“We’ll get you gloves.” Koa curled my hand into both of his, cradling it like it was something broken and precious. “In case there’s anything youwantto do.”
“But aren’t I supposed to help?” I stared at them with confusion knitting my brow. “I don’t want to be a burden. I swear I’m not worthless! I can—”
“You are not a burden nor are youworthless,” Casimir bit out, his tone harsh with anger. I didn’t think it was at me, though, because he softened his voice when I cringed. “You are agift.”
“You don’t have to prove anything to us, darling.” Zane tugged gently on one of my curls. “Just let us take care of you. Just rest and recover and let us take care of you.”
A lump swelled in my throat. Brumous nosed my knee, whining softly. I reached down and stroked his head as I gave the brothers a shaky smile. I wasn’t sure I believed all of this yet, but I would try. At least until they gave me a reason not to.
“Hmm. If only our enemies could see us now.” Zane leaned back in his chair with a lazy smile. “Bet they’d wet themselves. The Cimmerians sitting down to a fancy lunch with a dire wolf pup and treasuring our new bride.”
“Cimmerians?” I breathed as I froze.
The monsters who hunted monsters. Dhampir. Half-vampire, half-human, and entirely lethal.
My gaze darted between the three of them as I gasped, clapping both hands over my mouth.
“You’rethem,” I whispered, my voice muffled behind my fingers. “The ones King Julian warned me about!”
Zane’s smirk widened, and he winked at me like he’d just pulled off the world’s best prank.
“Guilty as charged. Though I gotta say, our reputation’s a little overblown. We’re notthatscary.” He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. “Are we, bluebell?”
I quickly summed up what the king had told me, watching their faces.
These men,my husbands, were the stuff of legends, whispered about in hushed tones across supernatural communities. And here they were, arguing over the last of the rolls while hand-feeding a dire wolf pup food from their plates.
Something warm and unfamiliar unfurled in my chest. My bond with them. And it was growing stronger by the minute.
I only hope it’s true for them, too.I bit my bottom lip.I mean, they said I’m their beloved. Is that the same as a mate?
“That was just business talk.” Zane whirled one hand. “What did he gossip about uspersonally? That we’re terrifying? Unstoppable? Irresistibly charming?”
“Sorry, beloved. We should have told you our last name sooner.” Koa’s eyes were apologetic. “It’s yours now, too, after all.”
Casimir, however, was frowning, his brows furrowed.
“That story about the messenger is just bullshit,” he muttered, stabbing a piece of carrot with unnecessary force. “I didn’ttwisthis head off. Icutit off. And it certainly wasn’tby accident. I don’t behead peopleby accident.”
“You don’t doanythingby accident,” Zane laughed. “You need a spreadsheet and a five-point plan to take a—
“Well, except for that time with the titan wraith,” Koa interrupted.
“I don’t even know what a titan wraith is,” I admitted, eyes wide at how casually they talked about killing.
Casimir’s frown hardened, but before he could launch into what I suspected would be averydetailed explanation, Zane interrupted.
“Speaking of monsters, we need to talk to you about Arabesque. She’s already tested us.”
Her name alone made a ball of ice form in my stomach, and a phantom pain stabbed my chest, just like when she siphoned from me.
“What do you mean?”
Koa quickly summed up how she’d made sure no one would be here when I arrived, giving Amabel and Eluned a golden opportunity to hurt me all they wanted to without getting caught.
“We’ve activated the wards laid by our father, King Lucian, and our eldest brother, Prince Sebastian. You’re safe here, Seri. No one will harm you.” Koa’s hand clenching around his glass. “It’s just, if Arabesque is coming for you, we need to be ready.”
“Coming for me?” My hands trembled, and I set the fork down before I dropped it.
