Page 24 of Sent To A Fantasy World and Now All the Men Want Me 7

Pumpkin was dangling from the branch again by his tail and pawing at my face.

“Do you want down?” I asked, holding out my hands.

The arbordu eased down onto my outstretched palms. After I caught him, he crawled up my arm and settled on my shoulder, nuzzling his furry face against my cheek. My heart melted.

“He already adores you,” Lake said in awe, reaching to pet the tree demon.

“Or he smells the treats in my pocket.”

Lake laughed before grabbing my hand. Our fingers locked and fit together perfectly—much like our hearts. I loved seeing him this carefree and relaxed. This happy.

The two of us left the shade of the tall oak tree and headed down the path toward the castle. Oreo padded along in the grass beside us, occasionally growling up at the creature chittering happily on my shoulder.

“Be nice to your new brother,” I said to the jealous puppy.

“New brother?” Lake released a rough laugh and gently squeezed my hand. “Does this make us their parents?”

I grinned. “Well, Daddy Lake does have a nice ring to it.”

Softly smiling, he smoothed his thumb across mine and said nothing further. But the glint in his purple eyes made me wonder if fatherhood was actually something he wanted someday.

As we continued down the winding dirt path, a cool breeze ruffled my hair, bringing with it traces of smoke from the nearby firepits, as well as meat cooking in the mess hall. Horses grazed in the pasture beyond the wooden fence, and smoke rose from various chimneys around the castle.

It was peaceful. A reminder that even when everything felt so damn hard and challenging—like being faced with freaky powers, hunted by mercenaries, and falling for a stubborn demon lord—there was still beauty to be found. Moments that made life worth living.

A life filled with love and endless happiness with my men and our friends. And all the fur babies I planned to adopt for us.

Chapter Five

No Ordinary Muffin

The sky looked like it was on fire. Varying shades of red and orange clouds sat within a backdrop of gold and deep purple as the sun inched toward the horizon.

Callum stood on the terrace watching it set. The fading daylight shone on his brown hair, bringing out strands the color of rich honey. Even from my short distance away, I noted the softness of his expression as he closed his eyes, letting the last remnants of sun wash over his face.

“Hey, you.” I joined him near the stone steps that led down into a scenic courtyard. Flowerbeds burst with colorful blossoms, and the breeze carried the scent of lavender and ivy. “Dinner’s almost ready.”

“Rabbit stew.” He peered down at me and smiled, revealing the dimple in his cheek. His chocolate brown eyes were downturned at the corners, giving him a sort of endearing boyishness that still gave me butterflies even after all this time with him. “My favorite.”

“Yep.” I stepped into his arms, finding him way more beautiful than the sunset. “It’s one of the first meals I cooked for you and the boys, remember?”

“When the captain forced you to work at the barracks to earn your keep,” Callum said with a chuckle in his voice. As the fading sun touched his eyes, thin traces of caramel wound through his brown irises. “Much has changed since we first met.”

“Some for the better.” I hooked my arms around his waist. He had the body of an athlete, finely toned muscle without being bulky and washboard abs I felt even through the clothes between us. “We’re no longer just friends.”

“Aye.” Callum returned my embrace and rested his cheek on the side of my hair. “You’ve become the one thing in this life I cannot bear to lose.”

“Do you still think you will lose me?” I asked, recalling our conversation from when he and the others first came to the Shadow Realm. He had mentioned not trusting Onyx, saying he feared a storm was on the horizon and that the demon lord would be the one to usher in that storm, sending everything crashing down around us.

He didn’t respond. He only held me closer.

“Cal?” I drew back and touched his face, gently tilting it down to mine. “Where’s your mind at?”

“A place I don’t wish to be.” He shakily exhaled. “I wish we could return to simpler days, Ev. Like the morning the captain and I found you in the field napping under that tree.”

“When you stole my shoes?” I lightly poked his chest. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about that, Sir Cinnamon Roll. They were my favorite pair of Vans too. Limited edition.”

“Cinnamon roll,” he repeated, his eyes crinkling at the edges. “Haven’t heard that in a while.”