Right. They did tell me about this. But I didn’t imagine such a thing would work betweenthem.
Sylvian nods once. “It happens more often within a single court,” he says. “Where alliances are stable. Where trust already exists.”
Oberon lets out a quiet huff. “Across courts?” he mutters. “That’s where it falls apart. Remember that queen and the four kings who shared her?”
“That was a bloody mess,” Cassius says, looking thoughtful.
Ashton shrugs slightly. “Anyway, there’s been too much history, too much fighting, when fae from different courts share a bride.”
My gaze flicks between them, trying to piece it together.
“So… it does happen?” I ask.
Cassius inclines his head. “Yes.”
“But rarely like this,” he adds.
The weight of that settles immediately.
I swallow. “Because you’re from different courts.”
“Exactly,” Sylvian says.
Oberon’s jaw tightens slightly. “We’re not exactly known for sharing.”
There’s something in his tone that makes my stomach flip.
Cassius exhales quietly, his gaze steady on mine. “Under normal circumstances, this would be… unlikely.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” Ashton mutters.
“But,” Cassius continues, not missing a beat, “we have a lot of time to figure out what this is. Together.”
Oberon nods once. “Which means we don’t need to determine what this looks like. Not yet.”
That… shouldn’t be reassuring. But somehow it is. A little. Time to figure things out is exactly what I need.
“So… how does it work?” I ask again, quieter this time, but more grounded.
Cassius hesitates for just a fraction of a second. “When men share a woman,” he says, more carefully now, “it requires balance.”
Sylvian picks up the thread. “Equality,” he clarifies.
Oberon’s expression darkens slightly. “Or it turns ugly.”
Cassius nods. “Jealousy can destroy the bond if it’s not managed.”
I blink at them, my confusion shifting into something else now.
Something deeper.
“Equal?” I repeat. “What does that mean?”
Cassius’ face flushes, and he glances at the others as if searching for support. When none of them step in, he sighs and turns back to me. “If you were to be with one of us…” He hesitates, his cheeks turning a deeper shade of red. “You’d be with all of us.”
The words land like a lightning strike, heat rushing instantly to my face. “Allof you?” I repeat.
He nods, his embarrassment evident. “Yes. That’s… that’s how it works. It’s the only way to keep things balanced. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair to anyone.”
