Page 20 of Their Fated Magic

Pulling the blankets over us, Garrick holds me close to him, wrapped around me from behind. I lay against his big, comfortable body, but my mind swirls with everything that’s happened to me so far.

Oh, Tara, what are you going to do about these damn wolves?

TEN

Tara

The smell of food cooking wakes me up from a strange dream I had about a flower growing between cobblestones on a path, stepped on over and over, but continuing to grow, despite everything. The scent of the food overwhelms the dream, and my stomach growls as the vision of the golden flower fades away. When I open my eyes, I see the three wolves cooking by the fire. The sun looks like it just rose, and it casts its morning light on everything around me, making the world look softer.

The men by the fire don’t look like they were attacked by a monster last night, but they do look like they got no sleep and aren’t happy. Probably still angry at me about using Battle Magic. I sigh quietly, annoyed that their angry faces are what I’m waking up to.

But being annoyed won’t do anything. It’ll just make the situation worse.

I plaster on a smile as I gently lift Garrick’s arm and slide out from under his arm and the covers. All three men’s eyes instantly snap to me. I can feel the pressure of their gazes, but I don’t look up. I just put on my shoes and walk over to the fire.

“Morning,” I say, as I sit down beside them.

There’s a moment of silence before Drogo speaks. “Did you sleep well?” He’s looking at Garrick still sleeping peacefully and not at me. Which is weird.

“Yes. I slept very well,” I say, feeling awkward, even though I don’t know why.

He grunts, and my gaze snaps to him. He looks angry. “If you’re trying to piss us off by sleeping with the bear, you’re going to need to do a better job.” He waves his hand over me. “This isn’t very convincing at all.”

“Very convincing?” I ask, confused.

“That you like him. That you enjoy being around the bear.” His words are clipped.

Apparently, I’m not a morning person when I travel, because anger rises inside me. “I enjoy his company a lot more than yours.”

Drogo actually flinches. “Don’t even pretend. You slept in his bed just to piss us off.”

Piss them off? “Just to be clear, you weren’t even here at bedtime, but more importantly, the second you made it clear this relationship was a pile of shit, I stopped caring how you feel about anything!”

My smile has dropped. It’s too early for fighting, and I’m not in the mood for whatever the hell this is.

“Yeah, right,” he says.

“Drogo…” Arlys warns softly.

Rinan glances at me, and there’s anger in his gaze. Anger I don’t understand. Isn’t this what they wanted? I’m helping them cure the wolves and they don’t have to keep pretending to care about me.

Drogo’s hands curl into fists. “I just don’t believe she doesn’t care about us just because… because I cleared things up between us. Because I told her we didn’t intend to stay married to her. Feelings don’t just disappear like that.”

What the fuck is wrong with these wolves?

I stand. “Well, believe it.”

Turning, I head towards the river, hoping the rushing water and space to myself will help calm my now aggravated nerves. These men are infuriating. I really can’t do anything right in their eyes. Battle Magic to save their lives? Nope. I’m a liar. Fall asleep with one of my husbands without the others present? I’m trying to make them jealous. Even back at their place, sleeping in the bed and getting Garrick’s scent on me set them off.

Are all men this frustrating? Or just these idiots?

I stomp on the leaves in front of me, satisfied with the loud crunch I hear under my feet. Those three act like they want me. They protect me and fight whatever tries to hurt me. Yet, they don’t actually want me or even like me. They just want to use me as a tool.

Still, it seems like they’ve laid some kind of claim to me. Sometimes, I’m even convinced they care. But they’re liars. They’ve lied to me from the very beginning, while calling me a liar in the next breath. Before they even married me, they planned to toss me out – or worse – when I’ve fulfilled my purpose to them.

So why are they so possessive? So easily pissed off when I’m around Garrick? Am I just a toy they don’t want to play with, but they don’t want anyone else to play with either? Nothing makes sense.

I sit at the edge of the river, feeling lost, when I hear rapid footsteps. Thinking it’s another monster, feeling foolish I even went out here alone, I leap to my feet and reach for the dagger at my belt, ready to end this fight before it begins. But instead of a monster, Drogo’s large form emerges from the woods.

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