Page 3 of Of War and Realms

“You’re doing so good, Nell.” I feel more slickness coat my thighs at his praise. “Does he feel good?”

“Mhm,” is all I can manage.

“How good?”

“So. Fucking. Good,” I cry into his neck with every hard thrust. I need to bite down on something, but I don’t want to hurt him. Heat builds swiftly at my core, and my legs tremble at their own will.

“That’s it, princess. Let him feel you come on his cock.” He grinds his hips, rubbing against my clit just right, and pleasure explodes through my body. My vision falters and I leave the realm for a moment, unaware of anything. When I start to come back, Casmir is rubbing my ass and rolling his hips, and I can do nothing except take it. “One more, Nell,” he demands.

“So tight, love, holy fuck!” Emrys’s movements become messy and Cas slides his hand back, pushing fingers alongside the captain’s cock. Em’s piercings press down just right and I lose it. I scream, biting Casmir’s shoulder and probably ripping his hair out with how tight I’m gripping it. Em stills and heat coats my inner walls as he groans his release.

We lie in a pile, the only sounds are our heavy breathing. After a few minutes, Emrys pulls out of me and drops next to Cas. I watch him from where I’m lying across the prince’s chest. There’s a light sheen over his skin and his hair is damp. His muscles seem tense, though that’s just his default mode lately.

Everyone’s stressed. But I have a plan…hopefully.

“I can feel you staring.” I try to hide my smile as Emrys’s sated, tired eyes find mine.

“I can’t help it. You’re just so pretty.” He rolls his eyes, and I close mine. One hand finds Em’s chest to rub his taut muscles; my other runs through Casmir’s soft hair.

“Can we just stay here and never leave…” I whisper into the silence. My prince’s arms tighten around me and Emrys rolls to face us, draping his arm on Cas’s. I relax into their holds. A lightness drifts through my body; almost like being enveloped in a soft blanket. The hollow of my chest warms. It’s not so empty at the moment. It’s telling me that this is where I’m meant to be.

My eyes burn behind my lids, and I swallow around an object that wasn’t there a moment ago. What’s that saying mortals use? If you love them, set them free? A small breath leaves me; yeah, I will not be listening to that advice. The humans do have strange customs…why would you give up someone just because you love them? And with their short lifespans, it makes even less sense.

Apparently, I would give my males up just because of what I was raised for, though. Gods, I really need to take some time to think about this. I’m so confused. My soul begs me to bond with them, but my head yanks me in the opposite direction. My mother has always believed emotions are weak. Especially love.

"To love is to betray your value," she would say. To her, loving someone shifts your priorities; it stains your being, and you no longer have the ability to remain objective in all aspects.

I suppose she’s right…my priorities have shifted. My soul has been stained. And no, I will not remain objective in anything. Casmir, Emrys, and Xamira are my first priority. Always.

If I was forced to choose between saving them or the entire realm?

Let the realm burn. They’re mine.

I groan, dragging my head up to look at my males. “I should probably shower before the meeting.”

“I don’t know, princess,” Cas says, pushing my fallen hair behind my ear. I lean into his touch, the warmth from his skin leaving a scorched path along mine. “I kind of like the idea of you walking in there with our scents all over your body.”

My eyes roll hard. “You are seriously insufferable. Both of you,” I laugh, pushing myself off them and stealing one of their shirts that landed next to the bed. They both move to join me, and I hold up a finger, smirking. “Oh, no. I’m showering alone today…but you two have fun.” I wink and run to my room before they can follow.

It almost hurt to wash their scents from me; I won’t admit just how much I want to be constantly covered in them. Not because I want to smell like them…I just don’t want to smell like him. He lingers. His scent, his touch, his words, his delusion. I can still feel him on my skin and inside my body. I will not tell Cas or Em, though. It would hurt to admit just how much I’m still struggling. Consequently, I insist on showering alone most days, which allows me to scrub my skin raw until I’m sure there’s no trace of him left. Even then, I’m still not convinced.

I walk to my closet and look through the clothing, deciding what would be best to wear to a council meeting. They’ve all seen me before, but only once, and we were never actually introduced to each other. So it’s important that I make a good impression, seeing as I’m standing next to their prince in this. I pull open a drawer to grab underwear, snorting at the crotch-less panties I have yet to utilize, when my hand touches a box. My brows scrunch. I don’t remember putting a box in here?

I pull it out, and the blood rushes from my face. I completely forgot about this…the obsidian necklace Casmir bought for me. I cannot believe I wore this without knowing that it’s one of the very few things that could permanently kill me, or any god. Obsidian creates non-healable wounds and spreads poison through our bodies when under the skin.

Obsidian can’t be found in this realm…how did the shop owner come by this? The other gods ensured it could only be accessed on Europa after they removed all properties of it from Earth; it’s just about the only way a mortal could murder a god, so they made sure no mortal could get it.

Well, I suppose if a piece is going to be in this realm, I’m glad it’s in my hands and not Andras’s. He could have done so much damage with this. My stomach drops at the thought. It’s best if I keep this close to me, so I unclasp the chain and hook it around my neck. The oblong piece rests on my sternum, right next to my heart. I have the urge to tell Cas and Em about this, just so they know not to touch it…but that’s a truth I cannot give. Yet.

The effect of obsidian on gods is our most closely kept secret. Of course it is, because besides that, the only other thing a mortal could do to truly kill us— not just our physical body—is remove our soul’s essence. The place that holds onto our magic and feeds our life force. Other than the gods, only the highest ranking demi-gods have this knowledge. It’s forbidden to speak of, especially to anyone who doesn’t already know what it can do to us.

I’ll keep it to myself, for now; but my priorities have definitely shifted, because I will bear no guilt in telling my males if needed. I laugh to myself, the sound crackling through the thick air. The things my mother would say if she knew about any of this…but for once in my life, I don’t give a fuck what she’d spew. Her words no longer mean anything to me.

Chapter Two

Anellah

“And you truly believe Prince Andras is bringing war to the realm? With demons? From a place none have heard of?” The male with long white hair has had a disbelieving look on his face since the moment Casmir began telling the council everything. The male— Viktor, I remember—chuckles and waves his hand, dismissing his prince as if he were a child spewing nonsense. My blood heats.

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