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My Fury’s super hearing could hear Blaze’s pounding heartbeats, and I read his wild emotion. He was afraid that he might not be the one for me.
“There might be an additional condition?” he said. “Or we might have done it wrong. We’ll start over and try again when my brothers return.”
“We can try again,” I said, not wanting him to dwell on the same heaviness I’d felt. On the other hand, despite that the curse still leeched on me, I’d never felt so great for centuries. I was happy.
“Do you have more siblings other than the three of you?” I asked to distract him, and I also wanted to know more about the dragon princes who had all kissed me and vowed to protect me.
“Just the three of us,” he said, giving me a rueful look. “As you’ve heard from our quarrels, we’re half-brothers with different mothers, who are equal mates to King Oriel. Unfortunately, we were all born on the same day, though Rai’s mother contested that her son was born a minute and a half earlier. The king refused to announce his heir, which only pitted us against each other since we were children.
We should have bonded like we are now, but we had our mothers, the court, our supporters, and enemies to consider when we were back home. None of us wanted to show weakness to beg for brotherhood or friendship. So, we kept fighting, trying to eliminate each other.”
A smile floated to his lips. “Actually, I had two encounters with Rai and he could have killed me, but he pretended not to see me and distracted his men to turn in the opposite direction. And once, I had an arrow aiming right at Iokul’s back, but I somehow forgot to release it.
Many of our people in the realm have been worried that if the king perishes, we’ll get into a civil war and divide the realm into three. So, when I heard the old Dragon King announce the contest, I took the chance, so I didn’t need to fight my brothers again over the inheritance of Oslan Dominion.”
“And you all ended up coming here,” I said.
He grinned. “The two suckers thought the same and followed suit, only to realize that fate brought us together to have a chance to rid of our curses. We’d been searching for the Furies for the longest time when we weren’t fighting each other in the realm. We decided to share a ship and watch each other’s back against other hunters before we settled the score among us, but old habits die hard, as we kept competing against each other on this savage planet, until we all met you and you refused to choose among us.”
I blinked. Did he mean it was my fault that I broke apart their fight?
“For the first time, we united as one, as brothers should,” he said in satisfaction. “We’re all fed up with the politics and power-play that tear us apart. And now with one mate who bonds us all, we won’t divide the kingdom. We won’t bring war to the realm, and we won’t kill each other. For once, we can be brothers as we’re supposed to be.”
“So, I’m the means to your brotherhood, a united kingdom, and your curses,” I said drily. They had also said they would need to gain the heart of the Fury Queen or have her heads to be rid of their curses.
I was falling halfway for all of them. What if they won my love, but they weren’t my true loves, and their curses were lifted, but mine remained forever?
Could they accept that I had only an hour in my Fae form every day? So, one of them, or all of them could only have me one hour a day, while the rest of the day I stayed as three beasts?
They wouldn’t settle for that. No man would.
Besides, without breaking off my curse, I could never leave Pandemonium.
They called this planet a godforsaken place. The dragon princelings were used to riches, luxury, and power.
I wouldn’t want them to sacrifice for me, either.
After Akem left, the planet didn’t have as many meteor showers as before, which bought us more time and survival space, but Pandemonium, as damaged as it was, wouldn’t last forever.
When the three ships arrived, I’d thought fate was kind to me at last.
I puffed a half-breath and half-laugh in irony.
But at least, it had led to me the dragon princes, who brought me the last joy and pleasure.
I would value every precious moment with them, which was all I had, instead of thinking of tomorrow.
“I’m glad I can be of use,” I said.
He shook his head fiercely, his hand running through his damp hair. “No, love, that isn’t what I meant. I’m not as good as Rai with words and not as sharp as Iokul in thinking. But my heart is in the right place for you. Only after the three of us swore the blood oath did we realize the full benefit of having you as our one and only mate. In the beginning, all of us just wanted you and would have killed each other to claim you.”
“Look at me,” I said. “I’m Furies.”
Even I had no illusion toward my beastly form, and I had three of them.
He smiled, warmer than sunlight that I’d missed and craved for centuries.
“What are you talking about, Daisy? You’re beautiful, honeybee.”
