She’s in front of me in a blink, tugging my hands from my hair and halting my steps. Her eyes are soft. “What’s brought this on?”
“Crazy shit keeps happening. Like jumping down rabbit holes and being chased by giant insects while being insulted by enormous flowers.”
“What does that have to do with the Stirlings?”
“They are going to figure out I’m not worth it.”
She shakes her head, and a small smile pulls at her lips. “You’ve always been blind to the force of nature you are. For so long, you’ve only trusted one person—me. And now you haven’t met one man, you’ve met four.”
“And given them my soul,” I whisper.
“Ah, that’s what triggered this meltdown.”
Tears gather in my eyes. “I love them, but I’m terrified they don’t feel the same way, and that sooner rather than later they will disappear from my life, taking my stolen soul with them. What will become of me? I’ll be an empty husk of a woman, clambering through life as she waits for the curtain call.”
She drags in a breath and pulls me over to one of the four-poster beds draped in black gauzy material. She tucks my wild curls behind my ears.
“They call it falling in love for a reason,” she says. “You take a leap, and at the end, they will catch you. I have faith in their intentions. If I didn’t, I would have already acted. Your relationship might not be traditional, but who cares? If it works for the five of you, so be it. I’m not surprised you have a big enough heart for four men. They see your worth, and you need to let them love you.”
The first tear falls, and I put a fist against my chest. “I feel like I can’t breathe.”
She shakes her head. “You don’t need to. You have four devoted knights who will do it for you.”
“I don’t deserve them.” I voice my biggest fear.
“Stop underestimating your worth, Daphne Stone,” she snaps. My spine straightens. “We are on this momentous journey, and my gut says everything is about to change for what we expected from our lives. But one thing is constant and unshakeable—your love for them, and their affection in return.”
The genie pops into the room and wafts a heavy purple, glittering mist from his eyes. “You survived,” he says as he claps. He focuses on me. “So, why are you crying? Who hurt you?”
I drag my bottom lip between my teeth. “No one. I realized that I’m hopelessly in love with four men.”
“Four? What will the knights think? You can’t break their hearts, Daphne. Their rage will shake the realm, and I fear for this quad of men.”
I laugh. “They are the four men.”
The genie frowns and counts off his fingers. “Theo, Nash, Malachi, and Hart. Oh, you’re right, there are four of them.”
“I second what your sister says,” Eron shouts from my pocket. I pull him free. “They are the ones who need to prove their worth. You need to see yourself as they see you.”
There’s a knock on the door. Gwyneth rises and crosses the room before pulling open the door with a flourish.
“Sweet Gwyneth,” Charming says. I scrunch my nose. I’m still not okay with him being anywhere near my sister’s floof. “I would be most fortunate if you would grace me with your presence for a turn so we can explore the gardens.”
Ugh, I’m tired of gardens and games, but I guess I’ll have to chaperone.
Gwyneth glances over her shoulder at me. “Stay here. I will be fine.”
I jump to my feet and shake my head. “Nope, I’m coming.”
“I’ll go,” the genie declares.
“I have honorable intentions, I assure you,” Charming butts in.
The genie snorts as he points at me. “You stay and be pampered by those knights of yours. I believe Hart has been foraging in the kitchens on your behalf.”
Wonderland sausage? Damn, they are playing dirty. The way to a maiden’s heart is by feeding her stomach a good, juicy sausage.
“Perhaps keep the internal thoughts on the inside,” Gwyneth says with a chuckle.
