Ottilie
“Can I fix him?” I quickly stand, rushing to Lu’s side. “Doubtful.”
“Ottilie, I know this is a lot to take in, but we have time. Your birthday is months away, and we don’t have to bond in that way now.”
“So, you do expect me to sleep with all of you?”
“Screw this. I’m calling Axel.” Lu pulls the phone from his pocket. “This is not happening. Shit, no cell service? Where are we?” He shoves the phone back into his pocket. “He is going to kill me.”
“No. I mean yes,” Domantas stands, blocking our paths. “The prophecy says we will want to be together in that way. In our own times. Willingly.”
“You don’t understand. I’ve never done… Well, I mean. Um…” My cheeks grow hot, and I bury my face in Lu’s chest, blurting out a muffled, “I’m a virgin.”
The guys are silent for half a beat before cracking up. Oh, my God. Powers? Where are you? Open the earth and swallow me. Now would be good. Take me great otherworldly hoodoo. I am ready.
“Oh, Sweets. Please,” Berk wails, gripping his stomach, “Stop. The otherworldly hoodoo has more important things to do!”
“Is nowhere safe? Get out of my head,” I shout into Lu’s shirt.
“Love, look at me.” Domantas places a soft hand on my shoulder. “You aren’t the only one who waited, Ottilie. Do you really think we would touch other women, knowing you were waiting for us?”
“You haven’t?” I quip, and they have all sobered. “Thing is, I don’t know, really know, any of you.”
“Ding ding, and there it is!” Lu shouts. “Can we stow the sex chat for like- ever? Oats, we need to talk. Alone.”
8
Luca
“You can talk to her here. With us,” Rais grunts. “We are her protectors.”
Unbelievable, I’m physically shaking with rage. Maybe some of this is real, maybe not, but I need to talk to her. Now. “No, I can’t. Look, she has been mine for, well, our whole lives. You can’t just-”
“Okay. Okay, Lu. Whatever you need.” She hugs me and then looks up, cradling my cheek in her hand, and I place a kiss on her palm. “I’m going to talk to Lu. Alone. He’s right. It’s been us from the start. I’m sorry guys. Just give us a bit. Not like we can actually leave.”
“I only need you safe.” I look to the right, nodding to an enormous tree. “Can we take a walk?”
When we near the tree, she declares, “Lu, I know you’re worried and you probably think this entire thing is-”
“Shhh,” I place my hand over her mouth and fake a gag when she licks it. “Close your eyes and take a slow, deep breath.” I wait, and when her eyes reopen and connect with mine again, I lower my hand and wipe it on my jeans. “First, ew. Second, what do you feel?”
“What do I feel?”
“They claim they are connected to you. They are saying a lot actually, but what do you feel?” I take both of her hands in mine and lift them to my lips, placing a kiss on her knuckles. “Help me sort the crap, Oats. What does your gut say?”
“Lu-” she closes her eyes like she is afraid of how I will react.
“I’ll follow you anywhere.” I squeeze her hands gently. “Just point the way.”
“It’s true. I can feel it here.” -She drops my hand, placing it over her belly and then over her heart- “And here. I am not sleeping with anyone though!”
“Good to know. So now what?” I laugh when her stomach growls. “Crap, the food. Guess we need to tell the- what are you calling them- wackos?”
“Wackadoos,” she confirms. “Yeah, appears they are our way out of here.”
“Yup, so forward?”
“Forward.” She closes the slight distance between us, wrapping her arms around my waist. “I’m still your girl, Lu. No matter what, we’re family, and I love you.”
“Family,” my heart sinks, knowing I now have three more enormous obstacles in my way. Three obstacles with lines directly to her heart. “I love you too, Oats. Let’s go chat with your… whatever… about dinner.”
9
Berk
“Okay,” Tillie stands at the edge of the portal, swinging her arms, squatting like she is about to dive through. “Okay, Oookay.”
“Sweets?”
“Yup?”
“Everyone has been waiting on the other side of this thing for-” I lift my arm, looking down at my watchless wrist. “-I dunno, fifteen minutes. LuLu is even on the other side, waiting to catch your cute ass.”
“Aw,” She straightens, looking over her shoulder. “You think it’s cute? I mean. Rude! I was about to go. Stop interrupting.”
I laugh when she backs up and runs straight for the light, stopping at the last minute. Again.
“Shut it!” she huffs, walking back, adding a few extra steps, and mumbling to herself. “I wasn’t back far enough. Gotta run so I don’t get stuck.”
“You really won’t.” I quickly stand, keeping pace with her as she makes another run for it, but I throw her over my shoulder when she stops again at the last second, leaping through the portal.
“Asshole!” she shouts, socking me in the chest when I place her on the floor.
“What happened?” Luca stomps over to us, pulling her from my side. “They said you were afraid, so we were waiting, but-” His eyes narrow on me. “What did you do?”
“I helped her through.” I shrug, grinning at her.
“He carried me through!”
“Yes, I carried your cute ass through. Again. You’re welcome.”
“Thank you.” Rais gestures to a weathered diner. “Let’s grab some food. You can call your- Axel- while we wait.”
“Dad. Father. Man who saved us from certain death living on the streets.” She follows Rais into the small restaurant. “I know he’s not your King or whatever, but he is my Pops, regardless.”
“But he’s not. You know that, right?” I ask the wrong question.
“Yeah, actually, he is.” She spins on me. Well, shit.
“I’ll grab the food.” I quickly dart to the counter, leaving the guys to lead an angry Princess to a table built for… well, not a Princess. Gross.
Domantas
“Abner,” I murmur, touching her arm. “His name is Abner, and your mother’s name is Dalia.”
“Have you met them?” She averts her gaze, reaching for Luca’s hand.
“No.”
“Why not?” She tilts her head, studying me. “They left me, but what about you three? You grew up there, right?”
“Yes,” Rais cuts in, sensing my reluctance to have this conversation here. “But not in the palace. Bergljot is not a safe place for us right now, Tillie, and until our time came, we were all sent into hiding. You for safety, us to train.”