Fighting another grin, I shake my head. “You know what I mean. Kings must be crowned. Klericks must be brought to justice—assuming they knew the truth.”
I shake my head. It’s so complicated. “Also, I need to see my brothers.” Happiness rises inside me. “Alfryd’s now king.”
“No, he’s not.” Zogar takes a step forward. “You are Queen of Achotia.”
I look at him quizzically.
“Based on the Founding Principles, the crown passes to the eldestchild, not the eldestson.”
“Oh.” Zogar did tell me this once, but… “I don’t want to be Queen.”
Zogar smiles softly. “But you already are one, my queen.”
Shaking my head, I continue to back away. My legs strike the end of the bed, and I look between the three men. “Tomorrow brings hundreds, perhapsthousandsof questions and problems, and I fear my most selfish issue will be lost in the shuffle.”
“Tell us what’s on your mind, ma chérie.” Saxon drags over a chair and sits facing me. “Until you have your answers, we’ll keep our hands off you.”
“And our cocks out of you,” Zogar adds. He sets a chair next to Saxon’s and the chair groans as he sits.
“Oh, for thrix sake.” Tynan grabs a chair, dropping it roughly beside Zogar’s. He lands heavily atop it, and grimaces as his cock bounces.
I push back to sit on the edge of the bed and pull a soft fur around my shoulders. They’re all waiting silently—and very patiently, given their obvious arousals.
“I need you to know.” My mouth has gone dry, and I suck on my cheeks for moisture. “Ihopeyou know how much I love you.”
Saxon and Zogar nod, and a massive grin spreads on Tynan’s face.
Closing my eyes, I draw a deep breath as I pull the fur blanket more tightly around me. “I’m not sure you do understand.”
“What don’t we understand, my love?” Zogar’s deep voice crosses the space between us, enveloping me in even more warmth than the blanket. It gives me the courage to look up.
“To be clear.” I look between them. “It took me a long time to recognize how deeply I love you.” All three men beam, looking so confident that I’m speaking to them, and only them. “The problem is, I love allthreeof you.” I glance down, shaking my head.
The men stay silent as the truth of my words sinks in, and my heart feels as if it might rupture from the speed that it’s galloping.
This is it. The moment they’ll force me to choose. I’m starting to question my plan to talk about this tonight. I should have made love with them all, one last time.
Gathering the blanket about me for courage, I raise my gaze to face the consequences of my greed.
All three men are smiling at me expectantly. They all expect me to tell them I lovethembest of all. But I can’t do that. I can’t say that to any one of them.
“I can’t possibly choose!” I blurt. “Please, don’t ask me to choose.” Bending forward, I bury my head in my hands.
“Hush, ma chérie,” Saxon says. “I can’t speak for us all, but I wouldneverask you to choose.”
I tentatively raise my gaze.
“I believe I’ve already made myself clear on this matter,” Zogar says stiffly.
“Sharing has never been one of my strong points.” Tynan winks. “But for you, my Rose, I’d do anything.” He grins. “I’ll even put up with your two, far inferior lovers.”
Zogar frowns but then laughs and claps Tynan on the back. “I think I’m starting to understand this boy.”
“Not a boy.” Tynan says. “I’m all man.”
Zogar rolls his eyes but doesn’t reply.
“How…?” I don’t understand. “I thought love—true love—was meant to be reserved for one and only one. True love is something I never thought I’d experience, at all. It isn’t even something I wanted, or knew that I wanted. But I love you all, so strongly.”
