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Not after he said he didn’t want to.

I loved him, and with Rae here, I didn’t have to pretend I loved him like a brother if he was open to more. And with her as our mate, we didn’t have to lose each other anymore.

She wanted both of us.

While I didn’t know where the two of them stood now, something had changed between them in Feranzis, and it had only gotten stronger.

He needed her as much as I did.

We couldn’t go back to pretending none of us wanted this.

36

ESCAPE

RAE

Istared down at the phone’s black screen, waiting for my heartbeat to settle down after one of the best orgasms I’d ever given myself without a toy.

Listening to Cyn take Zeke apart while I could hear people pass outside the door wasn’t on my bingo card for the year, but I wasn’t complaining. I’d hoped to last until the end, but the sounds they made were enough to drive me over the edge a lot faster than I wanted.

It was probably for the best. If I wasted too much time, Ash might come looking for me. Though if he found me, things might have taken a different turn altogether.

I shook my head, banishing the thoughts, and stood, adjusting my skirt.

Pushing open the door, I checked that the coast was clear before stepping out into the hall. I hurried down the corridor, but nearly jumped out of my skin when I turned the corner and ran into someone.

“Shit. I’m sorry.” I stepped back and looked the woman over to see if I’d hurt her, squinting when I realized it was Rinlora.

She wore a pair of jeans and a casual T-shirt, her long blonde hair loose from its work bun, but her striking crimson eyes were unmistakable. I hadn’t met another Shyrlivi yet with crimson eyes outside of the triplets.

“It’s fine.” She gave me a once-over of her own, making me suddenly self-conscious of my heated skin. Could she tell what I’d just done on palace grounds? “Come with me.”

“What?”

“Come with me,” she repeated, as if I hadn’t heard her.

“No. I heard you. I guess I mean, why?”

“Oh. Why didn’t you say that instead?”

“I… don’t know.” I shook my head, following her. “It’s fine. Not important. Where are we going?”

One thing I’d learned about Rinlora while working with Amra was that she sometimes took things literally and had a blunt way of handling things. It wasn’t constant, but it occasionally created a hitch in communication.

“Amra gave me permission to take you outside the city.”

I stopped. “Wait. I’m not supposed to leave the sanctum, much less Alonia.”

She turned to face me. “Amra said it’s okay.”

“Ash is waiting for me.”

“I’ve told him you’ll be with me.” I must have looked worried because she added, “I promise you won’t get in trouble.”

“Let me just make a call real quick.”

She shrugged. “Suit yourself.”