I didn’t focus on anything while my thoughts about XanRa played through my mind. They both revealed their true selves when we were alone. Ezra had been my anchor from the very beginning. He was incredibly attractive and intense. The chemistry between us was impossible to ignore. Xan saw the world in ways I hadn’t expected. He asked questions I didn’t have answers to. I’d only met a few people who thought as deeply about the world as he did.
But the only facts I knew about Xan came from everyone but him. When he woke, he didn’t free me. He watched me and lied about who he was. Hell, I was technically still on probation, not even placed in his castle.
I took a slow breath and read the first three Intentions. Erick was right. Not one mentioned work, just estates, hobbies, and lists of potential partners. The Robinsons wanted me to stay in the direct family, as in, I’d carry a kid for each of their sons.
The scrawl in my hand shook. I had a split second before memories pulled me under.
Hands gripped my wrists, pulling them above my head and pinning me in place, while a second pair clinically pulled down my pants. Cold air hit my bare crotch, and fear burned mythroat.
The cold white glow of the twins’ hair radiated above and below me. Something twinkled around their heads. I thrashed harder, but the two men were like immovable boulders. Still. Watching.
“Resistance is natural. But you’ll find it’s a very lonely thing to hold on to when belonging is within reach,” Gandalf’s voice came from the doorway. “Lubrication. Our family will grow.”
The twin sitting on my legs pulled a tin from his pocket and twisted the lid off. The moment the cool jelly touched my folds, my brain checked out, and I woke up again, still lying on my back, but with all my limbs free. An almost full moon spilled light onto a field of purple heather, making it look silver.
I didn’t stand.
I pulled up my pants and cried.
The room came back into focus. Erick was still talking, offering details about another family in London. I focused on his words, rubbing my lower back, until the memory faded. I needed to fix the here and now, then maybe I could step back and understand how I got here and what happened to me.
Prismatic Crystal
I need some time. Tell Xan I’m taking a break from my training.
Plum Purple
We need to talk.
Don’t shut us out.
I shouldn’t have let Xan and Ezra in. If anything went wrong, I could lose everything.
Baby Blue
Whatever you need. We’re here for you.
Baby blue. Xan’s color.
I wanted that to be true so badly, but only time would tell. I put my TB down and steeled myself against the past before reading through the last two Intentions.
A name was missing from the pile. I peered up at Erick. “There isn’t an Intention from the Silvers here.”
Erick smirked and looked up from his book. “Oh, really? Must’ve been my mistake. But even if there was, would the Architect include it or not?”
“I don’t know,” I answered.
Erick took a little bow. “Exactly. You don’t know anything. Now, my little sister. Contracts are between families. Do you even know how to respond to any of those?”
I bit my lips together. He already knew the answer.
Erick popped up again and offered me his hand. “Let’s get those answered before you cause a war. I’ll take them to the McDonalds personally on your behalf.”
“I’m turning them all down,” I said, hoping it sounded more confident than I felt. “I don’t need your help.”
“Ah,” Erick snapped his fingers. “The wording for fuck off can be tricky to make polite, and the difference between hell no, and try again is a knife’s edge.”
I flipped him the bird. “I’ll just draw this.”
