Chapter Nine
Kai
The next morning, I awake pinned between Lo and Finnick.
Finn’s face last night, when Lonan suggested he take the smaller room on his own, had been quietly, clearly pathetic, so I had hurriedly assured him we’d all fit in the larger room. Lo had given me an indecipherable look and said nothing.
I’m currently facing Lo and I let my hand rub his back subconsciously as my mind wanders. I had hoped this would be a quick trip, in and out, but it's sounding like we’ll be here a week or so.
The city on the flight in had been breathtaking, its neat roads laid out cleanly in a grid, houses and shops made of the pretty red clay material that looked rosy in the evening sun.
I had never been to Guivre Shores, nor anywhere south of the highlands.
The climate here is warmer than Thistle Grove, and while I had packed lightweight clothes, I imagine I’m still going to be warm.
Finn stirs against my back and I toss my arm backward, over his body, and pull him firmer into me.
“Oh, wait,” he starts, trying to pull back, but I have him pinned against me. I freeze.
“What is it, Finn?” I ask softly, twisting a bit to see him.
“I, uh... I just...”
It dawns on me and I grin as I thrust my ass back into his groin. “Neither Lo nor I are bothered by being woken up with a hard cock.”
“Oh,” he says softly, hand going to take my hip tentatively.
“Any other morning, I’d suggest several ways to relieve that problem, but I think we’d better not linger. Who knows what that dragon’s doing with our Ollie.”
Lo, who has been awake for a few minutes silently, mutters agreement.
I can hear the smile in Finn’s voice, “He’s not that bad. You’re mainly just mad he can fuck Ollie and we can’t. Well, that and you’re threatened by their extensive history.”
Lonan makes a grumbly sound. “Kick him out to the other room if he’s going to make me self-reflect before I’ve even had tea.”
Finn and I both chuckle.
I stretch, the warm air and my men next to me lulling me.
“I’m gonna fuck Vale, I think,” Lonan drops decisively.
“Pardon?” Finn stutters.
“I’m going to fuck him,” Lo repeats, more strongly. “It’ll bring us all closer.”
I snort, rolling to bury my face against Finn’s chest, firmly ignoring Lonan and his usual bullshit.
AT brEAKFAST, AGAIN on the quaint rooftop, complete with garden beds growing vegetables and some large potted shrubs and a hammock tucked into a shaded corner, I sip my black tea.
I pick at the cake Lo and Finn had chosen the day before.
It’s a lemon-something and is sweeter than my wont in the morning.
Vale sits across from me, his hand possessively on Ollie’s bare, scarred thigh.
She’s in a little green sundress that makes me want to put her on her knees, flip it up, and eat her pussy from behind.
I’ve never seen her in something that short before and it is doing awful things to my concentration.
I snap out of my daydream and back to the conversation going on in front of me.
Lo is currently speaking.
“So, you’ll take a message to the castle today? And then you think it’ll be, what, three — four?—days before we are invited?”
His pretentious blue face tilts. “It’s a rotunda, not a castle; my family likes things to seem a bit less monarchy. But yes, I’ll take the written request today but will wait to speak with one of my family, as a verbal request is always taken more seriously.”
Lonan nods. “Good. I’ll come with you.”
“That’s really not necessary.” Vale frowns, his fine-featured face scrunching.
His white hair is half tied back, the rest loose, brushing his shoulders, and he’s wearing an open cardigan again.
I assume it has to do with shifting, but maybe he just likes baring his chest. His scale markings almost seem to swirl when looking at them, a darker blue than the rest of him.
Ollie smiles, “You two can get to know each other a bit!”
Vale’s distant look is firmly back in place at that.
Lonan nods firmly. “I’m ready when you are.”
Finnick leans back, cupping both hands around his tea, eyes going between the three of them, a calm but amused look upon his face. His green hair is braided down his back today.
Vale tips back his mug and finishes his drink. He stands.
“Fine. Now,” he grumbles, clearly unimpressed.
It makes me smile.
Lonan stands as well, and Ollie follows. She leans in and kisses Lo, then Vale. “Behave.” Her eyes dart between them. “Both of you.”
As they tromp off, Ollie slowly sits, her eyes taking us both in. “So, now.” A tiny smile. “Let me show you two around Guivre.”
TWO HOURS LATER AND we’ve seen exactly three blocks of Guivre Shores, and the interior of two buildings—both pubs.
We’re sitting in the second one, which is much better than the first—which had been beach-themed.
This one is an odd mix of inside and outside.
The bar itself and behind it are covered with a roof, but the seating area directly transitions to open sky, only wide wooden beams draped in living plants to block the warm sun.
It feels nice right now, but I bet in the heat of the summer, it’s intense. Small circular tables each decorated with a large candle line up and down the cool clay building.
I’m on my third drink of the day, Ollie insistent on ordering for us. This one is a variation on a human drink, the human bartender told me. ‘Fucking on the Sand’ or something like that.
Finn is also drinking one, leaning back and staring at Ollie, with obviously devoted eyes, as she tells us more about the city.
Quite unexpectedly, a gorgeous woman with iridescent skin a shade somewhere between brown and green, and long tawny hair, squeals and runs up to us. My hand drops to my sword but she more or less crawls into Ollie’s lap as she starts to cry.
Finn and I exchange a glance. Ollie’s hand cups the woman’s head and they speak in whispers. Soon, I hear a big sniff and the woman climbs off Oleander. She wipes her eyes and turns to us.
“Well met, future friends. My name is Colette. Ollie and I go way back.” She holds out her hand stiffly, in the same human fashion that I have seen Korben use. I take her hand and raise it up and down once formally before letting go.
“My name is Kai.” I leave it as vague and short as I can without lying to a friend of my mate. I don’t need word getting out about me. About us. We still have a war to win here.
“I’m Finn,” Finnick says, taking a cue from me. He takes Colette’s proffered hand and raises it up and down.
“This is ‘the’ starling,” Ollie says, grinning.
Colette beams, “I’m famous.”
Ollie laughs. “Come, sit with us.”
She pulls a chair from another table and sits closely to Ollie.
Both women are beaming and I find my mood lightening with my mate’s obvious joy.
Finn’s pretty honey eyes flick between them and when our gazes catch, he gives me a secret little smile.
I lean back and take a drink. I put my ankle on my knee as Colette and Ollie continue to chatter.
Finnick’s hand lands on my thigh and I tilt my eyes towards him. His green cheeks darken and he starts to withdraw his hand but I quickly place my palm over his, holding it there as I turn my attention back to the ladies.
“Chima will be so excited you’re back!” Colette chirps. “Oh! We can throw a welcome party!”
Ollie’s eyes widen. “Oh, Colie, no, no.” She shakes her head, her white and green waves loose over her back.
I also think it’s a terrible idea but I manage to hold my tongue.
Ollie continues, “We won’t be here long, I just needed a few things.”
Colette’s shoulders droop. “Does Vale not know you’re back?”
“No, no, of course he does,” Ollie reassures her before sipping her drink.
“Oh good!” The little air shifter smiles softly, “I thought he was going to pass the Veil when you left, Ollie. Not even a good orgy raised his spirits.”
I cough on my drink, leaning forward. Finn slaps my back as I continue to cough.
Both women pause their conversation to look at me as I wipe my eyes.
Colette turns back to Ollie silently. “Anyway, I’m so glad you’re back; I’ll grab Rill and anyone else who’s around, and we’ll be at your place for dinner.
We’ll bring pizza.” She stands and kisses Ollie’s cheek before nodding to us and slipping away.
“I love pizza!” Finn says excitedly.
I clear my throat, “I don’t know what pizza is. What did she mean by orgies?”
Ollie bites down a grin, her eyes dancing away. “Exactly what she said.”
At the same time, Finn chuckles, “What we’ll have once you and Lonan get settled with Vale.”
I glare at him and both of my lovers erupt into giggles.
OLLIE IS UNDER MY ARM as I stumble into her apartment.
“You need a nap,” Finn says before giggling. “Actually, I probably do too.”
“You bunch of drunkards,” Ollie responds good-naturedly.
I narrow my eyes at her, feeling wobbly. She heads for the kitchen as Finn and I lean against each other. “How are you not drunk, princess?”
She comes back with two large mugs of water. A tiny shrug. “I’m a Toxa. We process poisons differently. It’s pretty much impossible for me to get drunk. Or die of poisoning.”
I grunt and chug the water. That’s convenient, I think to myself.
“C’mon,” she says and tugs me towards the stairs. I watch the sway of her hips in that short dress, her scars showing, and I struggle with my emotions.
Who am I to begrudge her another bed partner? One who, while a jackass, obviously loves her?
She enters the room Lo, Finn and I slept in last night and reaches under her sundress to undo her bra. I am watching her so intently that I jump as Finn’s hands reach around my waist and unhook my sword belt.
Ollie’s eyes take us in, a tiny smile on her face. “Now, no funny business, you two. A nap. Skin time,” she says softly.
I tug my shirt off and climb into bed in my breeches. Ollie slides in and I feel the bed move, on my other side, from Finnick’s weight, as I tug Ollie in for a kiss.