“Whatever our queen desires.” Casimir leaned in to brush a kiss on my parted lips. “Fireweed, take her to soak in the hot tub. We’ll meet you there.”
“With pleasure.”
As they left to raid the kitchen, Zane rolled out of bed and found his boxers in the mess of discarded clothing.
“You know,” he said conversationally, wrapping me up in the sheet, “I never thought I’d be this happy. With anyone. Let alone someone I was forced to marry.”
“Arranged marriages aren’t supposed to have happy endings,” I agreed. “But I guess we’re breaking all the rules.”
“Story of my life. Breaking rules is kind of my specialty.”
“Along with being deliberately provocative?” I hid my smile in the crook of his neck.
“And shitty jokes.”
As he carried me out of the room, I felt more protected and cherished than I ever had in my life. We had countless threats lurking inthe shadows, but right now, with my husbands’ scents mingling on me, none of that really mattered.
I was home. I was safe. I was loved.
And just like I’d told Casimir, I would fight forever to keep this.
23. To Be Broken
Koa
Cas caught my eye as we both pulled on joggers, and I knewheknew I was replaying how close we’d come to losing her.
“She scared the fuck out of me,” I muttered as we padded down the hallway.
“She did what she had to,” Cas replied, one hand landing briefly on my shoulder, solid and grounding.
He was aware how the battle rage affected me, how I sometimes needed hours to come down from that high. Today hadn’t been as bad, more fear for Seri than bloodlust, and play time with her moments ago had certainly helped. He was checking, anyway.
Always the wall. Always the biggest billy goat gruff.
We pushed through the doors into the kitchen, hit immediately by the scent of fresh bread. Mrs. Wentzel’s domain ran on controlled chaos during peacetime, but today the stainless steel counters looked like a culinary warzone. A stock pot bubbled angrily on the industrial range, its lids clattering like an impatient spirit.
“Monster attacks before mealtimes require advance scheduling!” Her rolling pin slammed dough with the precision of a mortar strike, and flour poofed around her steel-gray bun like tactical smoke.
Cas ghosted ahead, barefoot and shirtless the same as me, his expression grave, although I caught the tiny twitch at the corners of his mouth.
“My sincerest apologies, Mrs. Wentzel. In the future, I will request that supernatural entities submit their attack plans at least twenty-four hours in advance.”
“Don’t you get smart with me, Prince Casimir.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “I was fileting things before you were born.”
My mouth twitched. Most people quivered at the sight of us, but not this old girl.
Behind me, a ceramic bowl shattered, and I glanced to see Addison frozen with broken pieces of a mixing bowl scattered around his sneakers. His throat bobbed like he was swallowing screams instead of saliva.
“S-sorry,” he whispered to his own shuffling feet. “So sorry.Perdón.”
“It’s fine, kid.” My voice came out rougher than intended. He flinched.Fuck. I softened a bit, leaning against the fridge door. “Accidents happen.”
After a moment, he approached like a spooked colt, all trembling fingers and sideways glances. Up close, I could count the scars peeking out from his shirt at his neck and wrists. He swallowed hard when our eyes met, his throat bobbing like he was trying to dislodge something painful. I waited, recognizing the look of someone gathering courage.
“Prince Koa,” he whispered finally, his pulse jackrabbiting. “Lady Seri said you would give me training if I asked.”
Mrs. Wentzel whipped around, rolling pin frozen mid-whack, eyes wide and lips pinched into a tight line as she stared at her grandson. Cas went still, too, instinct telling us this moment mattered.
