“Section three, paragraph two: ‘All kisses must be distributed with mathematical precision among husbands.’ ” Koa nodded solemnly.
Grinning, I tried to slide off Casimir’s lap, but his arms didn’t budge. If anything, they tightened further. His hands spanned my ribs like he could weld me to his bones, and that alone told me they wouldn’t be yielding for quite some time.
“If you want kisses,” I announced with mock haughtiness, “you’ll have to come to me. I’m a queen comfortable on her throne.”
“Well, when Her Majesty puts it that way.” Zane arched an eyebrow, a wicked grin spreading across his face as he dropped his voice to a suggestive purr. “Although that throne’s gonna be impaling you later, sunshine.”
Koa choked on his beer, laughing so hard he had to set his bottle down.
“Zoodle, whatamI going to do with you?” I said, fighting a blush.
“Many,manythings, each hopefully naughtier than the last,” he countered, dropping dramatically to one knee before Casimir’s chair. “Your Majesty, I humbly request a royal kiss.”
“Me, too!Pleeeease?” Koa showed me all of his teeth as he knelt, too.
Grinning, I leaned forward and dropped a kiss on Zane’s waiting lips, then did the same to Koa.
“There,” I said, settling back against Casimir’s chest. “All equal now.”
“Until the next round,” Zane promised with a wink that sent a flutter through my stomach.
“Behave, pest,” Casimir warned, but the corners of his lips twitched.
As Koa and Zane sat down again, I nestled closer to Casimir, feeling warm and protected and completely unafraid, but the mood shifted as their faces grew more serious. I felt the change in the air, the transformation from happiness and teasing to something sharp and focused. Their expressions reminded me that these men weren’tonlymy husbands; they were hunters, strategists, and protectors.
“Seri, how do you think Amabel will respond?” Koa asked, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “Foster confirmed that Arabesque is still in Chicago until tomorrow night. That gives us a window, but we need to figure out what Amabel’s next move will be.”
I blinked, surprised by the question. The fact that they were asking my opinion, valuing my insight, still felt new and strange after years of being dismissed and belittled by the Harrows.
“I need to know what she knows before I can make a good guess. Does she know you have Eluned? Does she know what happened at the lake? Is she aware that you’re working with Foster?”
“Foster says Amabel knows Eluned is missing,” Koa said. “But she doesn’t know for certain that we have her. She’s been trying to track Eluned’s phone, but it’s been off since we took it.”
“And we’re keeping Foster’s true allegiance quiet,” Casimir added, his chest rumbling against my back. “He’s playing the concerned ally, helping Amabel search for Eluned.”
After they caught me up on everything, I nodded.
“She won’t strike until tomorrow morning at the earliest,” I said confidently. “Amabel is nothing if not thorough. She’ll want maximum time to plan, to get all her pieces in position.”
“So we have today to prepare,” Koa nodded, already shifting into action mode. “I’ll start warding the lake immediately—”
“No, that’s not a good idea,” I interrupted. “Eluned was a flamethrower, but Amabel’s the arsonist who stays to watch you burn, but will never light the fire herself.”
“She’ll come through whichever entrance is least guarded,” Koa translated.
“You want us to let her pick the door.” Casimir understood immediately. “Leave the lake open.”
“With a welcome mat, too?” Zane muttered. “Hell, no!”
“I’m not a leader or strategist or an expert in technology or able to use telepathy to look inside someone’s head, but I lived with Amabel for five years. I know how her mind works—”
I shut my mouth, my confidence faltering. Who was I to be giving tactical advice to these experienced fighters?
“We’re listening,” Casimir rumbled against my back, his face buried in my hair. “You know her much better than we do. Keep talking.”
“Eluned used an illusion of Brumous to lure me to the lake,” I said slowly. “Amabel is even better at illusions than Eluned. I wouldn’t put it past her to incorporate something similar in her attack.”
“Good to know.” Casimir’s thumb found the hem of my shirt and slipped under it, tracing slow circles just above my hip bone that left trails of liquid fire.
