She turned her face away. “Don’t, Caspar. Don’t make this any harder than it has to be.”
I nodded and stood up. “I love you, Layla.”
Layla nodded. “Me too.”
Agnus sauntered back into the room.
“Everything come out okay?” I asked.
“It was an artificial Ficus, Casp,” Agnus said, shaking his head. “And the soil wasn’t real, either. I’m traumatized.”
“Sorry, buddy,” I said, swallowing a chuckle.
“Whatever,” Agnus said. “Bachelor party?”
I shook my head. “Sorry, no time for that.”
Agnus growled. “What good is it being your best cat if I can’t even get you a few strippers?”
“How would you even go about that?” I asked.
“I was going to get you a Sphynx.”
I shrugged. “Isn’t that a breed of cat?”
“Hairless. Nude all the time. She wouldn’t even need to strip.”
I grinned. “I’ll just take a rain check on that. After this is over.”
Agnus huffed. “Whatever. It was more for me than you anyway.”
I nodded. “All you have to do is stand next to me.”
“You sure you want that?” Agnus asked. “When people watch and they see you and me, I don’t want to overshadow you with my ravishing good looks.”
“I get it,” I said, reaching down and scratching him behind the ears. “But I think it will be fine. Not to mention, think of all the ladies who will see you there. This might pan out in your favor.”
“Please,” Agnus said. “As if I don’t have enough honeys as it is.”
“Honeys?” I asked. “Like who? You never leave the apartment.”
“You don’t know what I do there when you’re gone,” Agnus said.
I grinned. “A lot of lounging on the couch.”
“If you want to call it that. Lounging…on the couch, on your pillow, on the kitchen counter. Yeah, me and my honeys, we lounge on everything.”
“In your fantasies, maybe.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Casp. But the next time you pull those soft sheets over your head, just know I’ve lounged all over them.”
I shook my head. I wanted to laugh about it, but I just wasn’t in the mood. Agnus was great for a lot of things, but sensing the emotion of the moment wasn’t one of them.
Aerin stepped toward the front of the room. Jag was in the middle. One of the other drow approached with a plate, presumably containing whatever enchanted object would be used to bind us together.
Reluctantly, I walked over to what I assumed was supposed to be my position beside Aerin.
“Dearly beloved,” Jag said.
I had to bite my tongue. Beloved? Like that was relevant. But we had to put on a show, and Jag was just reading from a sheet. Something, I presumed, that Aerin or some of her fellow drow had put together for him.
“We are gathered here to witness the union of Princess Aerin of the drow and Naayak, also known as Caspar Cruciger, the chosen one of the ancient prophecy of Taliesin.”
I looked at Aerin. She was gazing at me in anticipation. She’d been looking forward to this moment since before we met. I’d resisted it the whole time. I was still resisting it, but it was inevitable.
That was what Aerin had said; I didn’t have a choice.
I was marrying for love, only it was my love for Layla and my need to save her, not my love for my bride.
“These rings were cast from a single piece of enchanted silver,” Jag said as one of the drow knelt in front of us, presenting a plate with two nearly identical rings resting on it.
“By placing these rings on one another’s fingers, your lives will forever be bound together as husband and wife. Your lives will be as one. Together you shall live, and together you shall die. Place this ring on one another’s fingers and repeat these words: with this ring, I bind my life to you, so long as we both shall live.”
Aerin grabbed one of the rings from the plate.
“Your hand,” she said.
I nodded and extended my hand to her.
Aerin said the words, “I bind my life to you, so long as we both shall live.”
She placed the ring on my finger. I felt a tingle, the magic in the ring melding with the power of aether, the spirit, within me.
“Your turn, Casp,” Jag whispered.
I nodded and grabbed the second ring.
Aerin extended her hand.
“I bind my life to you, so long as we both shall live.”
My hand was trembling as I put the ring on her finger.
“I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Aerin Nightshade.”
I cocked my head. Of course, I’d take her name. Matriarchal drow rules. Blah. I hadn’t even known that was her last name—our last name now—until Jag said it.
Naayak Nightshade.
That was what Aerin would call me from now on. I had to admit, it had a ring to it. No pun intended, given the exchange of rings that just happened.
The drow applauded.
“You may kiss your husband,” Jag said.
The next thing I knew, Aerin had grabbed me and pressed her lips to mine.
I didn’t kiss back, but it didn’t matter. It was done. I turned, looking for Layla. She was gone. She couldn’t watch this, and I couldn’t blame her. I felt sick to my stomach.
Jag pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped a few times on the screen.
“And the broadcast is over. It’s done,” Jag said.
“Good,” Aerin said. “Now kneel before me, husband. Kiss my feet and pledge your undying loyalty to me.”
I cocked my head. “I…”
Aerin started laughing. “I’m fucking with you, Naayak.”
“Caspar,” I said. “That’s still my name.”
“It is your duty to satisfy my every desire.”
I grunted.
“I realize this is an adjustment for you,” Aerin said. “But as we are now bound, you will find in time that you cannot resist me.”
“We’ll see about that,” I said. “For now, let's focus on saving Layla.”
Aerin nodded. “She has surely not gone far. It is only a matter of time before Brightborn comes for us. He knows where to find us. Until then, come with me. We must complete this union.”
“Aerin,” I said, “I’m not ready.”
“I said, come with me, Caspar. You will not deny me.”
Aerin grabbed my hand, and she was right. When she touched me, my body gave in to her.
I had felt it when she kissed me, but now a flood of desire washed over me.
I didn’t want to, but she was right. Whatever this enchantment was, however it had been forged, it possessed me. She possessed me.
I didn’t feel like a husband. I felt like a slave or a servant.
I knew what it was like to be possessed by desire. By craving. Alcohol first, now this magic that bound me to Aerin.
My stomach churned. Yes, I still loved Layla, but I craved Aerin.
Step one. Admit that I was powerless over the situation. That everything had become unmanageable. Steps two and three, hand it to my higher power. Aerin wasn’t going to like it, but this magic, whatever it was, didn’t own me.
She led me into the back room. It was dark. She turned on the lights.
Layla stood there. She was smiling slyly.
“What?”
Layla held up her hand. She wore a ring just like mine. Just like Aerin’s.
“What is this?” I asked. “Is your ring…”
“All three rings are genuine,” Aerin said. “This was the compromise that we agreed to.”
“Compromise?” I asked.
“We are all three bound together, Caspar,” Layla said.
“Then our souls are still…”
“All of our souls are now bound,” Aerin explained.
“My father saw what we intended for him to see,” Layla said. “Our plan is unaltered.”
<
br /> Aerin grabbed Layla’s hand. “You may kiss your husband.”
Layla grabbed me and kissed me deeply. I kissed her back.
“I will not come between you,” Aerin said, interrupting our kiss.
I grunted. I was just getting into it. Aerin’s words reminded me we had an audience.
“I felt something when you touched me,” Layla said.
I snorted. “Yeah, me too.”
“Carnal desire,” Aerin said. “A side effect, I suppose, of our binding. It will fade over time.”
“Aerin,” I said, “I don’t understand. I thought you had a prophecy.”
“Our prophecy only dictated that we must be married. According to drow tradition, we are married, all three of us. The ceremony is secondary to the sharing of rings. Our prophecy says nothing about love, and it in no way excludes the possibility of a polyamorous marriage.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Aerin, I don’t think we can.”
Aerin raised her hand. “The sacrifice is mine. I have bound myself to two who cannot be truly mine. As I said, I will not interfere with your love.”
“But we have to keep up the illusion, Caspar,” Layla said. “For now, we need to give the impression for my father’s sake that you and Aerin and only you two are married.”
“But Layla,” I said. “Before the wedding, you broke down in tears. ”
“This wasn’t the wedding I wanted, Caspar. And we’re also married, even if it’s a formality, to a third wheel.”
Aerin raised her eyebrow. “A third wheel?”
Layla shrugged. “Sorry, I didn’t mean…”
Aerin chuckled. “I suppose the metaphor is fitting.”
“A third wheel provides balance,” I added. “And given our current predicament, it might be what we need. At least for now.”
“It is not only for the sake of the elven king that we must keep up this illusion,” Aerin said. “It is also for the sake of the drow. They need to believe the prophecy has been fulfilled, and in truth, it has. But if they believe for a moment that our marriage is a sham, that we manipulated the prophecy to make you only appear to be the one who fulfilled it, Caspar…”
I nodded. “I get it, Aerin. We can act like a couple in public.”
Aerin put her hands on each of our shoulders again. The wave of carnal desire was still there, but we had an understanding. I didn’t like it. Polygamy wasn’t anything I’d ever envisioned for my life. But it was a ceremony. A tradition. A magical ring that bound our lives together. That was it. When it came to love, it was as it had been before. It was me. It was Layla.
Aerin was right. She had made a sacrifice. I couldn’t imagine what it must feel like to bind herself to two who wouldn’t love her. As unconventional as this arrangement was, as frustrated as I was about how all this was arranged without me knowing, part of me felt for Aerin. What she had given up was a chance at real love. It was a sacrifice I had to honor.
Chapter Forty
My head was spinning with conflicting emotions: the lust for both elves, my love for Layla, disgust with myself over the thoughts I was having about Aerin that I didn’t want, and anger and frustration that this had to be what it was and that I wasn’t consulted before we went through with it. I understood why. I was grateful they’d figured out a way to fulfill both prophecies, to keep my soul bound to Layla’s, but also troubled. I have my values. Polygamy is not among them.
But I only loved Layla. This arrangement—this compromise, if you could call it that—part of me loved it. Two prophecies, seemingly in conflict, now fulfilled and the contradiction resolved. But I also hated it. I mean, I was just recently a minister in a conservative denomination, hiding that my elf girlfriend lived with me. Now I was a polygamist and officially excommunicated, and not even for that.
I’m not sure if the bond I had with Layla before was severed and replaced or just supplemented. Either way, I was glad that Layla was part of this. In a strange way, it was better to be married to both of them than to only be married to Aerin. At least this way, I could be with the one I loved.
BANG!
It came from the main room, from the entrance of the building…
“They are here,” Aerin said. “Remember, Layla, they must believe your bond with Caspar has been severed.”
Layla nodded. Then she kissed me on the cheek and left.
I started to follow her. Aerin grabbed my arm.
Wow. Would I feel that sense of desire, no matter how inappropriate the moment, every time she so much as touched me?
“We cannot appear together,” Aerin said, “until she leaves with them.”
“Do you think they are going to leave without fighting, Aerin? I have enough blood on my hands. I can’t let anyone else die.”
Aerin protested, “They are not here to fight, Naayak. They are here for their princess. With the legion’s numbers reduced, Layla said her father would not order them to fight unless they were forced to, or unless they were in a situation where they had a distinct advantage.”
I sighed. “But what if Fred is here?”
“He won’t be,” Aerin said. “Brightborn would not be so foolish. If fighting ensues, my subjects are more than capable, and if we hear conflict, we can intervene at that point.”
I took a deep breath. “This sucks. I hate that she’s going with them.”
“No harm will come to her,” Aerin assured me.
“How will we find her?” I asked.
Aerin glanced at the corner of the room.
“My clothes? What I was wearing before at the rivers?”
“And your phones,” Aerin said. “I saw to it that they were retrieved. Thankfully, they hadn’t been burned.”
“Our phones,” I said. “That’s brilliant, Aerin. Truly.”
I unlocked my phone and opened my location app. “Layla has her phone on, too.”
Aerin nodded. “Technology. One advantage of having lived on Earth. The elves won’t even suspect that we can track her location.”
I almost hugged Aerin, I was so thrilled she’d figured out this complication. She’d known we’d need to track Layla. But then I pulled back. Touching her and hugging her wasn’t appropriate. Not that I didn’t trust myself; I wouldn’t give in to that temptation, but I didn’t want to subject myself to the desire.
“I know this conflicts with your values, Caspar. This arrangement, I mean.”
I nodded. “I’m a mess of emotions right now.”
“I should have confided the plan to you in advance,” Aerin said. “But Layla insisted you would not agree.”
“She did agree to it?” I asked.
“Monogamy is not as common among elves or drow,” Aerin said. “This compromise was not as foreign to her expectations as it might be for you. Such marriages are acceptable in elf societies. There’s a story of another drow, one of my ancestors from ancient times, who had three wives and four husbands.”
“Sounds like a harem.” I laughed.
“Not as much as you’d think,” Aerin said. “All the marriages were political. There was no intimacy. It was a formality to bind clans together.”
“Clans?” I asked. “Must’ve been a long time ago.”
Aerin nodded. “It was by such marriages that the drow became a single clan under my mother’s rule and mine. But you are right; these marriages were necessary to unify us, to keep our identities protected as human society grew and we were forced into hiding.”
“So, does this make me a prince?” I asked.
Aerin laughed. “Our males do not receive royal titles.”
I shrugged. “Not the case for the New Albion elves.”
“And they don’t even know you and Layla are also married or that both of you are bound to me.”
I shook my head. “One thing you said. If Layla knew I wouldn’t agree to this, why would she agree?”
“It was part of the reason she was so distraught and why she could not watch the ceremony. Not because it violated her consc
ience, but because she knew it would wound yours.”
I nodded. “But it did fulfill both prophecies.”
“Indeed, it did.”
“How long do we have to wait before we can follow them?” I asked.
“Not long,” Aerin said. “Let us prepare ourselves for battle.”
Chapter Forty-One
Aerin and I watched as Layla moved to join her father. According to Jag, at least twenty elves had shown up at the cult building. Aerin and I didn’t dare reveal ourselves. We didn’t want the situation to escalate. We knew they were there for one reason: to find Layla. Once she appeared, the elves left with her.
Brag’mok sat on the floor, clenching his fists.
“Elves!”
I walked over and rested my hand on his shoulder. Even with him sitting, his shoulder was at the height of my own. “I know you want your revenge.”
“Genocide,” Brag’mok said, his shoulders shaking. “They wiped out my people. Then, quite possibly, millions of their own, so they could take their magic with them. All for the sake of a war.”
I shook my head. “I can’t even wrap my mind around that. So many lives lost.”
Brag’mok shook his head. “The depravity of Brightborn is exceeded only by his blind ambition.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault, Caspar,” the giant said.
“I’m just saying, you lost a lot. More than most. And it all started with me.”
He nodded. “That was foretold long before you were born, Caspar, and none of it is your responsibility. At every turn, you’ve chosen peace and life. It is Brightborn who has manipulated everything toward war and death.”
“I know, Brag’mok. We’ll do whatever we can to stop him, I promise.”
“You will have to go without me,” Brag’mok said.
“Excuse me?” I asked.
“When you go to rescue Layla and secure the artifacts, I cannot accompany you.”
“Brag’mok,” I said. “You’re a greater warrior than all of us combined. We might need you.”
“That’s the thing,” Brag’mok said. “The rage inside me is too great. When those elves showed up, it took every bit of strength I had left to refrain from unleashing it all, and if I see Brightborn face to face…”
Three Dogma Night (The Elven Prophecy Book 3) Page 21