But I can.
A delicious heat sweeps up my body, and I blink up at Rosalina. “It’s very important for you to see Kel tonight, isn’t it?”
She holds herself and sniffs, only able to give a stiff nod.
I look to Ezryn, giving him my most cunning smile. “You know, there’s one way we could get our sweet Flower straight into Kel’s arms. No briars or travel required. All that’s needed is?—”
Ezryn’s eyes widen as he catches my meaning. “You bastard. You wouldn’t dare fuck my mate in front of me.”
Rosalina looks at me, then her gaze narrows, our delicate flower growing thorns of her own. A similar smile creeps across her lips.
I wrap my arms around her and pull her tight to my body. “You wouldn’t have to only watch, mate of my mate.” Rosalina and I level Ezryn with our matching grins. “You could join.”
28
Rosalina
Caspian’s mischievous energy is infectious, and I can’t help butlook up at Ezryn through my lashes with the hungriest expression I can muster. It must be working, because he lets out an exasperated growl and runs a hand through his wavy hair. Oh yeah. I’ve got him.
We’ve got him.
Caspian slinks forward and trails a finger along Ezryn’s shoulders. “Come now, Ezryn. Haven’t you always wanted me on my knees, begging for mercy?”
“Yes,” Ezryn growls. “But I always imagined it with my blade at your neck.”
Despite the meaning of his words, there’s no malice in them. I raise a brow, studying my mates. Something’s shifted between them. I’m not sure if it was Dayton’s death, discovering our mate bonds, or perhaps decades-long frustration with Kel that couldn’t stop them from bonding together, but it almost feels like an uneasy alliance has formed between them. And uneasy though it may be, I can’t help but thrill at the thought of it.
“How about instead of my neck, it’s my mouth?” Caspian croons, then gives a heated look down at Ezryn. “And instead of your blade, it’s yourblade?”
Ezryn narrows his gaze. “Don’t push your luck.” He walks over to me and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. His voice softens. “Nothing offers me more pleasure than seeing my woman get what she wants. Even if what she wants comes from a fox like you.” He gives a pointed look over his shoulder at Cas before turning back to me. “But it’s only her body I crave.”
I grab his hand, remove the gloves, then drift soft kisses across his knuckles. “I don’t want to do anything that will make you uncomfortable.”
Ezryn breathes a laugh, then walks over to Cas. Cas stares up at him, that vulpine smile still on his face. Ez does the same move to Caspian, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. He grabs Caspian’s chin roughly. “I’m not uncomfortable. And I’m certainly not going to let him fuck you alone. My mate deserves better than that.”
“Well then, let’s get our maiden on the road, shall we?” Cas purrs. He slips out of Ezryn’s grasp, then goes to the back of the sleigh, pulling out several heavy blankets we’d packed for the trip. He gestures for us to follow him farther into the cave, around a corner. The icy fractal walls continue before rounding into a small alcove. “I’d rather not be watched by a reindeer if that’s alright with you two.”
I laugh and nod, walking into the alcove. In every direction, walls of ice stretch until the very top, where it opens to the sky. Light filters in, making the room glow blue. My reflection dances as I twirl, taking it all in. Eight other Rosies move in sync with me, our long, dark hair splaying out, our faces flushed with cold and excitement. Thankfully, this far into the cave, there’s no wind. In fact, it almost feels like being in the bridge house on Voidseal: not warm exactly, but the chill has been chased away.
Ezryn leans down and touches the ground with his bare hand. “There must be thermal pools beneath the surface.”
“Whatever the case, you and I can stay here again tonight. We’ll be kept warm thinking of our little snowflake in the arms of Keldarion.” Cas gestures to the blankets. “Your bed awaits, Flower.”
Warmth spreads from the tips of my toes to the top of my head as I walk toward the blankets. I had meant what I said. I do desperately want to see Kel tonight. He’d seemed earnest, shy even, when he extended the invitation to join him at his camp.There’s something I want to see with you, he’d said. If it’s important to Keldarion, it’s important to me. Every day seems to present a new rift between us. If we’re not fighting over Caspian, it’s about my safety. I needsomethingto help us find our way back to each other.
And this—my two mates who supposedly hate each other—might just be the thing to get me there. And bonus, getting Ezryn and Caspian to team up could very well be just the thing to mend the broken bridges between them.
I just didn’t imagine they’d be teaming up onme.
A delicious wave of excitement floods through me. First, I kick off my boots, then step onto the thick blankets. They’re warm, made of felted wool, and my toes curl among the fibers. Ezryn and Caspian pace closer, rounding on me like predators. A wolf and a fox, working together.
Beneath their hungry gazes, I unbutton my coat and fling it away. With slow, agonizing movements, I strip out of my travel skirt, my trousers, the woolen shirt, and the full-body stockings. I kick everything to the side until I’m in nothing but my skin before them.
Though there’s no wind, the air is still cool, pebbling my nipples to hard points and spreading goose bumps over the mounds of my breasts. I notice the change in their bodiesimmediately: Ezryn’s throat bobs as he swallows, and he wets his lips with his tongue. Caspian’s pupils are blown, the purple nearly devoured by black. They take a step toward me in unison.
I lower to my knees and blink up at them. “No fair. You two are still dressed while I’m cold and naked.”
The words ignite them, and they both leap to my side, kneeling beside me.
