Page 107 of Glass Hearts
Reluctantly, we make our way to the workshop. Arabella holds my hand the whole way down.
Laughing echoes throughout the room as we walk into the loud workshop. The mercenaries and my brothers all have a drink in their hands. Koi walks up to us and scoops Arabella in for a kiss. Gray is already there too, sitting on one of the workbenches.
“So that’s why we didn’t stand a chance, Blondie, you were looking for fourprincelydicks.” Jax bellows a laugh. Archer shoots a light blast of wind at him.
“I still don’t like this fucker,” Archer murmurs. Jax continues to laugh as Arabella giggles at their antics.
“Still an egotistical ass, I see? How has your stay been?” Arabella asks the men, joking with them.
“Quite great. Love the accommodations, especially the many pretty ladies around here.” Smith smirks as he leans back. Arabella shakes her head, laughing as she saunters to sit on Archer’s lap. His anger towards the mercenary softens as he embraces our girl.
“Now that everyone is present, let’s get along with things. I have a fun tumble lined up with the cute scribe before we leave,” Jax says as he sits on the worktop bench with the rest of his crew.
“You-You accept the job?!” Arabella asks with hope in her eyes.
“You bet, Blondie. Royal jobs are always much more pleasant to take than the others we seem to have acquired lately. Though we may need to call in a favor or two in the future… along with the payment, of course.”
There it is. We never work with mercenaries because of how sneaky those bastards can be.
“Done. But the favors come from me, not my princes,” Arabella interjects before we can say anything.
“One and the same, little thief,” Elliah says with a grin. “Now, to retrieve thisElorawoman, we need something of hers. We know she is on the wind isle, so we will head straight there. Once we are there, it will be easier for us to trace her if we have her scent for Smith. It’s not a guarantee, though. It can take a while, knowing how vast and scattered the wind isles are.”
“I will bring you to her room; you might find something of hers with a strong scent mark there. I-I also have this.” Sheshows them her bracelet. “She gave me this to keep an eye on me; it has some of her magic intertwined in the silver. I wonder if it could help find her, since her magic is still attached to it?”
Elliah cups her hand to inspect the delicate band.
“Well, this is interesting. Permission to remove it? I may also be able to connect her magic to one of my magic readers, making it easier to find her.” Arabella nods hesitantly as Elliah gets out one of his tools to carefully remove it. Placing his glasses back on, he grabs other materials and gets to work. Basically dismissing us.
“We can head to her room tomorrow before we leave. Enjoy the evening with the little thief, fellas.” Jax winks as he hops off the worktop, probably leaving to find that scribe he mentioned.
When we get back to my room, Arabella is the first to speak up, wringing her hands nervously.
“I know, I know. I shouldn’t have accepted their terms. But I need Lo back.” We all smile at our woman, who is gearing up for a fight.
“Darling, we would have agreed too, just to get your friend back. We will just have to address their requested favours,together, when the time comes.” Archer kisses her cheek. Her worried face turns to pure delight.
“Really?”
“Yes, really, duchess. Did you forget the part that you are your own woman who can make her own decisions? Anything you want, it’s yours.”
Her smile never falls as she looks lovingly at all of us. “Marry me,” she blurts out. This has us all holding our breath in shock. “That’s what I want. I want to be yours, and as soon as we get Lo back, I want to be fully yours. I don’t want to live in fear anymore, and I want to follow my heart from now on. And, my heart wants yours. All of you, as selfish as that is.” She smiles with a few tears running down her pink-stained cheeks.
Grayer is the first to break out of the stunned shock as he scoops her up. “The proposal is supposed to be my job, duchess, but I speak for my brothers as I say, fuck yes!”
I am still standing off, dazed, to the side as I watch my brothers kiss and love up on her.
“What do you say, Sy?” she asks me, with a worried look on her face over Grayer’s shoulder.
Never had I thought I could marry for love. To find the perfect person, not only for me, but also for our kingdoms. Her boldness and passion are everything I could ever want.
“Of course, Arabella. In my head, you are already ours. I-I just didn’t want to scare you off.”
“It’s going to be pretty hard to get rid of me now, my prince.” She laughs as I push Grayer to the side and bundle her up in my arms, kissing her lush lips. I put all my feelings of love, gratitude, and devotion into the kiss.
She is mine. Ours.
And I can’t wait to live out our happily ever after—together.
