Page 11 of Dragon Rivals of New York

“We should really let the babysitter go home, anyway.” The way she’s smiling at Midas makes it clear she’s not going home just to relieve the babysitter.

I stand up and give her a hug. The other two men who came in with Cyrus—I don’t remember their names—say their goodbyes as well.

Finley and Cyrus have disappeared somewhere now, so it doesn’t seem like either of them mind that the party is breaking up early.

“Can I take you home?” Kyro asks after everyone but Jethro is gone.

“No.”

Kyro’s expression sags.

“Can I?” Jethro shoots Kyro a cocky grin.

“No. I’m going with Finley. She’s coming over fora sleepover before the wedding tomorrow.” I just need to figure out where she’s run off to, then we can be on our way to eating ice cream and watching Nora Ephron movies.

“Will you enter the pools with me tomorrow?” Jethro asks.

Kyro sucks in a breath.

It’s not the first time he’s asked me this question, but this time it’s layered with so much more. I know what it’ll mean for him if I say no. What it’ll mean for Kyro, too. Shit, what am I going to do? Sure, they shared me tonight, but it’s clear they hate each other. I doubt they want to be in a throuple for hundreds of years. Shit, what am I even thinking? I can’t be in a throuple. That’s for sixteen-year-old kids who don’t know what they want and have no sense of commitment yet. I’m not like that snarky character from Parks and Recreation with her two boyfriends. What was her name again? April. Yeah, April.

I don’t even know if the priests and priestesses will let me mate two different dragons.

“I can’t answer that yet,” I whisper.

Kyro’s brows turn down. “You know what it means if you refuse?”

My guts twist like a rung out rag. A bitter taste fills my mouth. Now, I’m not just dooming Jethro with my choice.I’m dooming Kyro, too.

“You’d let us both go mad?” Kyro asks, gaze hard.

My guilt turns to anger in a second. I won’t be shamed, bullied, or blackmailed into a marriage—more than a marriage, a magical lifelong bond that will last centuries.

I’ve made most of my adult decisions because of someone else, what they want, what they need, what they think is right. People have backed me into corners and controlled me too many times. Not again.

“I don’t want either of you to get hurt, no.” I hold my chin high. “But I also refuse to ignore and surrender my own needs and desires.”

“What is it you need and desire, lovely?” Jethro asks.

“That’s just it!” My voice is a little too loud and a few people turn to look at us. Jethro takes my arm and pulls me into a darker, quieter corner. Kyro follows.

“I don’t know what I want or what I need,” I whisper. “I’m only just figuring it out, and getting into a permanent relationship isn’t the way to do that.” Jethro knows some of this already, but I say it anyway for Kyro’s benefit. “I got together with my ex in ninth grade. We dated all through high school and college. He led in everything. And I followed. If he liked a certain type of movie, that’s what we saw. If he thoughtmy dress was too short, I changed. I didn’t even realize I hate country and love rap until we got divorced. I’d exclusively listened to country music with him before that.” My words come fast. “There’s so much I’ve never experienced, so much I don’t know. I can’t get sucked into someone else’s orbit and lose myself again. I just… I can’t.” My cheeks are wet, but I don’t know when I started crying.

“Hey, hey, come here.” Kyro pulls me into a hug that swallows me and all the emotion I just threw at him. “I’m sorry.” His breath fans the top of my head. “I don’t want you to lose yourself.”

“Neither do I.” Jethro steps closer, and Kyro pulls me away. Jethro rolls his eyes. “We could help you, lovely. I can’t speak for Kyro, but I have no plans to take experiences away from you. I want to give you everything, Ara’ha. Everything.”

“One week.” Kyro’s gravelly voice sounds above me, and I tilt my head to look up at him. “In one week, I can give you enough experiences to know what you need, what you like, what you…” he swallows, “love.”

“I like this plan,” Jethro says. “Give us one week to woo you.”

I know exactly why they’re saying one week. That’s all we have for me to decide. Goddess Week starts tomorrow. A week from now, my choice will be made.

“We’re going to convince you that you don’t need to be singleto find yourself. With the right partners—”

“Partner,” Kyro growls.

“With the rightpartners,” Jethro reiterates, “you don’t have to live in shadows or make yourself small. Trust me, we can give you more experiences in the next week than you’ve had in the past year.”

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