Chapter Thirty-Eight
“We're going to need a bigger bed,” Xaedren declared the next morning.
“Ugh. You're telling me,” I muttered as I disentangled myself from him and Rath, then climbed over Rath and headed to the bathroom.
“We don't have to share a bed every night,” Rath said. “We could take turns sleeping with him.”
“I like that idea,” I called from the bathroom, then shut the door.
After I did my morning stuff, including a quick shower, I stepped out of the bathroom in a towel to find the room empty.
“Well, all right then,” I said as I went to the trunk at the foot of my bed.
As I rifled through my clothes, I realized that I was done with training. I'd been so wrapped up in my men-drama the night before that I forgot to celebrate. Well, I guess I did celebrate, just not that. But the end of my training meant the beginning of my true work. I assumed I'd be sent out with Xae and Rath now that we had done . . . whatever we had done. Bonded? No, united. I had united them. That's what the Goddess called it.
“You are one lusty woman, Goddess,” I said. “And I love it.” Then I went serious to say, “Thank you for them. I didn't know I could be so happy. Just please, look after us. I can't lose them now.”
She didn't respond, but I knew she heard me. Funny, I've never been a religious man. You'd think someone chosen by the Goddess before birth would innately know how important she was. I didn't. In fact, after my parents were killed, I lost faith in her completely. I thought if she did exist, she didn't give a shit about me or my people. How wrong I was.
I got dressed and headed out of my room. First, I went to Xaedren's room, then Rath's. Both were empty. Frowning, I went down to the dining hall, but that too had a distinct lack of my lovers.
“It's as if they just vanished,” I muttered as I went to the buffet table and filled a plate with food.
“Coffee?” Nex offered as I reached the beverage table at the end of the buffet.
“Yes, please.” I took the mug he held out to me, already full of coffee, then added cream and sugar.
“You alone this morning?”
“It seems that way.” I grinned. “But I wasn't last night.”
“Oh?” Nex went with me to a half-full table.
A few of the men there eyed me, but Nex gave them a back-off glare.
“Thanks,” I said, then sipped my coffee and sighed.
“You're like Wraith Lord bait.” Nex chuckled. “I'm surprised Xaedren has let you out of his sight now that you've made up. I'm assuming your smug comment means you're back together.”
“Yes.” I glanced at the other men, then whispered, “And we've added Rath.”
Nex's eyes went wide. “We? Are you saying Xaedren agreed to Rath being your first addition?”
“Rath was Xae's idea.” I shrugged. “I was the one holding back.”
“Not anymore?”
“Nope.” I grinned. “I discovered the perks.”
Nex chortled. “Perks? Yeah, I'll bet you get some nice perks with two men focused on you. But honestly, I'm surprised Xaedren and Rath were able to get along in such . . . close quarters.”
“They were only at odds because of me.”
“Huh. Yeah, I guess. So, they're good now?”
“Oh, yeah.” I smirked.
“No,” Nex whispered. “No way. Rath didn't . . .”
