by Ivy Clyde
Norvin chuckled and took the wooden bowl that Cain passed him. “I am giving you some but you have to wait until it cools down a little or you’ll have a burned tongue.”
“At this point, I am ready to sustain a burned tongue.”
He laughed and generously filled the bowl to the brim with bits of meat and vegetables. “Here you go.” He set the meal before me.
“Where did you find all this meat?” I asked, stirring the bowl with a small spoon that Cain handed me.
“We have our ways,” he said with a wink.
Spooning some of the stew, I blew on it until the rising steam disappeared and put it in my mouth. The warm broth was deliciously spiced with earthy herbs. With a smile, I ate some more of it, not even caring about the way the hot liquid was scalding down my throat. With my stamina at its lowest, I couldn’t conjure my magic to protect me from the extreme heat.
“Slow down, Daria.” Cain looked worried once more. I couldn’t help but notice how observant he was. He had his own way to make me feel special and cared for. It was an addictive feeling because no one had ever shown the slightest bit of concern for me before.
“You guys are amazing cooks,” I said after the bowl was licked clean and Norvin was filling it the second time. “We should make our own meals from now on instead of stopping at a tavern or shack.”
“Don’t get used to it, princess,” said Norvin, setting the bowl down. “It’s a lot less hassle to eat at a shack.” I immediately knew from his nonchalant speech that he still hadn’t figured out the attack on us.
Letting the stew cool at my feet, I turned grim eyes on both Cain and Norvin. “Haven’t you still figured it out? The owner of the shack made the attack happen.”
“What?” Cain looked alert while Norvin still looked confused. “What do you mean, Daria?”
“I was observing him the whole time. As soon as you handed him the gold coin, he began keeping a close watch on us. I even saw him talking to a man in black attire. My instincts were already on alert. That’s the reason I sent for Tuto. He saw them moving, but by the time I could warn you, the arrows started flying at us. Even if we were in rags, our spending habit would tell them we were pretending to be peasants.”
“But why us?” asked Norvin. “There were so many men there.”
“You still don’t understand. While we are wearing rags,” I said, gesturing at my own clothes. “We’ve been acting like princes.”
“What does that mean?” Norvin demanded.
I took a deep breath. “Did you notice what the other people around us were eating?” Both Cain and Norvin shook their heads. “They were eating thinned down barley porridge. The moment you ordered meat at the table, you had everyone’s attention. The moment you handed the man a gold coin, they knew we were a rich party. The promise of gold was enough to attract the whole horde.”
“That can’t be good,” muttered Cain. “I’ve tried to be careful, but I have been making mistakes the whole time. I thought the only thing to worry about was not revealing our powers. It’s the only reason we didn’t light those bandits on fire like you did.”
“At least you were aware of that,” I said, picking up the bowl to resume eating again. Taking a large sip of the stew, I put it down again. “There’s more to blending in than just wearing these cheap clothes and concealing our powers. Observe what people around us are doing and then mimic them.” I drank some more of my stew before continuing. “I doubt the bandits thought you were princes but they knew you were rich and loaded with gold. The peasants around here have never seen what gold looks like. They barely have anything to eat. Most survive on whatever roots they can dig up on their lands.”
“You’re like an army general, Daria,” said Norvin, gently bumping my shoulder. “You think from every angle.”
A humorless chuckle escaped my lips. “I am an assassin.”
“Yes, but you’re ours now.”
I smiled at that. It was astonishing how close I felt with the three princes. Was it because I was already friends with Norvin as Naya? Or was it the one chance encounter in the night market of Oakheadge with Cain? Something seemed to pull me towards them all. And they seemed to have made me a part of their special group already. They didn’t treat me like a person for hire at all.
It was bizarre how people I met only a few days ago could care so much about me while the women who knew me my whole life didn’t even bother to stop me from leaving Linmoor.
Life was strange indeed.
“Do you think it’s safe to stay here for a while?” asked Cain when I’d proceeded to slurping the delicious pigeon stew.
“I think so. The bandits who attacked us were coming from the direction of Oakhedge and the east. The northern trail is free of any activity.”
“That’s good.”
“I am sure you freaked them out by lighting their pals on fire,” said Norvin. His face was grim. “I wish I could’ve killed them with my own hands for daring to attack us.”
“I am glad you didn’t,” said Cain shortly. “You can’t give away the fact you’re still alive, Norvin. Ivan himself will fly down here to eat you alive.”
Norvin’s hands were balled into fists. “If the good goddess ever gives me the chance, I will chew on his bones.”
“We can stay here,” I said, diverting the discussion. “Adal may be out of danger but he still needs to rest for a few days before traveling. I’ll be stronger by tomorrow. Among the three of us, we can hunt, keep watch and tend to Adal.”
“You should go inside and rest,” said Cain. “We’ll take turns to keep watch tonight.”
“Thank you,” I said gratefully. My stomach was full of the delicious stew and all I wanted was to curl up next to Adal and sleep. Warmth washed over me as I watched Norvin and Cain settling down to eat as well.
My eyes rose up to the sky. It was a clear night with thousands of stars twinkling overhead. I couldn’t help the smile rising on my lips. For the first time in my life, I was feeling happy despite the calamity I’d just overcome.
15
It was still dark when Cain came out of the cave. The fire we’d build earlier was just a pile of ashes now. Even though the night was chilly, I felt no cold. It was one of the perks that came with having dragon blood flowing through your veins.
“Anything going on?” asked Cain, coming to stand beside me. He stretched his arms over his head.
“Nah. A few wolves came sniffing around but that’s all.”
“Daria chose a good hideout,” he said, suppressing a yawn. Sitting down on the ground, he gestured towards the cave entrance. “Go and get some rest now.”
Yawning widely, I slapped his shoulder and moved inside the shadowy interiors of the cave. A low fire was burning near the place where Adal and Daria were sleeping. From the pieces of unburnt wood, I could tell Cain had added some fresh ones before he left. I couldn’t fathom how he could stand to be in this closed space with the sight before him. Adal’s arms were once again wrapped around Daria’s body, holding her to his chest. They looked like an intimate married couple.
Jealousy burned inside me. Electricity raced up and down my arms, causing the air to crackle, but the two continued to sleep. Breathing deeply, I suppressed my anger. I took another look at the pair and decided to do the next best thing. Spreading my cloak beside Daria, I lay down on it, putting my arm around her.
“At least I get to touch you too,” I whispered, kissing the back of her neck. Daria was now sandwiched between Adal and me. Closing my eyes, I imagined Cain’s reaction in the morning when he came to wake me.
I pressed my body to Daria’s back. At once, my cock hardened. Making a tent in my breeches, it poked at Daria’s soft asscheek. My hips jerked forward, wanting to feel more of her.
“Calm down,” I whispered to my cock. “We’re all trying to sleep.”
My body wouldn’t stop reacting to her closeness. Swearing under my breath, I turned away from her. Now I was left to look at the fire. It ca
lmed some of the heat still coursing through my body, but I knew it was only a matter of time. My hunger for Daria was growing every day.
Sleep came as soon as I closed my eyes. The exhaustion of the previous day finally caught up with me and it was blissful to let myself relax.
The next time I opened my eyes, the shadows in the cave weren’t as prominent as before. By then, the pile of woods was smoking. My joints creaked as I turned around to look at Daria.
She was gone.
Only Adal lay beside me, still deep in slumber.
Sitting up, I moved closer to him. Even with the jealousy I felt towards him, I couldn’t help caring for him. His face was no longer pale and sweaty. A relieved sigh escaped me to see him looking better than before.
I got to my feet and stretched my arms to get some of the stiffness out. My back ached from sleeping on the hard stone floor of the cave, but at least we were all safe.
Walking out of the cave, I found Daria warming her hands beside a small fire. She and Cain were talking in soft voices.
“Morning,” I said, moving towards them.
“Did you rest well?” asked Daria.
“As well as one can manage in these circumstances.”
She chuckled, turning her attention to the man beside her. “Would you like to go and get some rest, Cain? I can hunt and cook for us today.”
“I’ll go with you,” I said at once.
“Who will keep watch?” asked Cain. Dark stubble coated his chin and his eyes looked tired.
“Since it’s daylight, I can keep a watch through Tuto,” said Daria, getting to her feet. “We won’t go too far. You can rest without worrying.”
Cain nodded. “Look after her,” he said, his silvery eyes on me.
“Don’t be a nag.”
He frowned but went inside the cave.
“Shall we go to the lake?” asked Daria with a smile. “I could do with a quick wash.”
“Sure, princess.”
Running my hand through the long strands of my midnight-blue hair, I followed after, staying a few feet behind. The length of her thick braid brushed over the swell of her ass. For a moment, I imagined her dark hair loose and flowing while she sat naked before me. My cock stirred immediately at the thought.
“Should I lay some traps?” Daria asked, turning to look at me.
“Sure,” I muttered, not even hearing her question. My mind was still hung on the image of her being naked. How could she be so carefree and not notice the filthy thoughts racing through my mind?
We’d walked half a mile from the hilly caves with the trees growing closer together here. Birds flew from branch to branch, but I decided not to zap them for now. Daria laid her traps as we moved further towards the lake. From the looks of it, we would be eating rabbit for supper as nothing bigger could be entrapped in those shallow pits she dug.
“We can stay here today but once Adal gets up, we can move on tomorrow.” She clapped her hands together, letting the dirt fall out. Daria was dressed in coarse wool and leather without a single touch of rouge on her porcelain skin, and yet, she still managed to look as beautiful in her huntress attire as her lavish gowns of silk and gauze.
Suddenly, the green of her eyes shifted to tawny as she looked towards the direction we came from. She went quiet.
Just as suddenly, her eyes turned normal again as she glanced at me.
“What happened just now?” I asked, moving close to her and looking into her eyes.
“I was checking the perimeters of the cave. Everything’s fine.” She grinned. Her smile made my heart pound in my chest, making it hard to control myself from kissing her. Stepping away, I took a few deep breaths, letting my mind think of the next pressing matter.
“Is Adal going to be all right?”
She nodded. “I already checked his wound under the bandages. It is healing remarkably quickly. Part of the reason might be the dragon blood inside him. Do you heal fast too?”
“I suppose so. We’re stronger than average humans, after all.”
“I’ll be relieved once we reach Partaig and Adal can go back to his palace. He will be safer there than being around me.”
Grabbing her elbow, I gently pulled Daria until her back hit my chest. “I don’t think Adal cares about being safe when he can be close to you,” I whispered in her ear. Locking my arms around her tightly, I held her against me as she struggled.
“What are you doing, Norvin? Let me go!”
“Just let me hold you. Please,” I said in a softened voice.
She stopped and leaned into me. “What is it, Norvin?”
I turned her around to face me and gently pushed her against a tree trunk. Her warmth seeped through my shirt and I could no longer control myself. Breathlessly, I grabbed her waist and kissed those full, luscious lips.
Daria tasted of honey and raspberries.
Just one hint of her intoxicating fragrance and I was consumed with hunger.
I bit into her plump bottom lip. The moment she gasped out, I pushed my tongue in, savoring her sweetness.
Daria tentatively swirled her tongue around me. At that moment, I knew. It was her first kiss. A wave of possessiveness hit me. Pushing my tongue inside the sweet cavern of her mouth, I deepened the kiss.
She went limp, her fingers clutching onto my shoulders for support. I sucked and nibbled at her lips until she moaned out.
My fingers tightened on her waist as she pressed her hips against mine. Every last inch of space disappeared from between us. Daria began kissing me back furiously, her own needs coming to the surface. Her hands moved up my arms and onto my chest, exploring the shape of the hard muscles underneath my shirt. Her touch ignited my body on fire and I subtly rocked my hips against her.
A sudden sharp realization hit me. Only the thin fabric of our clothes stood in our way. In my primal state, I pulled at Daria’s tunic to bare her shoulder. I let my hardness press against her thighs as I kissed the soft skin of her neck.
She moaned out, her fingers digging into my shoulders.
“Say you’re mine,” I whispered urgently against her ear while her eyes close in intense pleasure.
“Yours!” she cried out as I bit into her earlobe.
My hips thrust forward, hitting her thigh with my hard erection.
“Say you’ll belong to no other.”
Suddenly, her eyes opened up. “What?”
“You can’t keep being close to Cain and Adal.”
Something seemed to snap inside her. The hazy lust in her eyes disappeared as she glared up at me. In one fluid movement, she twisted my arm and pinned me against the tree trunk. Her strength magnified, twisting my arm, holding me in place. It was painful but not enough to surpass my endurance.
“What are you talking about?” she asked in a dangerously low voice.
“I don’t like you being close to them. Why can’t you just be mine?”
She released her hold on me, stepping back. By the time I turned around, she was already walking towards the direction of the caves.
“Daria! Wait up!”
She didn’t stop, increasing her pace as she strode forward without a backward glance. Her sudden rejection hurt me. If I’d kept my mouth closed, we could have kept going.
I rushed after Daria, my heart racing painfully with dread. She was offended but I didn’t even understand what exactly I’d said.
“Daria! Stop!” Reaching close, I grabbed her upper arm and pulled her back. She stumbled at the sudden movement and crashed into my chest.
“Let me go!” she shouted, getting back her balance and twisting out of my hold.
“Tell me what’s wrong?”
She glared at me. “Why do you keep insisting to possess me?”
“I like you, Daria. Is it wrong to want you for myself?”
“No. But you can’t tell me to stay away from Adal and Cain.” She was breathing hard. “I’ll stay away from other men. I can swear on that, but not them.”
“I don
’t understand you, Daria. Are you saying you’ll stay close to the three of us and reject all other men?”
She nodded.
“Why can’t you choose one among us?”
“I can’t.” Turning away from me, she stomped away.
I ran after her, pulling at her arm so she would stop and talk to me.
“What do you want from me?” she shouted. Her eyes were burning with anger as she glared at me.
“Do you really want to be shared among us?”
Something shifted within her. “Yes.” Her voice was softer now.
I’d never met a woman like Daria before. Even the notion of sharing a woman between three men was unimaginable to me. Cain was more open-minded towards it but I was baffled. Did one have to get a harem of women to really understand this logic?
“I don’t want to anger you, Daria. But you’ve got to explain it to me. How can you share your heart with three men?”
She remained silent and I wondered if she would walk away again. We were close to the caves now. If she chose to march away, I would never get the chance to hear her thoughts.
“I’ve never felt warmth from another human being until I met you three.”
I looked at her and saw her eyes welling with tears. “Daria…” I moved towards her but she stepped away.
“Do you know what that feels like?” she asked, her voice filled with anguish. I was about to tell her I was an orphan but she held up her hand to stop me. “You grew up in a castle with maids and nurses doting over you. After all, you’re a prince. There are women who adore you and would kill to be in your bed.”
That fact was true. Some women would go to any lengths to gain the favor of a prince.
“It wasn’t like that for me.” She took several deep breaths before continuing. “I was beaten to an inch of my life while I was training but no one would come to heal me or patch me up. Weakness is not tolerated in Linmoor. They will break you but you’re going to have to mend yourself if you want to survive.”
Her voice wavered as a faraway look settled in her eyes. “You see my flawless skin and think it pretty? Allow me tell you the truth. The skin on my body was sliced several times and every inch was burnt bloody raw. If you could have see me then, you’d never want to kiss me.”