh’s remote covens flickers in my mind—frozen mountains, hidden enclaves of purna matriarchs.

“Prazh calls to me in a distant way, but Orthani is my project now. I can’t abandon these purna who rely on me.

Maybe someday I’ll visit Prazh, forging alliances, but for now, I stay here.

We have a new coven to form, after all.”

Eryx’s grin surges. “Well then, I guess we’re stuck with each other for quite a while.” He winks, brushing a playful kiss at the corner of my mouth.

A soft laugh escapes me, my chest blooming with warmth.

“Indeed.” I shift a bit, noticing how exhaustion tugs at my awareness.

The day was long with council duties, the night culminating in an intense joining.

My limbs feel heavy, my head lolling. “I might rest,” I admit, voice drooping. “We have a future to craft tomorrow.”

They murmur agreement. Eryx slides down, nestling into the pillows. Zareth adjusts so that his body arches protectively behind mine. Vaelith remains where he is, providing a warm anchor for my head. The lamplight flickers, and the hush grows deeper, cradling us in a final wave of contentment.

My eyelids flutter, drifting toward sleep, but I stir enough to whisper, “Thank you… for everything. For trusting me, for forging this path. I never thought Orthani could become our home.”

Vaelith answers in a low murmur, “It is our home now. We shape it, together.”

Eryx’s last words are a quiet tease, “And if Orthani rebels, we’ll remind them what they’re up against.”

Zareth simply presses a final kiss to my temple, a silent vow that resonates more deeply than any speech.

I let the comfort envelop me, lulled by their breathing.

Outside, the city rests under starlight, purna hearts beating in unison with new hope.

Ai slumbers safely, the coven expands, and we hold the monarchy’s pledge.

Yes, there will be challenges—some hidden council intrigues, potential Red Purna resurgence, or perhaps new foes.

But I’m no longer alone in the shadows. I have three dark elves devoted by choice, not chains, forging a bond that defies Orthani’s ancient cruelty.

We overcame captivity, discovered a new way to exist. This final group Oath is proof we’re unstoppable.

In the morning, I’ll awake to greet purna at the refuge, attend council sessions, shape new laws.

I’ll unify humans, purna, and elves where possible, employing my cunning and the unwavering might of my men.

King Rython remains on his throne, but behind him stands a city changed by my presence.

Ai’s future glimmers bright, a symbol of purna’s unstoppable magic.

For tonight, I release the weight of responsibility, letting my body melt against them, the bed a nest of warmth and tangled limbs.

The synergy of our vow thrums in my chest, a vow sealed on the battlefield, in the throne room, and finally in each other’s arms. My final thought as I slip into slumber is one of fierce contentment: Orthani stands in a new dawn.

I remain not its queen but its secret matriarch, forging covens, leading from the shadows, with three dark elf vessels pledged to me for all the nights to come.

I drift into sleep, breathing in the faint musk of our union, the echo of their voices still murmuring my name.

When the dawn breaks, I’ll rise as Selene Varess, purna matriarch, with Vaelith, Eryx, and Zareth entwined at my side.

Our bond unbreakable. Our city entering an era of fragile peace.

Our future as boundless as the starlit sky.