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Ember handed her sister her stone. “You can have mine, sissy. I’ll find more.”
Aurora thanked her with a kiss on the cheek. Hand in hand, they searched the rocky shore for more. These girls were the very best of friends, just like Tari and I had been while growing up. I wondered what had gone so terribly wrong with my mother and Malvolia.
“Why would your parents keep Marius from you?”
I looked over my shoulder at Blaze. “You expect me to understand their reasoning?”
“No.” He frowned. “I’m sorry.”
“Did Drae apologize?” Nikkos asked.
“Sort of.” I turned my gaze to the girls, waving them back when they strayed too close to the water. “Then he said he’d still kill my sister.”
They both let out a string of curses. Thankfully, my nieces were out of earshot.
Eyeing my mates, I released a slow breath. This was my chance to know if I could trust them. If I wanted to join my heart and soul to them forever. “So you wouldn’t kill her if Malvolia asked you?” I looked deeply into their eyes, watching for any sign of deception. Yes, I could use my siren voice, but I knew they’d resent me if I forced it out of them.
“No,” Nikkos said, his eyes shining with sincerity. “Because I know it would cause you pain.”
I exhaled a relieved breath before turning to his brother. “What about you, Blaze?”
“I understand why you think our queen is evil,” he said, “but we know Malvolia. She won’t force us to choose between loyalty to you or her.”
I inwardly cringed. This wasn’t the answer I was hoping for. I held his gaze a long moment. “Which means?”
“Which means if you don’t want us to kill your sister, we won’t.” He bridged the distance between us, taking my hand in his.
His warm, calloused hand on mine sent a zing straight to my heart. I jerked away from him as if his hand was on fire. Was he trying to distract me with his tempting touch? “But what if she does force you to choose?”
“I don’t want to be branded a traitor, but in the rare chance she forces me to choose, I will pick my mate.” Clasping his hand over his heart, he bowed slightly, his dark eyes peering at me from beneath his thick lashes. “I willalwayspick my mate. I’m not a fool. I know not every Fae is gifted with a fated mate. I’m not about to ruin this chance we have with you.”
Our gazes locked, and I feared my heart would beat right out of my chest. Whereas Draevyn’s tongue was poison and thorns, Blaze’s was warm, honeyed wine, and I fought the urge to throw myself into his arms and drink him in.
“We’re sorry about Drae,” Blaze added. “He had no right to treat you that way.”
I snapped out of my trance. “Are you, though?” It was wrong of me to say. I knew it the moment the words slipped off my tongue. Why was I lashing out at Blaze? My behavior made me no better than Draevyn.
He held up his hands in a defensive gesture. “I beat him twice, didn’t I?”
“Shirina, we’ll straighten him out.” Nikkos splayed a hand across his heart. “Promise.”
I made the mistake of looking into Nikkos’s big, golden eyes, at the slightest hint of a smile tugging on those full, sensual lips. I swore his smile held the direct key to my heart.
“No, it’s fine. I’m sorry I took it out on you,” I said to Blaze. My shoulders caved inward with the admission. “He brings out the worst in me.”
“It’s not fine.” Blaze grasped my shoulder, his eyes searching mine. “You have every right to be upset.”
Even through the fabric, I could feel his touch branding me, his warm fingers searing into my chilled skin. If only their brother wasn’t a monster. “You think so?” I asked. “After he threatened to drop me yesterday?”
Solar flares flashed in Blaze’s eyes, and his rage pulsed between us like a tangible thing. “What?”
“He didn’t mean it,” I said, realizing I’d told them too much. As much as I despised Draevyn, I didn’t want the brothers fighting over me again. “But it was still an unkind thing to say.”
“Don’t worry.” Blaze’s top lip curled back in a snarl that reminded me of a dragon preparing to unleash his fire. “I’ll take care of him.”
I swallowed back my fear. What would he do? “I don’t want you fighting because of me. I’ll get over it.”
He and Nikkos shared a look.
