Chapter 11
Alette
We’re all in our pajamas, sitting next to the fire.
Our cups hold something light and warm, perhaps chamomile or honeyed tea, its fragrance wafting through the air, rich and soothing.
It’s not enough to dull our senses, but it’s enough to soften the edges of the night, wrapping around me like a warm embrace.
The tension that’s been following us feels distant, as if for this moment, the labyrinth’s dangers can’t reach us.
I curl my legs beneath me on the plush rug, the fibers soft against my skin. The heat from the fire soothes the aches in my muscles. I take a moment to close my eyes, letting the warmth envelop me, grateful for this fleeting respite, before glancing back at the four men surrounding me.
The guys are relaxed, too, though I can tell they’re still alert. It’s a strange mix of calm and readiness, but it’s become second nature for all of us. The fire crackles, and the sound of laughter fills the air with lightness.
The conversation flows easily, touching on lighter topics for once.
They joke about old memories, teasing each other about past embarrassments.
Ashton leans back, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he recounts a tale of the time he accidentally set his own hair on fire while competing with Oberon.
The laughter that erupts is infectious, a melody that dances through the air.
“Honestly, I thought I was going to be bald after that!” Ashton says, his voice animated, and I can’t help but laugh along with the others.
“It took you a week to figure out how to get the smell out of the castle,” Sylvian chimes in, his tone dry but unmistakably amused.
“Not your finest moment,” Oberon says.
“I recovered,” Ashton shoots back immediately. “That’s what matters.”
“You nearly set the drapes on fire too!” Cassius adds.
“They were flammable,” Ashton says, as if that explains everything.
I laugh, the sound lighter than it’s felt in days. It’s just us. Just this. And somehow, it feels… easy. Comfortable in a way I never expected.
Sylvian leans back slightly, watching Ashton with a faint shake of his head. “You’re fortunate it was only your hair that suffered,” he says.
“Oh?” Ashton’s grin sharpens. “You’ve had worse?”
Sylvian’s green eyes flick toward me for the briefest second before returning to Ashton. “Nothing quite so careless,” he replies. “But I have… been in situations where a lack of attention would have been… problematic.”
“That sounds like a story,” Ashton says immediately.
“It’s not,” Sylvian says, though there’s the faintest hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.
“Which means it absolutely is,” Ashton counters.
Oberon exhales through his nose, something close to a laugh. “Just say it.”
Sylvian pauses, like he’s considering whether it’s worth indulging them.
“It was years ago,” he says, his tone even. “Within my court. A woman I was… involved with, preferred not to keep her attention limited to one partner.”
My chest tightens, breath faltering with it.
He doesn’t look at me this time as he continues.
“She had three others she favored,” he adds. “Men I knew well enough to trust.”
Ashton’s brows lift. “And that went well?”
“For the most part,” Sylvian says. “It required coordination. Patience. A certain level of awareness.”
“I’ve been there. It’s a lot of effort to make sure swords don’t cross. Your hand is on the actual ass of the woman. That nothing… splatters,” Ashton mutters.
“It requires restraint to have to share a woman,” Cassius corrects.
Oberon’s mouth curves faintly. “And to keep your eyes open at all times.”
Sylvian shrugs slightly. “It sounds like all of us have managed similar situations just fine.”
“That’s a very diplomatic way of putting it,” Ashton says, grinning.
“It’s an accurate one.”
The conversation moves on, light teasing threading through it, but my mind doesn’t quite follow. Three others. One woman. Working together. And all of them have had experiences like that?
Heat creeps up my neck as my pulse begins to race. I take a sip from my cup, hoping it steadies me. It doesn’t. Because now I can’t stop thinking about it. About what that would even feel like. About the way they move, the way they look at me, the way their voices shift when they’re close.
My fingers tighten slightly around the cup. This is ridiculous. I’ve never even… and yet? The thought lingers anyway. Would it really be so impossible?
Heat unfurls through me, warm and dangerous, and I shift slightly in my seat, trying to ground myself before I completely lose control of where my thoughts are going. Gods. I shouldn’t be thinking about this. But I am. And the more I try to push them away, the more they refuse to leave.
“Hey,” I say, surprising myself.
Damn it.
They all look at me. Too quickly. Too intently.
I swallow, suddenly very aware of what I’m about to ask. “How would it… work?” I manage. “If we were all… together?”
The words hang in the air, and the mood shifts instantly. The guys go completely still, their gazes flicking toward me, something thoughtful in their eyes. I force myself to keep my head up, meeting their stares, but the weight of the moment is almost overwhelming.
Cassius is the first to break the silence. “You’re a virgin, correct?” he asks, his tone gentle but direct.
“Yes,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.
Cassius nods slowly, his expression thoughtful, clearly already thinking ahead, already trying to map something out.
They all give me a look, but it’s Sylvian who steps forward. Of course he is.
His voice is calm when he speaks. “We’ll start slowly.”
My breath hitches unexpectedly.
“With romance,” he continues, his gaze holding mine. “The way it should be.”
The pressure inside me lightens, if only a little.
Cassius steps closer and sits down beside me, his hand coming to rest lightly against my knee, his touch warm. “We’re not interested in overwhelming you,” he says quietly. “This isn’t something to rush.”
Oberon crouches slightly in front of me, bringing himself level with my gaze, his expression serious but not hard. “You set the pace,” he says. “If you want to stop, we stop. No questions asked.”
My throat tightens.
Ashton shifts in beside me, close enough that I can feel the heat of him, his usual grin softened into something quieter. “We’re not going anywhere,” he adds. “So there’s no reason to skip ahead.”
A soft warmth unfurls inside me at that.
They’re offering romance and to go at my own pace. My pulse is still racing, but it’s different now. Less with fear. More… with anticipation.
Sylvian’s sits down, completing the circle around me. “We’ll take care of you,” he murmurs.
One by one, they take turns drawing closer, our breaths mingling in the space between us.
Their lips find mine in soft, lingering kisses that leave me breathless, each touch igniting a fire deep within me.
Ashton’s kiss is teasing, his lips curling into a smile against mine, light and playful, while Sylvian’s is slow and deliberate, his hand cupping my cheek as if I’m something precious.
Oberon’s kiss is firm, grounding me, and Cassius’s is tender, a gentle exploration that sends shivers down my spine.
The heat in the room grows, and I feel myself melting under their attention.
My body hums with nervous energy, but it’s mixed with something else.
An awakening of desire I hadn’t realized was there.
Cassius pulls back slightly, his lips hovering near mine, and I can feel the warmth of his breath against my skin, tantalizing and intoxicating.
“Do you want to try?” he asks softly, his voice barely above a whisper, his gaze searching for any sign of hesitation.
I swallow hard, my heart pounding. “With… with who?” I ask tentatively, my voice wavering. The question hangs in the air, filled with unspoken tension.
He smiles gently, his fingers brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Me,” he says, his voice calm and reassuring. “I’ll be the first, since we all agreed I could be gentle and stay in control the way you need for your first time.”
I feel a mix of nerves and excitement swirl within me.
Cassius takes my hand, leading me to the bed, while I draw in deep breaths to keep from passing out.
My heart races as I sit down, knowing what this means, what I’m doing.
It feels strange knowing the others are here, watching, but Cassius’s gentle touch draws my focus back to him, a grounding presence that I desperately need.
He cups my face, his thumb tracing slowly along my jaw before tilting my chin up. For a second, he just looks at me. Like he’s deciding something. Then his lips brush mine. Soft. Careful. Barely there. Like he’s testing the moment… or giving me time to pull away.
I don’t.
I lean into it instead, my breath catching as my lips part without thinking, and that’s all it takes.
His hand slides into my hair, fingers threading through it as he pulls me closer, the next kiss is deeper, more certain. His control slips just enough for me to feel it as his hold on me tightens, and his body goes rigid.
I gasp softly against his mouth, and he responds immediately, angling his head, pressing in closer as the kiss deepens again, slower this time but heavier, more deliberate. Not just touching. Holding. Claiming.
His thumb brushes along my cheek as he kisses me again, then again, each one lingering longer than the last, like he’s memorizing the shape of my mouth. Or losing himself to it.
I don’t know which.
Maybe both.
My hands reach for him instinctively, fisting in his shirt as I pull him closer, a strange urgency building deep inside me.
He breaks the kiss just long enough to breathe, his lips brushing the corner of my mouth, my cheek, my throat, sucking gently.
Awakening so much heat inside of me that it feels like I’m on fire.