Falling For Them Volume 2: Reverse Harem Collection

by Nikki Bolvair

  Eric stood, gesturing to Adrian. “You go after Rhea. I’ll bring up the rear.”

  Leaving them to decide their climbing order, Rhea started up the wall, testing each stone before putting her weight on it. To her amazement, every time she found somewhere to put her feet, the footholds she found elongated. Pausing to glance at Adrian, his hair laid against his brow, matted with sweat.

  As the sun appeared over the horizon, it sparkled off the water, nearly blinding her. The scent of the sea tickled her nose, threatening to draw her into a sneezing fit. Wriggling her nose, she held back.

  Once they came to a resting place, Adrian helped each of them onto the rock, pausing every few seconds to make sure it was holding their weigh. “Are you okay?” His voice held genuine concern aimed at her, making her stomach flutter with excitement.

  “Y-yes. The s-smell of fish makes my n-nose itch.” She shivered as the ocean wind seeped into her bones. Wrapping her arms around her waist, she tried to straighten her stiff fingers. Her damp dress clung to her curves, irritating her.

  Adrian glanced down, wrinkling his nose. “It probably has something to do with that couple.” He nodded his head in the direction of a man and woman grilling fish over a fire pit. The pair didn’t seem to notice Rhea and the boys above them.

  Eric gestured for her to move closer. “Pardon me for being so forward, but I can help you warm up for a moment, if you’ll let me.” At her nod, he pulled her against his hard chest, wrapping his arms around her body. Moments later, heat came off him in waves, warming her and helping her clothing dry.

  Swiping his forearm across his brow, Adrian dried his dripping forehead.

  “Adrian?” Looking up at him from where she stood, he seemed tall and imposing.

  “Yes?”

  “Were you manipulating the rocks to make it easier to climb?”

  Slowly lowering himself to the surface, he laid down, his stomach and chest moving rapidly as he breathed out

  Hugging her a little tighter, Eric asked, “How much farther?”

  Turning to look at Mirror, Rhea raised a brow, silently asking her winged companion for an answer.

  Before Mirror could respond, James grunted, “There’s a cave around the bend.” Mirror let out a soft trill, floating through the air to disappear around the corner a few hundred yards from where they sat.

  Pausing to take a breath, Adrian asked his twin. “How do you even know that?”

  “There’s a map in one of my books,” James replied.

  “If everyone can handle it, let’s start climbing again. We’ll be able to talk when we stop to rest again,” Eric said, speaking loudly to be heard over the crashing waves.

  “Yes, sir!” both Adrian and James replied in unison.

  The second Rhea stepped away from Eric, she missed his warmth, but she knew he was right, the sooner they reached the cave, the better.

  Reaching the cave without incident proved to be the easy part because once there, Adrian and Rhea needed to help James climb over the ledge. Rhea couldn’t tell if fear or exhaustion made James shake. To avoid hindering Adrian and Rhea from helping Eric up, James scooted as far back from the edge as possible.

  Rhea and Adrian sat down near James, and he swallowed hard. “How long do we get to rest before…” He gestured toward the entrance of the cave, not finishing his sentence.

  Eric glanced up at the sky, trying to gauge the time. “It’s nearly mid-day. How long do you think it’ll take to get around this cliff?”

  Once again, James seemed to know the answer. “If we keep climbing to the side a bit, there’s a place where we can climb straight up. Eventually, we’ll need to head down the other side of the cliff, but the bluff we’ll be traveling down won’t be nearly as tall as the way up was.” Sharing this knowledge seemed to ease his own fear a little.

  Mirror trilled, agreeing with him.

  “Then we’ll take that route,” Rhea replied, adding, “And we’ll rest for an hour before leaving again. I hope to have some daylight left while we search for somewhere to stay tonight.”

  Eric nodded. “That’s a sound plan.”

  Dropping her bag to the ground, Rhea dug through it, searching for what remained of the jerky. Once she found it, she passed it immediately to the guys, hoping it would be enough to keep them going for the rest of their climb.

  ~

  After resting for an hour, they began their journey again. Shivers wracked her body as she climbed, thankful that Adrian continued to give them somewhere to put their feet.

  Periodically glancing upward, Rhea waited for Mirror to let her know when their destination could be seen. They didn’t go far before the bird signaled to her. The ledge wasn’t far above their heads, but they’d still need to climb up a bit to reach it. She suddenly felt even more thankful Eric had fixed her skirt when she realized Adrian looked up from directly below her.

  Working her way up, her arms ached, shaking as she pulled herself up farther. As much as she wanted to open a portal, she couldn’t from down here. The aether in the air differed slightly, making magic more difficult for her to use.

  The sun continued its trek across the sky, slowly casting them in shadows as it disappeared behind the bluff. Rhea’s arms shook as she tried to find the next placement for her left hand. Her heart thundered loudly in her ears as the fingers of her right hand started to slide off the narrow ledge. Sharp rocks bit into her skin, making her yelp. Adrian must have realized she was slipping, because he moved quickly, using his body to pin her to the side of the cliff. “I’ve got you,” he whispered, readjusting his grip on the jutting stones above her head.

  Dropping her head back on his shoulder, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her fingers ached, and a cut across her palm throbbed. She pulled herself closer to the rocks. Sweat dripped into her eyes, and she dropped her forehead to her arm, wiping it away with her sleeve.

  Above them, the sky rumbled, making Adrian jump. “Sounds like it’s going to rain.”

  Rhea nodded. “We need to get off the cliffs before it does.” If they couldn’t make it in time, the rain would make the rocks impossible to climb.

  The words barely escaped her lips when she felt a wet splash on her hand. “Well, that’s unfortunate,” Adrian muttered as he climbed higher. He seemed to have no trouble keeping his footing as he moved above her, pointing out where she could safely put her weight.

  The others followed closely, making her afraid of being left behind if she didn’t move fast enough. As badly as she wanted to take a break, stopping would be a bad idea.

  They reached the top of the bluff as the sun disappeared completely. Rhea’s breath frosted in the air, creating clouds in front of her and chilling her lungs. “I never want to see another rock wall in my life.”

  Coughing into her shoulder, she tried to keep it quiet. They couldn’t be sure they were alone up here, and they shouldn’t attract unwanted attention.

  “It wasn’t that bad,” Adrian grunted as he helped James up.

  Shaking his head, James muttered, “Speak for yourself. I agree with Rhea.”

  “At least if you go splat, you can heal yourself.” As Eric responded, he hefted himself up, muscles bulging in his chest and biceps. If she weren’t ready to pass out from a day of climbing, she’d probably have appreciated the display of muscle a bit more.

  “I can’t heal myself if I’m dead.” James yawned, stretching his arms over his head.

  “You don’t know that for sure. It’s not like you’ve tried it before.” Adrian sat on the edge of the cliff, legs dangling off the end.

  “Perhaps we should find some sort of shelter before the full storm hits.” Rhea glanced off in the distance at a flash of lightning. Thunder followed closely behind, crashing through the air and vibrating the cliff.

  Eric stood, tugging at Adrian’s sleeve. “Back away from there. If you fall—”

  Adrian interrupted him. “If I fall, I can save myself before I hit the water.”

  Gulping
in a deep breath, Rhea shivered. “I understand this argument is important. Eric needs to realize you two aren’t little kids anymore, but could we continue from under the trees, at least?”

  Adrian hopped up, and with a last glance at the rolling waves beneath him, he moved quickly toward the cover of trees. James followed him, sighing. “Eric…”

  Eric waved him off. “I know. I’m working on it.”

  Following them, she didn’t want to get in the middle of things. The ground shook again as lightning flashed around them. The storm came in fast. As a strong breeze blew over the bluff, the trees around them swayed. A few of the smaller ones snapped in half, the sharp sound echoing faintly in the night.

  “I don’t think these trees will be much protection.” Adrian watched his feet, careful not to make eye contact with his older brother.

  James glanced at the sky, silently agreeing with his twin.

  Mirror chirped, showing Rhea her reflective surface. Large splatters of water landed on the image, making it difficult to see. Using her sleeve, she dried the bird as best as she could. “It looks like Mirror found somewhere for us to hide. Hopefully, the storm will let up soon, and we won’t be stuck up here for long.” Rhea trailed after her bird, gesturing for the boys to follow.

  A hollowed out tree stood in a small grove, a little opening near the base. Everyone ducked to get inside, squishing together. Ducking in first, Rhea dropped to her knees and scooted as far back as possible.

  “Wait, hold on.” Adrian situated himself and tugged her into his lap to create more space for the other two. Rhea’s breath caught in her throat at their close proximity.

  “This isn’t entirely proper.” She cleared her throat, her voice sounding raspy to her own ears.

  A hand found her bare shin in the dark, and Adrian spoke with a tinge of humor. “I think we’re beyond propriety, now.”

  His blond curls dripped water onto her nose, making her flinch. Her own hair trickled down her face as well. Heat warmed her cheeks as she realized their damp clothing revealed quite a bit. Her dress clung to her stomach and breasts, and she could only be thankful for the cover of darkness.

  “We should get some sleep,” Rhea remarked. She couldn’t be sure if they’d even be able to leave in the morning, but they did need to rest. Butterflies took flight in her stomach as she tried to ignore how close Adrian held her.

  “I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep.” Adrian shifted his weight, throwing her off balance.

  Letting out a startled squeak, she grasped at his tunic, the fabric bunching in her fingers. As her fingers brushed against the firm muscle underneath, her heart rate accelerated. His breath whooshed out of his lungs as she pressed even closer to him. When he adjusted himself once more, her shoulder collided with his chest. A soft wheeze escaped him, and she turned, attempting to see him in the darkness.

  Rhea blinked with exhaustion, but she wasn’t sure she’d be able to fall asleep either.

  James leaned back against the tree, sighing. “This is more likely a flash storm. I read in a book that they happen frequently in this area. It will probably be gone within a few hours. Rhea’s right, we should rest while we can.”

  Eric reclined as his stomach growled loud enough to be heard over the storm.

  “I know it isn’t much, but there’s some more jerky in my bag. It might not taste the greatest, but at least we won’t be going to sleep hungry.” She reached for her bag where it rested between the twins, squirming as she tried to pull it closer.

  Adrian grunted, placing his hands on her hips. “Easy.”

  James slid the bag over to her. “What do you have in this thing, anyway?”

  “Stuff we might need,” she replied absently as her fingers gripped the food.

  “You left home knowing you might need all of this?” James attempted to peer into the open bag, even though there was no light.

  Pausing before she handed out the food, she tried to figure out how to answer. “Yes. I told you, I’d been keeping tabs on you with Mirror.”

  “Why?” James scooted closer, trying to see her in the darkness.

  “You will get the answer eventually, but I’m not sure if you’re ready to hear it now.” She handed him some jerky before passing more to the other two.

  “Why wouldn’t we be?” Eric questioned.

  Rhea stayed silent as they ate. She didn’t really have an answer for him at this time.

  “Well?” Eric asked as they finished their food.

  She changed the subject, hoping he wouldn’t push for an answer. “I think it’s time we tried to get some sleep. If James is correct and the storm passes quickly, we’ll want to leave before the sun comes up again.”

  Eric sighed as he grudgingly accepted the truth of her words.

  It wasn’t easy falling asleep in these cramped quarters. Adrian wrapped his arms around her waist, keeping her from escaping, while James rested his head against Adrian’s shoulder. Relaxing her ear against Adrian’s chest, Rhea heard the steady thump-thump of his heart, even over the booming thunder and Eric’s snoring.

  She wiped her damp palms against her skirt nervously. Only her physical exertion from the day kept her from overthinking things, and she found herself nodding off.

  ~

  Hours later, she woke up and wished she hadn’t. She spent most of her night trying to get comfortable and ignore the different noises around them. The sun was still a couple of hours from making an appearance, but they might as well get started.

  “Wakey, wakey,” she half sang.

  Adrian groaned while James shook his head. “No,” they both grunted out at the same time.

  “The sooner we leave, the sooner we get off the bluff.” She dug through her bag, for the last of the jerky. Handing some to the twins, she nudged Eric awake. “Time to go.”

  “I’m awake,” Eric grumbled, taking some of the meat from her.

  Rhea grabbed her bag and ushered the boys out of their hidey-hole. When James stumbled on the uneven terrain, Adrian’s hand shot out to catch him.

  Her shoes slipped in the mud, and she grimaced at the squelching noise they made. “Mirror, find us the best route to get us back to the main road?”

  Mirror flitted off for a moment. Upon its return, it flapped its wings before showing her a scene. A narrow pathway led downward.

  “Lead on, little birdy.” Rhea gestured for Mirror to go ahead of them, leading them farther from the cliff they’d climbed up.

  Eric made a small motion with his hand, producing a flickering flame in his palm. It gave off enough light to see, but every time an overhead branch dripped water on it, it hissed and sizzled.

  Mirror showed them the straightest path to the castle, and Rhea breathed a sigh of relief when she realized the trail was only a couple hundred yards long as it wound down to where they needed to be.

  “I don’t know that this path is much better than the one we climbed to get up here…” James took a deep breath, focusing his gaze on the side of the cliff. It was narrow, barely wide enough for one person to walk down. Grass and small plants grew along the sides to cover parts of the trail. A mostly clear dirt path snaked all the way down.

  Eric peered over the edge as well. “This isn’t so bad, Jamie.”

  James glared at him, more for the use of his childhood nickname than the encouragement Eric gave.

  “Let’s go. Eric, put out your fire. Mirror will be able to keep our path lit on our way down.” Rhea gestured to her shoulder, where her bird seemed content to rest.

  Eric hesitantly extinguished his flame, exhaling a relieved sigh when Mirror let off a soft glow. As soon as the bird lit up the pathway, Rhea started down the route. With her back to the dirt wall, she slid her feet sideways. She could already tell this was going to be about as much fun as climbing along those cliffs had been.

  ~

  Reaching flat ground at last, Rhea sank to her bottom. Nothing eventful happened on the climb down, and the sun hadn’t even
risen yet.

  Adrian frowned. “Stop. There’s something up ahead.” He crouched, brushing his fingers through the dirt. “I think it’s three men, but something seems off about them…” he trailed off, concentrating.

  “Can you tell what it is?” James sank down next to Adrian.

  “It feels like… Magic? I don’t know, but the vibration of the earth seems off. Can Mirror show us what’s going on?”

  Rhea glanced at the bird sitting on her shoulder. When it became clear it didn’t plan to move, Rhea sighed in exasperation. “Well? Are you going to show us what’s going on?”

  Mirror nipped at her neck, displeased by her tone, before hopping into the air to unfurl her wings.

  A man stood near a large fire pit. He had graying hair and a thin mustache. His lips moved, but Rhea couldn’t make out what he was saying. From the ashes, a faint glow emanated in the fire pit’s flames, matching the flow coming from his fingertips.

  Rhea’s stomach sank, and she swallowed to keep from getting sick.

  “What’s that?” Eric’s fingers hovered above Mirror’s wings, tracing the glow.

  “He’s using magic, isn’t he?” Despite the question, James’s tone told her he already knew the answer.

  Nodding, Rhea spoke to her bird. “Are there any others around? They can’t be clueless about their companion using magic.”

  Mirror moved reluctantly, the picture changing to two more men splashing in a river. Neither wore any clothing, and the water around them appeared to be turning red.

  “At least one of them is injured…” Rhea trailed off, snapping her eyes shut as one of them started to turn around.

  “One of them is glowing similarly to the older man, but it seems slightly different. I can’t tell what kind of power he has.” Adrian moved closer to the image, bumping her shoulder.

  With all three crowding her and Mirror, her heart wouldn’t stop racing. “Is that guy…” He squinted, resting his cheek against her temple. “Is he shifting his shape?”