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Then again, maybe he didn’t start that brawl.

Vyrain did seem aggressive last night. I’d not known him to pick fights, but I couldn’t put it past him either.

I shouldn’t discount the possibility of Luthri being genuine.

Even if he was just here to get his dick wet, everyone deserved a chance, didn't they?

Given the timing, he could be a godsend in a way.

“So, apparently, you can fight,” I started. When Lu gave me his attention, I dipped my head in the direction of the twins nursing their wounds nearby. “We do odd jobs,” I told him. “Right now, we’re considering one that might be dangerous. Finding the Kereti heiress?”

Luthri nodded thoughtfully. “I heard about that. Disappeared in Munarzed, didn’t she?”

“Yes.” Goddess, please let this be the right decision . “Would you want to come along?”

That got Vyrain’s attention. Fae senses never failed to impress me.

“Excuse me!” Shaking off his brother’s grip, he limped forward. “You can’t invite a stranger to tag along with us, especially not with something this important,” he argued. “And anyway, there are enough of us splitting the payment as it is.”

“I don’t need any money.” Lu held up his hands. “Keep it all; I don’t care.”

Well, that was the best-case scenario. Extra manpower without a drain on our resources? You’d have to be an idiot to say no to that.

Alas, that was exactly what I dealt with.

“Oh, how magnanimous of you,” Vyrain sneered. “So, what, you’re going to put your life on hold for weeks or cycles so that you can go on a daring adventure with zero payoff except for the minuscule chance of getting between the legs of a woman you don’t even know?”

Shaking her head, Vee went to check on Hohem.

“People have done more for less.” Lu sniffed, affronted by the implication. “Ulmar of House Hamra, First of His Name, crossed the barren Fields of Fortitude alone to learn the name of his gods-given soulmate.”

“Wha—that’s a kid’s story!” Vyrain fumed. “There’s a reason you won’t find that mentioned in any history books. It’s complete and utter?—”

“Look.” I clapped my hands to get their attention. “We can have everyone take a vote if we want. All I’ll say is if this job is as dangerous as it sounds, then it won’t hurt to have more manpower. Lu’s been honest about his motives; you can’t fault the guy for that.”

“I’m fine with him joining,” Daethie chimed in from nearby. “Yrra doesn’t mind, either.”

Yrra blinked, wondering when he’d said as much, but didn’t protest.

“Worried I might grow on you?” Luthri winked at Vyrain, eliciting a disgusted groan from the fair fae. “If the lady was amenable, perhaps you could join us,” Lu went on to suggest, waggling his eyebrows. “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve entertained two lovers at once.”

“Absolutely not,” Vyrain spat. “I don’t share.”

The image played out in my head unprompted: lying back on the mat in my tent as pale hands ran along my breasts, teasing the sensitive skin. A dark head settled between my legs, tattooed arms gripping my thighs as he took what he wanted with a hot, flexible tongue?—

My silence scandalized poor Vyrain. “Mar?!”

“Oh, yeah, absolutely not,” I said quickly, shaking off the daydream.

“If you want to join us, Luthri—for this job, I mean—you need to stop antagonizing Vyrain. No ifs, ands, or buts. I need to get a map, but I know that Munarzed is a ways away, and I’m not about to listen to you two squabble nonstop for the next few weeks. ”

“Oh, please.” Daethie waved away my concern. “It’s all we ever did before he came along. What’s the difference? I, for one, am always glad for more eye candy.”

Not for the first time, I considered wringing the pixie’s little neck. It was too early in the morning to be letting her get to me. “How about, instead of encouraging that kind of behavior, we strive for a healthy work environment, hmm? Is that all right with you, Daethie?”

She made a noncommittal noise.

“Mar.” Vyrain pulled me aside, not missing the chance to cast another glare in Lu’s direction.

“Consider this from a safety standpoint,” he implored in a low voice.

“We don’t know this guy. He could be a common bandit, for all we know.

He might be setting us up so that he and the rest of his ilk can slit our throats in our sleep. ”

“That’s a lot of effort to expend on stealing a handful of vodt and a few tents,” I responded matter-of-factly. “Plus, we’re far from helpless. You know the three of us could give a group of bandits a run for their money. Well, after you and your brother heal up.”

“You’re being na?—” Vyrain cut himself off when his voice began to climb.

Clearing his throat, he started again. “He’s traveling alone, staying at establishments of ill repute.

We don’t know where he came from, or anything about him, for that matter.

And Hohem and I weren’t pulling our punches that much this morning—that guy can hold his own. ”

“Then he could have already slit our throats and been done with it, no?” I pointed out.

Vyrain’s throat bobbed as he struggled to find a response.

“I appreciate your concern.” I patted him on the arm. He flinched away from the contact, rolling his shoulder back with his brows knit together in pain.

“Ah… sorry.” Clearing my throat, I continued.

“I just wonder how much of it has to do with you being concerned for our safety and how much of it has to do with your ego. I’m not saying that’s a problem, but if having another fighter on our team could be the difference between us succeeding or not, the pros outweigh the cons. You know?”

Vyrain sucked his teeth, reluctant to admit as much. I rolled the situation around in my head in hopes of producing another bone to throw him. Better chore distribution? Fresh meat, perhaps, if Luthri had been serious about hunting?

“You don’t have to be friends. I’m asking you to tolerate his presence, that’s all.”

That did the trick. He might not have been excited by any definition of the word, but he at least appeared subdued, even as he grumbled under his breath. Reassured, I let myself relax.

“Promise me you’ll be careful?” he muttered as I turned to go.

“When am I not?” I tossed back, though I knew that Vyrain could come up with at least a half-dozen examples in the limited time I’d known him.

Lu was where I’d left him. He and Daethie were deep in conversation by that point. Vee fussed over Hohem, and Yrra stood awkwardly to one side, staring into the distance as though he were no longer sure where he fit in. I approached him first.

“Have you decided?” I asked, tilting my head to regard the shy blue fae.

Yrra shook himself from his daydream. “Hm?”

“If you’re coming with us or not. To Munarzed.”

I could have imagined it, but his gaze seemed to linger on the pixie speaking with our group’s newest addition. “Yes,” he answered at last, eyes still distant. “Yes, I think so.”

“Great.” A smile came naturally to my face as it landed that we were doing this as a group. “It should be a blast, all things considered.”

A life like mine could be considered an adventure in its entirety, but as settled as I’d gotten, things had begun to grow stale.

Plus, I’d seen precious little of the fae realm despite how long I’d been here.

If this job went well, I’d have a lot more opportunities.

I could buy a cute little cottage somewhere picturesque and settle down.

Was that what I wanted? Well, there was no rush.

I had plenty of time to think about future plans.

The excitement was infectious, and soon, we were all smiling and discussing what to do with the money. This payoff could change everything for us—we just had to return in one piece to enjoy it.