War was a gruesome affair, and Izzy was right to be afraid. People were going to die. But that wasn’t what she needed to hear right now.
“I’ve only just gotten to know all of you,” she whispered. “I can’t lose you now.” Her voice grew harsh, an edge to it. “This is why I never got close to anyone. They always left or died or…”
The tears came as heavy sobs wracked my soulmate.
Koar came over from his post at the door and knelt to add his arms around Izzy. That wasn’t a surprise. I’d sensed the two of them had gotten closer while I’d been out of it. No… the real shock came when Rook followed the dragon in and held her as well.
I was glad he’d mended things with Izzy, but I’d never known an incubus to be so caring and giving when sex wasn’t involved.
We all comforted Izzy till her sobs abated and her tears had washed out her despair.
“Thank you, all of you,” she whispered.
“We’re here for you, whatever you need,” I replied.
“And… you’re all sure it’s okay… this thing with Bayn?”
“Is it what you want?” Koar asked.
She drew in a long breath, then let it out equally as slowly. “I… he’s… I don’t know.” Her shoulders slumped beneath me.
“We need the titans,” she went on. “And he’s… not horrible to look at. If it’s just a political thing, then I think I could live with it, as long as I still have all of you. I don’t know if my wants have any say right now. If I’m going to be the next queen, I need to learn to do what’s best for my people.” She sighed. “With all of you… well, you sort of fell into my life. I don’t think I trusted any of you right away, but you all did things to show me your hearts, how dedicated and wonderful you are.”
“Except me, I was a dick,” Rook said.
She laughed, the sort of gasping, awkward laugh of one who was deep in their emotions.
“Before that, you were nice, then you were a dick, nowyou’re back and you’re here with me, and that’s what counts.” Her next breath was stronger, surer. “But Bayn, he’s… he doesn’t wantme, he wants something from me.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure he doesn’t want you,” Koar muttered. “I can’t be certain, but something in how he reacted to you makes me think he wouldn’t mind sharing a marriage bed with you.”
That was interesting.
“Ugh, gross, please don’t ever say it that way again,” Izzy said, but her tone was less disgusted and more playful. After a pause, she asked, “Do you… really think he likes me?”
“There is a strong possibility,” Rook said.
Oh?
“Oh?” Izzy echoed my own thoughts.
“When you were up on stage, giving your impressive speech to sway the campus to our cause… I felt something from him,” Rook said. “It wasn’t quite lust, but it certainly had notes of admiration and potentially some desire.”
Koar picked up from there. “I don’t think he’d ever consider making this deal with anyone but you. You’re an elf, but you aren’t. You’re strong and determined and beautiful, but you’re also caring and kind. He hates elves, but for you… he has a much more… complex set of emotions.”
“Don’t we all,” I added.
That made her laugh.
“So, I should seduce him to our side?” It was a joke, and I was glad she was feeling good enough to make it.
“No,” Koar said evenly. “He’d trust you less if you did. Just be your wonderful, perfect self and he’ll come around. He’ll see you as we do. And, if you want him like you want us, then… things might work out. If you don’t… then he’s a king in name only, a figurehead with no part of your heart.”
“He gets one room, with a small bed, and you get another, with a bed big enough for all of us,” Rook added.
“I think I could get used to being a prince consort, or even just an inamorati in your harem,” I said.
Izzy sighed, then squirmed her way out from under our three-fold embrace to look at each of us in turn.
