“I need them for the time being,” I say in response, my words terse and short. “But I can’t forget who they are, the dirty vile blood swimming in their veins.”

  Brielyn shakes his head. “There’s so much to process… and none of this even covers the questions I have about the portals I’ve seen Orrael conjure out of thin air, watching Orrtyn move faster than my eye could catch earlier today while we were out…” His eyes move to my shoulder, narrowing. “Or how you heal.”

  I nod sharply, my body tense. “I know you have so many questions and I have your answers, but first I must know, Brielyn.” I rise to my feet and even though he’s taller than me, I meet his eyes, posture stiff. “Can I trust you?”

  He doesn’t say anything for a moment, and I respect that he’s thinking this over instead of just telling me what he thinks I want to hear.

  Brielyn’s brown eyes hold mine. “Roxanna… I knew the moment I met you at the intake line that you were trouble and I know nothing good is going to happen as long as I’m around you, but fuck… you saved my life when you didn’t have to and you’re actually a friend.” He closes his eyes briefly before opening them again and I see the determination in his gaze. “So yeah, you can trust me.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  “Magic isn’t dead?” Brielyn asks in disbelief, after I reveal the little nugget of information to him.

  A part of me is happy by his surprise. Seeing as I’d spent most of the last decade in the mortal realm, the thought that maybe I’d missed the signs of magic still in Caelumine, did trickle through my head. But seeing the way that Brielyn reacts lets me know that the shock was one hundred percent deserved.

  I nod my head. “I’m not sure the extent or what the royals actually know but they have way more information than what they have told me.” Because the magic I’ve seen from them has seemed to come easy and as no surprise… They’ve been aware of its presence for a long time.

  But how long?

  And there’s still so much that I need to learn from the men about their gifts and how powerful they are. It's clear from what I’ve seen from Orrael that despite the fact he has to be discreet, his ability to portal is more than a little powerful.

  And why do they feel they have to hide it?

  There are so many possibilities.

  Is it because of the queen? Are they afraid she’d use their gifts for her own purpose?

  “I wasn’t prepared to hear all this shit today,” Brielyn says as he sags against the cave wall. “I swear this is too much for my small village brain to handle. Pickpocketing is more in my category, not government secrets and magic.”

  His words make me think of the small bits and pieces I know about his home. From a small northern village, he comes from a rather poor family. He has sisters, I know from what he’s said before. And he used to steal things that his family needed and also things they didn’t need…

  Images of us getting drunk on wine that he stole from the royals flash in my mind.

  I think that was the day I finally let go and let the man in, but then again, it may have been the day we met.

  “I know it’s a lot to process,” I agree.

  “And yet you seem to be handling it fine,” he says, eyeing me with a look of disbelief.

  I shrug my shoulders. “I’ve been privy to a lot of information in my life, some things little, some big. The initial shock eventually wears off and then my mind swirls with theories and questions.”

  “Yeah I definitely have a lot of questions now,” he agrees, his eyes briefly glancing at the mouth of the cave. The sun is setting lower in the sky and I know that Orrtyn and Walker will be back soon.

  “Like who still has magic? Why? Is it something in their blood?” He squints slightly. “The royals are pure bloods, they always had stronger magic.” His eyes move to me and I watch as his mouth twists slightly. “And you… the healing…” He moves closer to me and I watch as he studies my shoulder.

  At some point, the sleeve of my shirt was ripped. I’m not sure by who, but I know it was so they’d have easier access to my former wound. So now the smooth skin is completely on display as Brielyn studies it.

  His eyes snap back to mine and I’m surprised by the curiosity I see swirling in them. “You said your family were close to the Deightyns, but you were very vague on those details.”

  Damn.

  A part of me didn’t expect Brielyn to think over the details too hard. The man isn’t exactly lazy, but the only thing I’ve seen him take initiative in is getting into the pants of royal guards.

  “I don’t mean to draw conclusions here,” he continues, his eyes watching my face closely. “But if the royals have magic because their blood is pure… and you have magic, does that mean-”

  His words are cut off as a caw cracks through the air moments before we hear footsteps.

  Fuck, I’ve never been more thankful for that damn bloodthirsty bird.

  My face is warm at how close to the truth Brielyn just hit without me expecting it. I pull my face into a blank mask, not wanting to encourage his suspicions.

  The man is smarter than I give him credit for.

  Brielyn lets out a long sigh, moments before Orrtyn and Walker appear at the mouth of the cave. Ragna is perched on Walker’s right shoulder again, but on the left shoulder is an unfamiliar, lifeless animal. It’s big and round, almost like a hog, but it's completely sleek, no fur or hair in sight. The brown skin is slightly wrinkly and I refrain from turning my nose up.

  Dinner is dinner, no matter how unappetizing it looks.

  Orrtyn’s eyes take Brielyn and I in for a moment. I note that his tan skin seems to be a bit more flushed than usual with redness.

  Weird.

  Orrtyn turns away, moving toward where our firewood sits in the back of the cave.

  Silence fills the air as Orrtyn and Walker start to work in tandem on dinner. Brielyn moves closer to the men and despite the fact that the silence isn’t awkward, I know that’s about to change when I see the amusement dancing in Brielyn’s brown eyes.

  “Hmmm,” he hums softly as he nears Walker, staring at the man before directing his gaze to Orrtyn who’s further back in the cave.

  Walker stiffens slightly, turning his head to scowl at Brielyn briefly before going back to digging his knife into the strange animal.

  I straighten slightly, keeping my attention on Brielyn and Walker.

  The man is on to something, I know that look in his eye.

  Whatever is about to come out of Brielyn’s mouth is most definitely not going to be to Walker’s pleasure, so I place my hand on the dagger in my boot, just in case I need to protect the man.

  “So… what were you two doing?” He finally asks. The question may seem innocent, but there’s something in Brielyn’s voice that implies otherwise.

  Walker doesn’t even spare him a glance, but he does seem to get rougher with his knife as it bites into the skin of the animal. “Hunting, obviously. Do your eyes no longer work?” He asks briskly.

  “Well, I couldn’t help but notice that Orrtyn is very flushed and you…” He leans closer to Walker who stiffens at his proximity. Ragna lets out a squawk before flying away from the man’s shoulder. “You seem to be having a wardrobe malfunction.”

  There’s a rattling and I look up to find that Orrtyn has dropped some of the firewood. He looks shocked… but also a little amused. His lips press together like he’s trying to hold back a smile as he watches Brielyn and Walker.

  Brielyn is amusing him…

  Though the same can’t be said for Walker.

  The man in question pushes to his feet, dropping the animal which makes a weird plopping sound as it connects with the ground. Walker hoovers over Brielyn, his arms folded over his chest as he stares down at the other man. “What in the hell are you talking about?” he hisses out and if words could kill…

  Well, my one friend in this realm could be dead.

  Brielyn doesn’t look too put off, though I note that he takes a step back. He glances at me shortly as if to see if I’m close enough to hide behind if he needs to run away from the other man. He turns his gaze back to Brielyn and even though his back is to me, I can hear the amusement in his words. “Well… your shirt looks a bit disheveled; it looks like someone had their hands in your hair… and your zip is undone.”

  Silence splits through the cave.

  My eyes move to Walker’s shirt and I notice things that I didn’t initially when he came in. The shirt is a lot more rumpled than it was when he came down and while I could possibly put it down to hunting, I know he likely shot the animal instead of wrestling with it, so he shouldn't look so disheveled. I look at the collar of his shirt which is a bit out of place as if it was moved around. His hair is wild, untamed and messy.

  My lips part slightly before my eyes snap down to the zipper of the man’s pants and Brielyn is correct…

  Walker’s pants are buttoned at the top, but there’s a gap where the zip was forgotten to be pulled up. I blink, taking in the black fabric peeking through the small little gap.

  Well shit.

  Walker presses his lips together and his posture is stiff, but he reaches down with as much composure and bravado as he can with all of us watching and pulls the zipper up. With the silence in the cave, the noise seems to be louder than necessary.

  Brielyn takes another step away, placing his hands on his hips. “So, what were you doing?”

  All I catch is a flash of movement before there’s a shriek.

  I blink, taking in the new scene in front of me.

  Walker has a fistful of Brielyn’s shirt, pulling the man up until he’s standing on his tippy toes. Orrtyn is also now standing beside the men and he has a hand on top of Walker’s where he holds Brielyn.

  Fuck, moving fast must come in handy when he has to keep Walker in check so often.

  Orrtyn lets out an exasperated sigh. “Let him go, Wali,” he says and it's the first time I’ve heard him call the difficult man by his nickname in a while.

  Brielyn’s right, they must have definitely been… relieving stress, while they were away.

  Orrtyn is a whole lot more relaxed than earlier and definitely less hostile with Walker, though that was up for debate anyway since he seems to always be cutting the man a break.

  A low rumble pierces through the room and it takes me a moment to realize the sound is coming from Walker.

  I take a step closer, knowing I’m going to have to free Brielyn from the mess he’s created.

  “Wali,” Orrtyn says again, even softer this time. His hand visibly tightens over Walker’s.

  “Ouch,” Brielyn says when he’s abruptly let go of and trips to the ground. He pushes to his feet, wiping his clothes off with as much dignity as he can muster. He hastily moves closer to me, but again, the humor is still in the curve of his smile.

  “Mind your business,” Walker hisses out at him. His eyes narrow as he stares at Brielyn. I catch the way his chest seems to be rising quicker than usual. He swiftly turns his back to us and sits back down, picking up the knife and animal again, his movements jerkier and rougher.

  Orrtyn looks down at the man, the corner of his lip turned up in fondness. He looks at Brielyn and I and with Walker’s back now turned, he grins widely. He shakes his head, patting Walker on the shoulder before turning away and going back to the firewood.

  Well, fuck.

  I turn to look at Brielyn, the man grinning since death is no longer breathing down the back of his neck.

  Only he would notice when someone’s recently had… What did the men have?

  Sexual relations?

  A brief make-out session?

  No, with Walker’s zipper being down, it definitely had to have gone further than making out.

  Even with my lack of sexual history, I know the men had to have been doing something using more than their lips.

  My heart pounds a little quicker in my chest as I think it over and my skin warms as a tingling stirs in my core.

  I shake my head, my throat feeling as if it's closing.

  Don’t even let your mind go there.

  The rest of the night goes by smoothly enough. Brielyn seems to be high off of his little win, Orrtyn is relaxed and friendly, and Walker is… Walker.

  Walker agrees to take the first watch shift and I agree to the next, begrudgingly telling the man to wake me when it’s my turn.

  I let Brielyn take the ottoman and the man folds his body up to fit on the furniture happily, not caring about the blood covering the furniture. He is asleep within seconds.

  I only stare at him, wondering how he’s out so quickly before I find myself drifting off on the cold, hard ground.

  “Are you watching, Gumdrop?” The words come from behind me, warm breath trailing along the back of my neck.

  A shiver runs down my spine as my eyes flutter open.

  Emerald green eyes meet mine with a look I’ve never seen in them before and it takes me a minute to recognize the look, its… desire. A pink tongue darts out to lick along lips that have never looked more sensual.

  “Walker,” I breathe out softly, watching the man in front of me. He’s shirtless, exposing cuts and other wounds, the dark black ink of a five-pointed star on his side… but none of that holds my attention the way the hard cut of his abs does.

  Holy fuck.

  Walker’s eyes move just over my shoulder as a hand trails gently along my neck before disappearing.

  I turn my head to find Orrtyn’s blue eyes staring down at me half-lidded. A warm smile crosses his lips before he leans in closer to me. His breath fans across my skin and warmth spread throughout my body. His lips move in closer and I turn my head, my own lips searching, wanting…

  Just when I think our lips are going to touch, Orrtyn pulls away, grinning down at me. He shakes his head as he takes a step away from me, moving closer to Walker. Unlike the bigger man, he’s fully dressed but it doesn’t make him look any less appealing.

  “I said are you watching, Gumdrop?” he repeats. He steps in closer to Walker and reaches a hand down in front of the man. For a second my view is obscured, but when Orrtyn shifts slightly to the side, I see exactly what he’s doing.

  His hand is shoved down the front of Walker’s pants, which are wide open, he’s wearing nothing beneath them.

  Orrtyn’s smile widens as his hand drags down slowly and Walker lets out a low moan. His head tilts back as a shudder racks his body. “Listen to him… Listen to how he enjoys my touch,” Orrtyn teases. He leans up and I watch as his tongue glides along Walker’s neck.

  Walker’s legs spread wider as he pushes his hips upward, where Orttyn’s hand is still in his pants. Heat pools into my core.

  “Are you wet, Roxanna?” My name is whispered like a sin on his lips. His hand moves again, and my eyes shoot down to look at what he’s doing, but he steps in my way. He’s purposefully teasing me, keeping me on edge. He tilts his head slightly, looking at me over his shoulder. “Come here.”

  My feet have a mind of their own as they instantly move in the direction of the men.

  Orrtyn’s clothed chest is pressed against Walker’s naked one. I move in closer, taking the small slot available by the men. My body touches Walker’s but I have on too many clothes.

  I want to be closer.

  Something brushes along my stomach and I look down. Orrtyn’s hand is wrapped around Walker’s length but his hand covers the head so that I can’t see. A clear fluid covers the knuckles of his hand.

  “Not yet, Gumdrop. How about you kiss Walker’s lips first. Show me how much you want him, us, and then maybe I’ll be willing to share the rest of him with you.”

  “Yes.” The words leave my mouth before I can even think about it. I look up, my eyes meeting Walker’s. The man cranes down lower as I stand on the tips of my toes.

  A strong hand wraps around the back of my neck, firm, and I know it belongs to Walker. My eyes drift closed as he pulls my lips to his and then he’s consuming me. His lips are rough against mine, but they coax the flames in my core as his tongue moves across my lips, forcing my mouth open.

  I let out a moan, pressing my thighs together. “Walker.”

  “That’s right, Princess.” Walker’s lips brush against mine, slow and sensual. “Say my name and we’ll give you exactly what you want.”

  His hand tightens on the back of my neck, forcing me closer to him. “Walker, please…. Walker-”

  I shoot up, someone’s hand on my arm as my fingers wrap around the hilt of Roxanna.

  Green eyes meet mine in the dark as I press the tip of my sword against Walker’s neck. He remains calm as he watches me, unfazed by my sword.

  My eyes move to where he’s holding onto me. The touch feels warm and it causes a stirring in me as my heart pounds quicker in my chest.

  What the hell-

  My eyes widen as memories of my dream float into my mind.

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

  My gaze never leaves Walker.

  Does he know I was having a sex dream about him and Orrtyn? About the dirty things I want them to do to me… no, it was just a dream, I don’t actually want them like that.

  And Walker can’t know about the lapse in judgement that the dream me was having. He isn’t a fucking mind reader.

  “It’s time for your shift,” he says slowly, the words low in the otherwise quiet cave.

  Yeah, that’s why he woke you, because it’s time for your shift, not because of what was going on in your head.

  I nod and when his eyes move downward, looking at the sword still to his neck, I pull it back. I will my heart rate to slow but my skin still feels flushed and hot. I push to my feet as I try to gain control of my body. I collect my holster and replace it and Gwev.

  Walker stands, something about him still slightly unsettling, as he hovers over me.

  “How long did I sleep?” I ask, mostly to get rid of the silence between us and to focus on something more serene.

  Walker’s eyes me. “About six hours, sun should be about to start rising within the hour.” There’s something to his words that I can’t quite pick up on. He doesn’t move away from me.