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Author: Aurelia Skye
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

Chapter Twenty-Five: Mingling

For the fifth time in the last two weeks, North settled in at the Torture Room in the Drakken palace. She was getting tired of shuffling back and forth between the two kingdoms, trying to split her time and remain diplomatic. It was ridiculous, and she was rapidly losing patience for the apartheid that split the realm.

She was also getting tired of returning to this palace, when it was obvious at least the king and queen only hosted her because it was expected, and not because they wanted to have her around. Neither royal had been particularly open and friendly to her, though Queen Risa was slightly less frigid. King Thorne clearly had no use for her, which undermined her confidence.

It was no surprise to her that she was doing far worse with fire magic than with water magic. When she was in Haedra, she felt welcome and at peace, as though among friends and family. The only similar feeling she got when she was in Celestina was from Kriss or Lyssa.

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    Chapter Twenty-Seven: RevelationsNorth was still in a pleasant state of bliss when she made her way to the dining room to join the Drakkens for dinner. Kriss held out a chair for her, and she sat down between him and Lyssa’s empty seat as she flashed a secret smile at Ryland and then Orin. The others arranged themselves around the table, and the meal was underway.Lyssa was a few minutes late, and her hair was covered by a headscarf. She clearly wasn’t ready to share her secret romance with her parents yet, and North respected that. She focused her attention on Kriss and Eli, who sat across from her. Marek was at his side, while Orin sat beside Lyssa, and Ryland was across from him. The queen and king were directly on Kriss’s side, both seated at the head of the table, but she didn’t try to engage them in conversation. She knew from experience it would be a pointless task.At first, it seemed like it would be another sedate dinner with the Drakkens, but that changed halfway through t

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    Chapter Twenty-Eight: First ClaimThe first time she worked with them together, she expected them to stake a mutual claim. Instead, they just worked with her on strengthening her fire and water magic. Their goal seemed to be to train her to instinctively switch between each ability without even having to think about which would be better for a given situation.She was encouraged by their show of cooperation, and that they only occasionally argued, but was perplexed that they hadn’t pushed her to allow them to claim her. She was ready—more than ready after hours spent in their company, pressed close to both, surrounded by their scents, and fantasizing about both of them taking her simultaneously. Her frustration was reaching a fever pitch by the time a week had passed.When she met with them that afternoon in the water room where Marek had first taken her, she sensed something different right away. It wasn’t because they immediately assaulted her with magic, with Marek sending a blast

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    Chapter Thirty: Second ClaimIt was quiet as the party eventually broke up in the early hours of the morning. North walked beside Eamon and Orin, with Eli bringing up the rear, and Ryland, Marek, and Kriss moving in strategic places around her. They were all a little tipsy, but she was certain her men were as alert as ever. Eli hadn’t looked at her throughout the evening, and she was conscious of the slight.When they reached her room, they walked her inside, and she was the last one through. North locked the door behind them, and they frowned as they turned to her. She leaned against it, as though forming a barrier with her body. Eli appeared resistant, while the others were either intrigued or slightly befuddled. Orin had a gleam in his eyes that was difficult to read, but he seemed eager to hear what she had to say. Only Marek and Kriss looked completely amused, so they must’ve guessed what her plan was.“I’ve made my decision.”The four of them stiffened, while Marek and Kriss lea

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