Page 26 of The Witch's Rite
In response, he yawns and closes his eyes.
I ease through the door. Aurora’s boots, covered in mud and grass, are sitting in the foyer, and I remove mine and place them quietly beside hers. When I step into the kitchen, I find it empty.The window is open so Harrison can come and go, but the fire isn’t even going yet, so she must still be asleep.
Perfect.
I get to work stoking a fire to life—quietly—then fetch a bucket of water from the well and put a kettle on. Aurora prefers lavender tea with a bit of local wildflower honey in the mornings, and I’ve watched her make it enough times to have somewhat of a grasp on it.
The thought makes me chuckle. I can build barns without a second thought, but brewing a cup of tea can make me quake in my boots.
Gently, I grind the herbs in her mortar, then add them to a teacup that has happy sunflowers painted on the side. The kettle is just starting to steam by the time I’ve finished, and I pour the water in slowly, enjoying the floral smell that fills the kitchen as soon as the heat hits the herbs. Pulling the golden honey down from a shelf, I take a tiny spoonful of the sweet delicacy and mix it into the tea.
I place the teacup on a tray, then find there’re still a few slices of bread left over from the sourdough we had for breakfast yesterday morning. I grab two slices, slather them with honey and butter, and add those to the tray as well.
My feet are quiet on the steps—I’ve since learned which ones creak, and I try to avoid those best I can as I ascend the stairs. When I get to the top floor, I turn left, toward the bedroom, and find the door cracked. Sunlight streams through the narrow space, illuminating the dust floating in the air. All is quiet.
With a soft creak, I push the bedroom door open.
And there Aurora is, still lying in bed, her green hair spread out all around her.
But my side of the bed is already occupied.
My stomach squeezes.
Rowan is asleep beside her, his bare chest rising and falling slowly. His red hair snakes across my pillow, twining with Aurora’s, and I feel a pinch of jealousy.
Yeah, this isreallygoing to take some getting used to.
I shift my weight, and the floorboards squeak.
Rowan’s eyes open slightly, and when he registers me standing there, he bolts upright in the bed, the blanket sliding all the way down to his waist. Beside him, Aurora stirs, slowly waking. Her pink lips part in a yawn, and as her eyes open, they find mine.
For a moment, the three of us remain in thick silence. On the tray balanced in my hands, the teacup steams, sending the scent of lavender and honey through the warm bedroom.
Rowan turns his head toward the window and the sunlight streaming through. With a jolt, he seems to realize it’s morning.
“Shit,” he mumbles, already kicking the blankets off and reaching for his clothes, which I now see are tossed haphazardly in the corner. As he pulls his trousers on, I get a good look at him, and Itrynot to feel too smug when I see he’s not quite as well-hung as I am.
Tiny victories.
“I’m going to be late,” he says, voice slightly garbled as he yanks his tunic over his head. Once the fabric falls into place, he puts a knee on the bed and leans across the mattress to press a kiss to Aurora’s cheek. She smiles sleepily, eyes closed, still looking half awake.
Only now do I realize the boots beside the bed—I would’ve known what I was walking in on had they been down in the foyer. Rowan scoops them up, then stands to face me.
For five seconds that feel like an eternity, we hold each other’s gaze. Then, with a small sigh, I step to the side, allowing Rowan passage to the door.
“Alden,” he says, giving me a small nod.
I nod back, and then he’s gone, slipping through the door. His feet thump down the stairs, and I remain standing there until the sound of the door clicking closed rises up from the foyer.
“Good morning,” comes Aurora’s sleepy voice, prompting me to turn toward her.
She’s sitting up in bed now, the golden sunlight illuminating her tiny breasts as she stretches her arms overhead and yawns.
Despite the fact another man just climbed out of the bed, my cock twitches at the sight of her. Seemshehas no qualms with this new situation we find ourselves in.
With another sigh, I cross the room to sit on Aurora’s side of the bed. She scoots over to make room for me, and I settle the tray down on the blanket before her. When she takes in the steaming tea and the sourdough, her eyes soften, a smile pulling on her mouth.
“Good morning,” I say, watching as she reaches out to pick up the teacup. Her arms are darker now than when I met her this past spring; there’s a delicate line on each of her shoulders where her dresses cover her skin, but the rest of her has turned a shade of light gold. Her freckles are still pronounced, and I trace them across her arms as she lifts the cup to her lips and takes her first sip.
