“And why would you want to fight against something like this?” I ask, seeking her mouth again.
“Because this is precisely what Kaelisar wants,” she responds, though she makes no attempt to pull away. “And because I'm not the only one of us who feels it,” she adds, gesturing toward Sylara, who's watching us from inside.
I decide to face the situation and go in to talk to her alone. I don't want to cause any problems in the group. We need to work together, but above all, I don't even understand the situation myself. It's true that I've only kissed Sabina, but I feel equally attracted to Sylara or Althea and that's not normal. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before.
“Do you know what a bonded Quad is?” I ask without beating around the bush, positioning myself in front of the elf.
“I see Sabina has already told you,” she responds calmly. “Yes, of course I know what a bonded Quad is. Althea and I have discussed the possibility that one is forming.”
“Does that mean you two also...?” I leave the question hanging in the air, feeling heat rise to my cheeks and spread between my legs.
Sylara simply smiles.
“Do you want to know if we're also attracted to you? What do you think? Do you feel attracted to us or only to Sabina?”
I breathe deeply, remembering the dream I had a few days ago where all three of them made love to me in ways I didn't even know were possible. That dream I can't get out of my head. The idea that it could become reality leaves me momentarily speechless and with trembling knees.
“It's possible,” I admit reluctantly.
“The problem is we don't want Kaelisar to have that kind of power at his disposal,” Sylara continues, breaking my trance. “A bonded Quad under his control would be devastating. Too dangerous for the world, though I don't even know if it's possible to resist.”
“What if we could use it against him?” I suggest. “If we're as powerful together as you say, couldn't we defeat him?”
Sylara opens her mouth to respond, but is interrupted by Althea's voice.
“Nobody can be sure of that. There hasn't been a truly bonded Quad in a long time. And many Quads have destroyed themselves in the past because they thought they were bonded and in reality all they managed to do was create tensions among the elementals who formed them.”
Sabina slides silently back into the apartment, closing the balcony door behind her. Suddenly, the tension in the room changes. Both Sylara and Sabina seem suddenly uncomfortable, almost hostile toward each other, though they try to hide it.
“What's happening?” I ask, bewildered by the change. “Why are you like this all of a sudden?”
Sylara sighs, and for the first time since I've known her, her elven composure seems to vanish.
“I suppose your kisses with Sabina have accidentally introduced some tension between us,” she confesses, casting a look at the siren. “It's an unwanted effect of the early stages of Quad formation.”
“Jealousy,” the siren clarifies. “It's not something we can easily control. I suppose all this must be too confusing for you right now. Even for us, knowing what could happen, it's proving very difficult to handle.”
“Maybe I should leave,” I suggest, getting up slowly. “It's better if I go back to my apartment until you sort things out among yourselves.”
“No!” all three exclaim practically at the same time.
“Give me a moment,” Althea murmurs, disappearing down the hallway toward her bedroom.
We remain in an uncomfortable silence, Sylara and Sabina avoid looking at each other and I have no idea what to do or say to ease the tension.
Fortunately, Althea returns a few minutes later with a book so ancient it looks like it will disintegrate if you touch it.
“This book contains stories about bonded Quads in ancient times, though it's difficult to know what's real and what isn't. We Kobolds always like to exaggerate stories.True Quad bonding is a rarity. It's already difficult to form a normal Quad, but a truly bonded one...”
Althea translates from the Kobold language, pointing to the illustrations and telling the stories. Most used their power to do good, but some Quads conquered and enslaved entire realms.
“Power is always neutral,” Sylara explains. “It simply magnifies the nature of whoever wields it.”
Althea nods slowly, turning the pages until she reaches what appears to be a theoretical section.
“According to this, it's possible that a truly bonded Quad has enough power to face someone like Kaelisar,” she explains. “But it has to be a true union. It wouldn't work if our main reason is to defeat him.”
“It has to come from the heart. A complete bond, in every sense,” Sylara adds and those last words make me very nervous.
