Chapter 7 Three’s Company
My feet moved of their own accord and carried me out into the gardens. I walked as if in a dream under the moonlit greenery between the trees and fountains, between rows of rose bushes and marble statues that gleamed eerily in the starlight.
I just wanted to get out of the castle, away from everyone.
I found a bench under a tall elm tree. The branches hung low like sweeping curtains.
When I sat there, I felt for the first time as if I was truly alone, away from prying eyes and the judgments of those walking the hallways, sleeping in beds behind its tall, protective walls.
Then I realized why that was. Without thinking about it, I had wandered into one of the sections Principal Lucius had marked for me on the map, one of the places where I could safely summon my mates without fear of a student observing me.
One of the Mind Mages must have cast an invisible barrier around this section so that it repelled any student who wanted to enter. That's why it felt so safe.
Sitting with the package on my lap, my fingers found the string and untied it, tore through the brown paper.
Something soft spilled out, and I pulled at the woolly garment.
It was a shawl my mother had made for me.
The wool was softer than anything I had ever owned and dyed a delicate purple.
I hugged it tightly and imagined I was hugging my mother, that I could smell her, could feel the familiar warmth of her embrace.
I draped the shawl over my shoulders and felt even more comforted.
The rest of the package contained a pouch of dried flower petals that retained the sweet scent of the wildflowers that grew near our home.
A short note revealed that Samuel and Simon had picked them for me themselves.
There was also a picture, obviously drawn by Lily.
It was the two of us playing underneath the sun and fluffy clouds.
Simple, but very sweet, and I felt the love shining through every line.
My father had added a tiny wooden carving of a deer.
The carving was of a lovely light brown wood.
I placed the other items in my pockets and sat on the bench, looking out over this private corner of the gardens.
After weeks spent in the castle, I still haven't explored every inch of the castle or the grounds.
This little section, with its quiet beauty and private tranquility, was a special find.
As the moon and starlight drew in around me, closer, and the breeze made the tree's branches sway gently in a soothing rhythm, I did not want to return to the dormitory just yet. I felt comfortable sitting under that tree.
I closed my eyes and imagined I was back in Hartwick, lying in my own bed, listening to the breeze outside my familiar window, smelling the night air as it carried the scent of my garden.
I knew what I had to do, what I had come out here to do, even if I hadn't consciously been planning to come here.
I had been putting it off for too long, but I couldn't anymore, so with my eyes still closed, I dipped into my Mana pool.
I scooped out of it, drank from it, basked in it until I felt myself fill with power.
Then I used that power to send out my will, like a beacon, like a searching hand.
The moonlight filtering in through the branches above me turned crimson. I opened my eyes when a familiar voice, smooth and slick like oil, whispered my name. "Leah, my Lady Love. You have summoned me, and I have come."
I jumped to my feet and peered among the dense trees, but at first couldn't distinguish his shape among all the others.
From the dark shadows, an even darker shape moved and stepped forward, basking in the strange, crimson light.
Pale and impossibly beautiful, the Vampire Monarch looked at me, and his gaze was like silk, softly clinging, possessively stroking.
Before even touching me, Aldric made me feel as if I was already locked in his embrace.
My heart was hammering against my ribcage. Excitement? Fear? Perhaps it was the combination of all these things that suddenly rendered me speechless. I was spared the need to respond when sunlight burst through the branches, prompting me to lift my hand to shield my eyes from the sudden glare.
Aldric hissed a warning, but he was helpless to stop it. It was I who had summoned Caelan, my Fae Prince.
The pocket of sunlight did nothing to harm Aldric, but it illuminated a figure, a tall man with aristocratic features and pointed ears.
Grass had sprouted miraculously among the stones.
Flowers bloomed cheerfully where the sunlight fell.
As he fully stepped into the Human Realm, Caelan bowed deeply then.
"My Queen, I have heard your summons, and I am here. "
"Must you always come where you are not wanted, stupid fairy!" Aldric hissed, baring his fangs. "I haven't seen my Lady in ages, and here you are again, spoiling it!"
Caelan turned his emerald green eyes toward the Vampire and regarded him coldly. "You must be mistaken, filthy leech! I was the one she summoned!"
They were circling each other now, aggressively like two animals about to pounce.
It was close, so very close, and I was helpless to stop them from attacking each other, but then a laugh, boisterously mocking, filled the air.
Paler sunlight, clear as crystal, broke through the branches overhead, and a third figure appeared, shimmering but very real.
His dark skin glowed with an inner fire that was reflected in his amber eyes.
He was laughing at the other two, teasing them for their squabbling, fully intent on adding his own voice to the argument, his own fangs to the fight.
"You!" Caelan and Aldric said in unison, and then stared at each other, comically surprised that their reactions of disgust and rage meant they had something in common.
Their eyes narrowed, and they looked back at Vaerath, hating the very sight of him.
Vaerath growled to show how unintimidated he was.
"Yeah, try it, you shriveled up old cadaver.
And you, I'd love to pull your pointy ears off and feed them to you, you twinkling twerp!
" Now, all three of them were circling each other, glaring, angrily blowing air through their nostrils like enraged bulls.
The air was thick with their testosterone, the smell of their sweat, and masculine pride.
"Um, boys?" I folded my arms over the shawl against a cold that wasn't really there.
I was, in fact, hot, flushed as if I was running a fever.
Seeing them fight over me was annoying, yes.
And it was flattering, sexy, exciting. How all those things could be true at once, I didn't know, and it's not like I had time to explore it just then.
"I have summoned all three of you because I need to tell you something important. If you'd rather waste your time fighting than listen to me, I can't stop you, but I would be very disappointed."
All three of them turned their eyes on me.
I saw the emotions warring on their handsome, perfectly sculpted faces.
They were prideful and arrogant. By forcing them to share my attention, I was clearly wounding them, but so was the idea that they could disappoint me if they fought amongst themselves.
"As you know, I am not strong enough to sustain all three of you for long in this world just yet, and I need Vaerath for the classes I'm currently taking."
I noted how the other two wanted to protest, how Vaerath puffed out his chest importantly.
"It's... It's only because he is tied to my fire magic, and that's the only kind of magic that I'm able to use at the moment. You see, being the Trinity, having three mates, it's kind of a bigger deal than I thought it was."
Aldric glided over and took my hand. His mere touch sent shivers through my body. He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it, inhaled the scent of my skin as he did. "That's only because you are special, my love."
"Yes, but..." I took my hand back and folded my arms again, "The Principal went to great lengths to keep the identity of the Trinity anonymous, to keep my family and me safe.
He had Mind Mages alter the students' memories, and he had some of them lay down a blood oath.
Here, this place, and others like it, are the only places I can meet you, Aldric, and you, Caelan.
" I looked at them earnestly, hoping they would understand and not hate me for my weakness.
"It won't be as frequently as I like, but I will summon you and spend time with each of you as much as possible between magic lessons. "
Now, I stuck my hand out and reached for Aldric's face. He leaned into my touch and lay his cheek against the palm of my hand.
"I do need all three of you. I want to be with all three of you. I just thought I should explain why it can't be that often."
Aldric nodded and opened his eyes. My other two mates stepped forward to be closer to me as well.
I could already feel my hold on them fading. Aldric reached for me, and I let him. He wrapped me in his arms and brought me closer until I was against his chest. "We do understand. We may not like it, but you can't fault any man for wanting to keep you for himself."
The look in his crimson eyes was so intense that I had to look away. I dropped my gaze to his chest, where both my hands rested against his black shirt. I could feel the muscles underneath, like steel wrapped in silk.
He placed his finger underneath my chin and forced me to look up, back at him. Our eyes met, and I was mesmerized. He bent forward and brushed the softest of kisses against my mouth before he faded away, back to the Evernight Realm.
I was still reeling from the kiss when Caelan took me in his arms next.
"For once, the bloodsucker speaks the truth.
Every moment when I am not with you is like a dagger in my heart.
I will wait for your summons, my Queen. Until then.
.." He kissed me on the forehead, gently, showing restraint that the other two didn't have. "Goodnight, sweet girl."
He faded away back to Verenestra, the Fae Realm, and I felt a lump in my throat.
Vaerath looked at me and grinned. "Alone at last. I thought those two idiots would never leave."
I laughed and slapped playfully at him. "You're impossible!"
He grabbed my hand and pulled me closer, into his arms. "No, just very much in love. It will be okay, Leah. You will get stronger, and soon you will have as much time with us as you want. I just hope it will still be mostly me."
"Have you not listened to a word I said? I..."
He stopped my reprimand with a kiss. It wasn't soft and gentle as Aldric's had been. He wasn't showing restraint as Caelan had. He grabbed my face in his hands and really kissed me, hard, passionately. I felt like I was drowning in a tide of lust. When he released me, I was gasping for air.
Seeing the way my eyes had gone glazy and the way I was left frazzled, he laughed mischievously before fading away, back to the Hestawyn Realm, where I could imagine him flying in an impossibly clear, blue sky.
A breeze came then and whipped my hair around my face.
The light from all three Pacted Realms had faded, and I was left alone in the waning moonlight.
I was tired, more exhausted than I had been in a long time.
It was going to take me a while to recover, but it had been worth it to see all three of them.
I only hoped that Vaerath was right, that there would come a day when I wouldn't have to choose which of those very special men to have by my side.