by Eva Brandt
I couldn’t say the words out loud, so instead, I thought them and hoped my husbands would understand. “Come to me. Come to me.”
They must’ve heard me, because Mathias said the exact same words Halvar had, earlier. “Your wish is my command, my queen.”
Thrandur tightened his hold on my hair and Halvar snarled. And then they started moving together, and my world turned into an abyss of pure desire and flame.
Despite my skills, I didn’t manage to keep up with their pace. I was just too overwhelmed. So, instead, I abandoned all control and surrendered to them.
Right then and there, power and position didn’t matter. I might be their queen, but I was also their wife and their lover. They belonged to me, but I belonged to them in turn, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
My body turned into a giant ball of magic and sensation, and I embraced it, loving every second of our carnal exchange. Halvar’s thrusts were getting harsher, and between that and Thrandur’s girth, I was having real problems accommodating Thrandur’s cock. My jaw started to hurt and the feeling was just as new as the ache I’d woken up with. I wanted more.
It was amazing to be able to feel like this. All my life, I’d lived a gray, emotionless existence, guided only by simple self-preservation instincts and empty ambitions. Those ambitions had not disappeared, but their fire was different now. It also couldn’t compare to the fire of all-consuming passion that my husbands stirred inside me. Their strength and lust for me chased away the memory of the cold emptiness that had been inside me, filling every crevice in my heart and body with their presence.
It was an experience that went beyond the carnal, and even after the amazing wedding night I’d had, it still swept me away like a hurricane, cracking me to pieces and reforming me again, molding me into a different, more polished version of myself.
My magic responded to the wild power of our shared lust, roaring through every inch of me like a raging inferno, a wildfire threatening to consume us whole. I didn’t allow it to. I cradled it close, pulling it deeper into my heart. This connection was mine to treasure, I knew that now, and nothing could break it, not magic, not death. Nothing.
On and on, they claimed me, made me theirs, showed me how beautiful it was to be a person, to feel and to have them so close to me. It seemed to take forever, and yet it was over much too quickly. My treacherous body couldn’t take any more of the onslaught of sensation and decided to betray me.
I couldn’t have said what made me come. Maybe it wasn’t anything in particular, just the natural build up of sensation. Mathias squeezed my hips in a tight hold and whispered, “Dahud,” and the next thing I knew, I exploded, riding the waves of my powerful orgasm.
My husbands thrust inside me one last time and followed me over the edge. Heat filled me as Mathias found his peak. Halvar and Thrandur came together, and Thrandur’s hold on my hair went almost painfully tight as he flooded my mouth with his offering.
I tried to swallow every drop, but despite my skills in other fields, I still didn’t have experience in this. I spluttered and ended up with some of Thrandur’s cream all over my face and hair. Weirdly, I liked it.
I’d claimed them as my husbands and protectors, and they’d claimed me. This was just another way they were showing me that.
Thrandur seemed to enjoy the view as much as I enjoyed the feeling. Earlier, he’d liked it when I’d given him orders. Now, though, he smiled wickedly, and I remembered that he was royalty too. Our lives might have been very different, but in some ways, we were similar. “You’re mine, aren’t you, Dahud?” he murmured.
“Ours,” Mathias corrected him.
“Ours,” Halvar rumbled.
His voice held an almost animalistic quality, but no jealousy or resentment. It was soothing and it ended the debate. I finally managed to reply, “Yours,” and then we collapsed together on the bed in a sweaty, dirty pile, exhausted, but content.
I leaned against Halvar’s chest and he decided it was a great idea to caress my swollen folds. I didn’t think I’d ever felt less like a princess in my life, not even the night before. It was perfect, and I wanted to stay like this forever.
I was debating the merits of seducing them again when the sound of furious knocking echoed at the door of my quarters. “What?” I called out. “Who is it?”
“It’s Gwenol, Your Highness. Apologies for the interruption, but there’s been an incident.”
“An incident?” I repeated. Despite my irritation, I was already sliding out of bed. Gwenol might be a little strange, but he also respected our customs. He would’ve never showed up at my door like this—the morning after my wedding—if there hadn’t been a real problem. I believed him when he said this was an emergency. “In a minute.”
It took a little more than a minute, but I was as efficient as possible. Between my new husbands and my unique skills, we managed to clean up pretty quickly. I didn’t bother pulling on more than a simple robe. Some things were more important than the rules of formality.
I sent Halvar ahead to let Gwenol in so the man wouldn’t have to wait at my door. When I emerged from my bedchamber, I found Gwenol pacing through my receiving room, muttering under his breath. “This is a disaster. What do we do? How could this have happened?”
Halvar shot me a concerned look. He’d been in the room the whole time, but Gwenol seemed so worried he’d forgotten about Halvar’s presence completely. So far, things didn’t look good. “What’s happened, Master Gwenol?” I asked. “What has you in such a state?”
Gwenol turned toward me, his face white with panic. “It’s the gates of the dikes, Your Highness. They’re crumbling.”
A chill rushed down my spine. The dikes around Kerys kept the water from advancing and prevented the whole city from being swallowed up into the ocean. This wasn’t just an emergency. It was a potential disaster.
“How bad is it? Do we have to evacuate the city?”
“It doesn’t seem like it, no,” Gwenol answered, “but His Royal Majesty requested your presence and expertise.”
Of course he had, because the magic I’d used to twist his mind forced him to turn to me in times of distress. Then again, he might have done so anyway, even if I hadn’t mind-controlled him into it. My magic would come in handy to fix the problem.
If I was right in my assumption about the cause of the issue, it would be suitable. I hoped I wasn’t, but I also didn’t fool myself. Fate was laughing at me yet again.
On the bright side, we weren’t in any urgent trouble. My father hadn’t ordered the evacuation, so we still had a little time at our disposal. “All right. Wait for us outside. Make sure I have the fastest boat ready to take me there.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Gwenol fled, leaving me alone with my lovers. “How unfortunate,” I said as soon as he was gone. “It seems my magic might have had an effect on Kerys as a whole.”
“Do you really think your power affected the dikes?” Mathias asked, his voice thick with concern. “Nothing happened a few weeks ago, when we first broke your curse.”
“That’s true, but this incident can’t be a coincidence. It must be related to our marriage in some way. I just need to figure out why.”
My husbands said nothing more. After witnessing my loss of control from that first night, they knew how destructive my powers could be. Empty reassurances wouldn’t have helped, and I was grateful they didn’t insult me by making the attempt.
Together, we left our quarters and headed toward the exit of the palace. The guards looked pale and nervous, but they hadn’t left, nor were they trying to evacuate anyone. This confirmed my original suspicions on the situation.
Gwenol had done as I’d instructed and had arranged for a boat to be ready for me. He was already outside and the moment he saw me, he let out a sigh of relief. “Right this way, Your Highness.”
He offered me his hand, presumably intending to help me into the boat. My husbands glowered at him and surreptitiou
sly shoved him aside. Mathias took his place and helped me down.
I suppressed the urge to tell them I was perfectly capable of getting on a boat without anyone holding my hand. It was beside the point and they looked so pleased with themselves. I didn’t have the heart to ruin it for them.
Once we were comfortable, Gwenol got on a different boat, joined by several guards. One other vessel followed us, escorting us through the waterways of Kerys. It wasn’t necessary, since I was perfectly safe with my husbands by my side. But that was the custom and I had to obey it, at least for now.
Even so, I refused to linger too long in the canals because of the speed limit my father had set for my boat. “Move faster,” I commanded the rowers. “We can’t afford to dawdle.”
No matter what orders my father had given them, they knew better than to disobey. The boats sped up and it didn’t take us long to reach the main dike of Kerys.
My parents were already present, studying the mechanism and the walls. My mother was pressing her hands against the edges of the gate, testing its structure with her magic. My father lacked her skill in the mystical arts, so he’d chosen the mundane approach and was talking to the dike supervisor.
When they saw me, they all stopped what they were doing and turned toward me. “Dahud!” my mother greeted me with a smile. “Good morning, darling.”
“It would’ve been better if I hadn’t heard the dreadful news about the dike,” I answered. “What is going on, Mother?”
As I spoke, I jumped out of the boat, not even bothering to wait for my husbands to help me. My father joined us, with the supervisor by his side. “The gate suffered some unexpected structural damage,” the supervisor explained. “We’re not sure when and how his happened.”
“But if I remember correctly, you perform regular checkups on the dike, right? When was the last one?”
“A little over a month ago, Your Highness, just before the tournament. It was in perfect condition. Granted, we did have some pretty wild weather as of late, but the gates were built to last. There was nothing that could explain this kind of erosion in such a short period of time.”
Nothing except me having an outburst of uncontrolled magic on the beach. I wondered if my mother had realized the reason. She must have. She knew I’d been practicing my magic unsupervised and had undoubtedly made the connection.
I made a mental note to be more careful, all the while keeping my face clear of any expression that would show my silent dread. I’d never feared my power and that hadn’t changed. But I did fear losing my hold on it. Power was meaningless if it controlled you, not the other way around.
“With your permission, Father, I would like to check on the dike now.”
“Of course, daughter. Go with your mother.”
The supervisor knew better than to point out how weird it was that the king would allow his sole child to fix the structural problems of the gate. The reason was pretty obvious anyway. My mother’s use of magic was no secret, and it didn’t take a genius to realize my presence here had to be related.
Following my father’s command, my mother guided me to a particular area of the gate, the one that had been most damaged. I knelt next to it and brushed my fingers over it, frowning slightly.
“These aren’t echoes of my magic,” I said.
“No, they’re not,” my mother answered. “I had the same idea as you and guessed it might have suffered some damage when you were out practicing, but this is something entirely different.”
“It feels familiar,” I mused. “Why does it feel familiar?”
“I suspect it might have something to do with the person who cast your curse.”
I instantly tensed. My mother had said the culprits behind that crime had been caught and executed. I hadn’t looked into it further, because I’d gotten distracted by trying to figure out what to do about my husbands. “Didn’t you deal with that already?”
My mother opened and closed her mouth. For a few seconds, she looked like she was about to say something, only to change her mind at the last moment. I realized that she was trying to lie to me, but my mind control abilities were pressuring her into telling me the truth.
Had the effect worn off in time after I hadn’t recast the spell? It seemed like it. A part of me was relieved, since now that I could feel, I cared about my parents. The other part—the one that remained as cold and rational as always—deemed it a disadvantage. She’d have been more useful if I could’ve guaranteed her permanent obedience and honesty.
I’d have to explore the limits to my power later. For the moment, I’d start with the curse. “Tell me the truth. What are you keeping from me? Why are the energies of the curse’s caster here?”
“We never killed her, Dahud,” my mother finally confessed. “It was too dangerous. The ritual she cast bound the two of you together and we feared that if we executed her, she’d take you with her.
“As for why her energy is here now, you should probably ask your husband that. He’s surrounded in her magic. Can’t you feel it?”
My immediate instinct was to protest. “What are you talking about? My husbands have nothing to do with this.”
Even as I said the words, I knew they were a lie. Thrandur was the one who’d broken the curse and that alone made it possible for him to be involved with its caster.
“Don’t look with your eyes or with your heart,” my mother advised me. “Look with your magic. You’ll find that I’m telling you the truth. Your Mathias is dangerous.”
Mathias? Mathias was the one who carried the magic of my attacker. But he was only a woodcutter. What connection could he possibly have to…?
Wait, no. He wasn’t only a woodcutter. We hadn’t gotten the chance to talk too much about our pasts, but he was far too articulate and educated to be a regular person. And I’d heard him mention it before, during a conversation with Thrandur and Halvar.
“My aunt is the one with all the mystical skills,” he had said.
His aunt. She must’ve been the one who’d cast the curse. Was that what had brought him to Ys? I needed to find out.
She hadn’t come to the wedding. In fact, none of Mathias’s family had come. He’d said he’d invited them, but his mother and father had declined attending on account of feeling they wouldn’t fit in.
I’d found it odd, but hadn’t insisted, as I’d known they were probably right. Now that I knew the truth about his aunt, their absence had an entirely different meaning.
“Thank you for telling me about this, Mother,” I said. “I’ll speak with Mathias. I’m sure it’s all a giant misunderstanding. In the meantime, say nothing about it to anyone.”
My mother’s eyes glazed as the mind control enchantment settled on her again. I didn’t enjoy doing that to her, but I couldn’t afford any problems, not now. “Yes, of course, Dahud,” she said, beaming at me. “I’ll always keep your secrets.”
“Of course you will,” I said darkly. “Otherwise, the consequences will be dire.”
Forcing myself to calm down, I focused on the gate and on my immediate problem. The magic that had threatened the protective barrier was scattered and disorganized, if powerful. It was more annoying to dispel than difficult, since it kept trying to elude us. My mother and I had to be careful, lest we accidentally do more damage and finish the job the alien power had failed to accomplish.
By the time we were done, I felt even more apprehensive about the whole situation than before, and that alone was enough to put me in a horrible mood. I got up and pulled away from the fixed dike. “We’ll head back to the castle now,” I barked. “You there, supervisor. Keep an eye on this place and let us know if there are any problems in the future.”
There must have been something terrifying on my face, because the man drastically paled. “Yes, Your Highness. Of course, Your Highness.”
My parents headed back toward their boat, and I did the same. My husbands followed me to our own vessel, although they were obviously worried about my demeanor
. “Dahud, what’s wrong?” Thrandur asked. “Do you feel unwell?”
“Not here,” I told him. “We’ll talk when we’re alone.”
Thrandur opened his mouth, perhaps intending to protest. Halvar grabbed his arm and shook his head. At the same time, he shot Mathias a speculative glance and arched a brow at me.
He must’ve overheard the conversation between me and my mother. One of these days, I’d have to remember to ask him how his shape-shifting skills worked, because I’d clearly underestimated them.
Everyone was keeping secrets from me, and I did not appreciate it.
The trip back to the palace was fast and silent. The rowers moved quickly, sensing the tension between me and my husbands. As soon as we reached our destination, I jumped out of the boat, not bothering to wait for my parents or my husbands.
My lovers trailed after me. My mother and father did not, having obviously decided to give me some space.
I didn’t return to our shared quarters. I didn’t think it would be a good idea, since our bedchamber already had a lot of memories attached to it and I didn’t want to accidentally destroy it. And gods helped me, I wanted to destroy something. If I could’ve gotten away with it, I’d have liked to go to the beach to use some harmless rocks as target practice. Instead, I headed toward my mother’s interior garden.
This place was the safest area in the palace where one could practice magic. It would be safe for me to let out my frustration and have a long overdue conversation with my lovers.
As I stepped onto the grass, the vegetation underneath my feet started to wither away and die. I lifted my hand and the bust in front of me exploded. Stone pieces flew around us, threatening to pierce us right through. I didn’t shy away from the debris.
Halvar grabbed my arm and pulled me out of harm’s way. Mathias eyed me from head to toe, scanning me for any visible injuries. “Dahud, what is going on?”
I took a deep breath, reminding myself outbursts of temper wouldn’t help me. “I want you to tell me about your aunt, Mathias. Who is she exactly, and why did she decide to curse me? Why did you come to Ys in the first place?”