“You don’t have to worry about impartiality if you have all of us.” He says it so easily. Like it’s such a simple answer, we should all have thought of it. Maybe if it weren’t such a ludicrous notion, we would’ve.
Instantly, my gaze flies to Dakari. Was that…? Did he kiss me because…? My head is spinning, and when Lambert’s thumbs dig into my insole, massaging my left foot with the perfect amount of pressure, my thoughts fragment.
Dimly, I realise the game on the screen has started, and Eddy’s cheers are filling the room as she blindly supports both sides simultaneously, but none of us are focused on it.
“You can’t tell me you’ve all agreed to this,” I eventually stammer, glancing at Leo, whose icy eyes are still fixed on me. “North dislikes me. Pierce is?—”
“Pierce?” Lambert raises his eyebrows. “Okay, well… I didn’t think you’d want him, but if you want to be really fair…”
“North agreed,” Jasper tells me. “But said that you wouldn’t be interested inhim. Leo is…”
“He’s scared that you won’t like whips and chains in the bedroom,” Lambert confides easily. “But he does have a contract, if you want to read through it to make sure before you turn him down.”
My stomach does a tiny flip.
A contract? What in the—? I’m dreaming. I’ve fallen into one of the black-covered inept novels the Arcanaeum treats me to every now and again. Contracts? Chains?
A traitorous part of me can’t help but wonder if that includes spankings, but I shut that thought down.
My eyes flick up, taking in the quiet Ó Rinn in the corner. Leo says nothing, reading me with that same cool, watchful stare that makes me squirm. What would it take to melt the frost in those watchful eyes?
With a smile, Lambert leans forward and shuts my gaping mouth with one finger. “Can I take it from your drooling that you’re at least a little bit interested?”
“You’re forgetting the part where I told you I can’t share a woman with a Talcott,” Leo interrupts. “I’m sorry, Kyrith. I… Once my ensorcellment is broken, maybe.”
But he’s interested.Allof them are interested.
“For how long?” I ask. “And what happens if this allbreaks down? When one of you wants to settle for a normal life or just a girlfriend you can take out to dinner?”
The silence is thick for a second before Jasper says. “Lass, none of us is thinking short term.”
“Sometimes, boss, you’ve just got to take the shot?—”
Lambert’s words are cut off as Dakari stands abruptly, his hands fisted at his sides as he stares at the screen.
“Mother.”Pierce’s voice is cordial, cultured, and completely unexpected.
My chin jerks around, eyes widening as I realise the magiball court we were watching has disappeared, replaced by a brick driveway, bordered by immaculate striped lawns on both sides and a moonlit face that I recognise.
Isidora Carlton’s jaw is set stiffly, her grey gaze critical as her heels click on the flagstones. She strides towards the looming home in the distance, and Pierce hastens to keep pace with her, the pendant bobbing with each step.
“You promised results, and instead youdareto join this meeting with her covenant on your face andstillno sign of the McKinley heir?”she snarls.“You were supposed to have him by now. Or at the very least, his sister, so we had leverage.”
Her hand flashes up, and the view on the screen wobbles and shakes.
Pierce grunts.“It was for a good reason.”
She slapped her son, I realise belatedly, and yet the two of them resume walking as if it’s nothing.
“You better have something that will make this meeting go well for us,”she threatens.“Anthea is working on Abe Talcott, but we need control of the restorationist if we’re to keep his favour—”She cuts herself off as they reach the steps of a fourteenth-century manor.“You’d better have a plan, because I won’t protect you this time.”
Her ring-laden fingers grip the iron butler-styledoorbell, and she pulls once. Pierce glances down at his feet, breaking my view of whoever answers.
“Isidora. You’re late.”
My entire body goes wooden, chest seizing.Thatvoice.
No. Surely not. This can’t be?—
