Page 80 of Glass Hearts
We are quietly eating when all three stop, dropping their half eaten sandwiches. Well, that’s wasteful.
“What is the prob-”
Elliah covers my mouth. In the same instant, I hear a growled, “Get your hands off of her!” Grayer? That can’t be.
The four princes burst out of the dense forest, looking like death incarnate.
Chaos ensues. The mercenaries, quick to fight, already have their blades drawn as the four princes use their powers to evade the blades. And just like I predicted, the mercenaries can definitely hold their own.
Grayer looks at me and runs to me, getting on his knees. He wraps his big arms around my waist and buries his face in my belly.
“Arabella,” he mumbles into my belly as he… cries?
The other three princes are still battling the mercenaries in an epic fight. I really would rather nobody got hurt. Yet they arealljerks. Maybe they can all get roughed up… just a little bit.
Archer uses his wind to blow Elliah away before he can swing at him. Sylas is sending rocks flying to Jax, who expertly dodges each boulder with grace. Koi and Smith decide to opt for a good ol’ fistfight. Grayer is still on his knees in front of me, muttering things I can barely hear over the fight.
Jax draws a bit of blood on Sylas, and that’s when I stop the madness.
“Everybody, STOP!” Six sets of pissed off eyes stop to look at me, some mid-punch. “Thisreallyisn’t necessary.”
“It is necessary, why the fuck are you wearing one of their shirts!? Why are they touching you, Sunshine?”
“Shit, are you guys the fucking princes?” Smith says at the same time.
“Blondie, you did not mention that the men who broke your heart are the damned princes!” Jax yells. “Wait, you could have stopped this, this whole time and you let us fight damned royalty!?” They all cross their arms now, looking extra angry at me.
“You kind of blackmailed me to do this mission. All’s fair and all that.”
“You what?” Sylas growls, grabbing Jax’s collar.
“Grayer, please get up and let me go.” I pat his dark black hair.
“Never. Never again letting you go.” He remains on his knees. Well, I guess this is how I am going to have to continue the conversation. I let out a sigh.
“What are you guys even doing here? Shouldn’t you be off fucking and marrying my stepsisters?”
Smith lets out a whistle, clearly enjoying the drama. All the mercenaries have big smiles on their faces.
One day, I will meet non-insane men. One. Day.
“Arabella, Victor spelled us. He spiked our drinks when we went to confront him about not wanting to make one of their selections. That we were choosing you,” Archer says, getting closer to me. They all abandon the mercenaries and approach me slowly. Corralling me like a timid animal.
“W-we had to watch everything they did and said to you. We were basically trapped in our bodies. Just puppets for them to manipulate. We couldn’t say or do anything, you have to believe us, Vixen,” Sylas says, his green eyes misty.
I am surrounded by all four princes now. Grayer reluctantly gets up, though his red-rimmed eyes and devastated face make me weak.
“Duchess, you are mine. Ours. I will beg on my knees every day for you to be mine if I must. I am never letting you out of my sight again.”
“H-how did you break out of the spell if you weren’t even able to do anything? How did you even find me?”
“Elora,” they all say in unison.
“Arabelly!” I hear Kip and Bert. I cry out as I reach for my little friends. “They are speaking the truth! Lo did it and saved the day! They missed you terribly, it seems. They fed us lots of cheese, so I think you should forgive them.”
“That must suck for you all that she is more excited to see her mice than seeing you,” Elliah jokes with a laugh, four angry princes growl. Elliah and his buddies seem to have no self-preservation skills. Their quip reminds the princes of the company I found myself in.
“Why the fuck are you with these guys, Sunshine?” Koi asks as he touches my arm. All four have been touching me endlessly. It’s overwhelming yet also comforting.
