Page 5 of Their Fated Magic

“It’s fine,” I say, regretting even drawing attention to the word.

Rinan looks like he wants to say something, but he doesn’t.

After a minute, Arlys clears his throat. “Tomorrow we’re going to have an early morning, so I think the best thing would be to get ready for bed.”

“Got it,” I say, still feeling strange. Upset, maybe.

They apologized. Why am I still mad? Why can’t I let this go?

Hesitating, I think of my mother’s message. Some part of me knows I should tell them, but everything feels so fragile between us right now. It might just be the thing to shatter this whole situation.

I’ll tell them. At the right time.

I head through the room, select a nightgown from my wardrobe, and go behind my screen to get changed. It feels strange, being naked so close to four men. Four men who I have such complicated feelings for.

It’s like something is changing inside of me. Something I don’t understand. The witches have said and done far crueler things to me than that little insensitive conversation earlier tonight, yet I’ve never reacted like this before. It’s like these men got through the shield around my heart just enough to be able to really hurt me, and I feel… sad about it.

I let the nightgown slip over my head, then adjust it to be sure they can’t see the marks on my back and just stand for a minute, acknowledging the sadness I feel. I wish Baldemar were here to ask about this miserable feeling inside of me. Or even just Wisp.

But instead, I have no one to talk to except a room full of the people I want to talk about. The thought makes me feel even more alone than when I’m alone. I touch my cheeks, glad there are no tears. It feels like I should still be crying.

Drawing my shoulders back, I will myself not to let them hurt me like this again. I just hope my will is enough.

Coming out from behind the screen, I find the men all in nothing but their boxers, standing at the foot of the bed like a sexy fence I have to cross to get in, or maybe they’re just waiting for me, I don’t really know. Without a word, I squeeze through Drogo and Garrick and find a spot in the middle of the bed.

I glance back, and my gaze meets Garrick’s. He gives a small smile, his eyes gentle, and climbs onto the bed, lying at my left. The whole bed sags as he does so, and I roll onto him a little before pushing myself back. Damn giant shifters.

To my surprise, jealousy flares in Drogo’s gaze, and he huffs and lays down on my right, crowding around me. His body radiates heat at my back so strongly that I don’t know how I’m going to be able to sleep tonight. Although I bet hot shifters make cold nights a hell of a lot better.

Rinan’s gaze finds mine, and he rolls his eyes, smiling at me, before finding an empty spot behind Drogo. Finally, there’s just Arlys, who has been left to lay near Garrick. He doesn’t look happy about it, but he crawls onto the bed too.

Arlys draws the sheet over us. It’s a big sheet that seems made for a setup like this, which is surprising. I wonder how often people in relationships with more than one shifter sleep like this. We’re packed in here. Even though… I don’t hate it. It’s warm.

I break the tense silence. “Is this normal for your people? A bunch of people sleeping in one bed? Women having more than one husband? I heard it was, but I haven’t seen another poor woman surrounded by growly shifters.”

Garrick sits up on his elbow, studying me with his pretty hazel eyes, like he’s still not quite sure how to handle me after hurting my feelings. Which, strangely, I appreciate. “Yeah, there are a lot fewer women than there are men, so it’s pretty common for a woman to have more than one partner.”

“And they all just have to squeeze into bed together? I bet that’s not fun.”

Amusement dances in his eyes. “Well, to be fair, they’re not just sleeping.”

A picture conjures itself in my mind. “All at once?” I whisper.

The air in the room heats up, and all four men become restless and seem to fidget, adjusting their positions. Garrick’s husky voice breaks in. “Sometimes.”

A low rumble comes from Drogo.

“Sometimes it’s separate,” Garrick continues. “Once the men form a good bond, they don’t get jealous. Sharing a wife is an honor. When everyone’s on the same page, it’s a beautiful thing.”

A beautiful thing? I try to picture the five of us all having sex. I picture myself twisted in different positions with giant dicks coming at me from every direction.

Ouch.

But he said it could be a good thing? A beautiful thing?

“Do you think it’ll be like that with us?” It doesn’t sound so bad… except for me being twisted like a piece of dough. And the tension’s hard to deal with now. I don’t want to spend my whole life breaking up fights between these men.

“Maybe,” Garrick says, but there’s doubt in his voice.

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