Odin didn’t know we’d been working with the council, so he wouldn’t think twice about our odd request. Besides, it wasn’t totally uncommon for the council to receive random visitors about some petty problem they had with the hopes the council could fix it for them.
I’d heard plenty of talk in the hunter’s lodge about neighbors going to the council to settle property disputes.
I, of course, had no such claim since I had no neighbors. However, all I needed was a reason to be in the council building.
Now, it was just a matter of getting there.
I continued to head west in the castle, but I was growing unsure going in that general direction would lead us to the council building.
I had yet to see anything that resembled the entrance to it, but I kept going regardless. I didn’t have time to second guess myself.
I looked down at the paper in Kas’ hand, and it was already half visible.
“Shite,” I muttered to myself as I rounded another corner.
We made our way down a long hallway covered with souvenirs from Odin’s battles. There were dented shields, broken blades, and plenty of artwork depicting his victories. It was quite self-indulgent, but I figured he was the king, and it was his right to boast if he wished.
There was another corner up ahead, but when we rounded it we nearly ran into Odin and Freya arguing in the hallway. The two were speaking in hushed tones, and whatever the argument was, it appeared Freya was winning.
Odin sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, but Freya kissed him on the cheek and fixed his tunic before she turned and headed right toward us.
I quickly turned around and pushed the girls back around the corner, but we nearly ran into another group of servants.
We were trapped, so the only thing left to do was press ourselves up against the wall and wait for everyone to pass.
The stone wall was cold against my back, and the coolness was refreshing considering I was sweating like crazy.
Then I glanced down and looked at the paper in Kas’ hand. It was nearly complete, and the sorceress stared up at me with violet eyes full of panic.
To our right was Freya, with Odin just behind her. The Allfather already appeared to be in a sour mood, and if he caught trespassers inside his castle, I could only imagine what he would do.
On our right was a line of servants, apparently headed to the ballroom to assist with the party.
I looked down at the paper in Kas’ hand again. It was steadily becoming more visible, and only the smallest corner was left.
I fought the urge to pinch my eyes closed as I watched the paper turn visible once more. Instead, I took a deep breath, looked straight at Odin, and prepared to stand my ground, even against the king.
I wouldn’t go down without a fight, especially against the sonofabitch who had banished the dragons in the first place.
The king took another step toward me, but suddenly, he paused mid-step.
I glanced around to see everyone else was paused as well. Freya had her hand up, as if she was about to give one of the servants an order, and one of the servants was turned in her direction, ready to listen.
A look at the paper revealed it was full again. We were visible once more. Only, nobody could see us because they were all frozen in time.
“What’s going on here?” Asta whispered as she pressed in close to me.
“You didn’t do this?” I asked, and my eyes widened as I looked at the elf girl.
“No.” Asta shook her head and then turned to Kas. “You?”
“It wasn’t me,” the sorceress said with a frown. “Stopping time requires powers even greater than I have now since I’ve bonded with Rath. Whoever did this is a master sorcerer.”
“If you didn’t do this…” I said as I looked around. “Who did?”
Chapter 12
Had this been done intentionally to help us? Or were we just caught in someone’s spell, and it hadn’t registered for us since we’d been invisible when it was cast?
But who would want to cast a spell like this on the castle? The place had incredible wards on it, built to withstand even the most powerful of sorcery.
This couldn’t be good.
“Rath!” a familiar voice suddenly called out, and I turned to my right to see Preyna.
The long-haired council member came up behind Odin and Freya, and when she saw she had my attention, she turned back toward the way she’d come and pointed.
“Hurry,” she urged. “We must go now. The spell won’t last long.”
Preyna looked more beautiful than I’d ever seen her. She wore a long silver dress with a white tie around her waist to accentuate how small it was. Her cleavage popped out of the top of the dress, and a long diamond encrusted necklace hung from her neck and dipped between her breasts. Her long golden locks were pulled back into an updo, but several long curls hung down her back, and a few smaller ones framed her face.
Her lips were painted red, and her eyelashes were even longer than usual, the result of some makeup, no doubt. Her cheeks were flushed, though I couldn’t tell if that was from makeup, or her current attempt to save us. Either way, I couldn’t stop staring at her. My stomach dropped, and it filled with a fluttering sensation as desire welled up inside of me.
“Rath!” Preyna yelled again, and I was brought back to the moment.
“Right,” I said, and I grabbed Kas’ hand and tugged her along behind me.
I had to refrain from staring at Preyna’s full ass as I followed her back down the hallway. The silver dress accentuated every curve she had, and I couldn’t help but imagine what she would look like naked. I thought about how soft her skin must be, and how beautiful she would look with only that red lipstick on.
The council member had always been beautiful, but seeing her all dolled up for the party was something special. She was stunning, and I suddenly wondered why there was no man in her life. Not only was she gorgeous, she was also kind, intelligent, and extremely powerful. Any man would be lucky to have her, including myself. She’d been on the council for a long time, and I wondered if that put a damper on her dating life, or if she just wasn’t interested in finding a man. She wouldn’t have to try hard, not with how she looked right then.
Preyna led us to a set of double doors, and then she pulled out a key and jammed it into the lock.
“Hurry,” she urged as she ushered us inside. Her light-brown eyes were wide as she scanned the hallway, and I wondered when her spell would wear off, or if it already had.
The council member closed the door behind us and pressed her back against it before she let out a long sigh.
“I was worried I wouldn’t make it to you in time.” She smiled.
“Thank you so very much, Preyna,” Asta gushed.
“Yes, thank you,” Kas agreed. “That spell must have taken a lot of energy.”
“It does,” the blonde council member said. “That is why it only lasts for such a short period of time. Luckily, we were able to get back here before Odin saw you. He is not in the greatest of moods tonight.”
“We saw that.” Asta nodded.
“What’s going on tonight?” Kas asked.
“Whatever it is, you look lovely,” Asta complimented Preyna before she could answer Kas’ question.
“Thank you.” Preyna smiled at the elf girl and then turned back to Kas. “It is Odin’s birthday party this evening. He doesn’t like to celebrate it, but Freya insists. It causes an argument every year.”
“How did you know we were here?” Asta inquired.
“I sensed your enchantment,” Preyna explained. “And I sensed it was about to wear off.”
“Oh.” Asta stared at the council member with awe.
“Does this mean one of the wells is in the castle?” Preyna asked, and she looked around at each of us.
“Under the castle, actually,” I clarified.
I had no qualms with telling Preyna where the well was. She was trustworthy, and she’d proven she
only wanted what was best for the dragons, so I didn’t see any reason to hide information from her. We were on the same team, after all.
“How did you cast the time spell?” Kas asked, and fascination glittered in her violet eyes. “I thought the castle was warded against magic inside.”
“It is,” Preyna chuckled. “But I’m the one who put those wards into place.”
That made sense. Preyna was supposed to be one of the most powerful sorceresses in all of Asgard, and possibly the nine realms. She was also a trusted council member, so Odin would have no reason not to trust her. If she hadn’t sensed we were in danger, we would have been in big trouble.
I almost felt bad we’d made Preyna break Odin’s trust, but then I thought about how he’d banished the dragons. Preyna, the rest of the council, and the girls and I were only trying to right the wrong he’d allowed to happen, so I smiled knowing he wouldn’t enjoy himself at his own party.
It wasn’t my place to question the king of Asgard, but when I looked at Blar and the twins, it was hard not to.
“Is this your room?” Kas asked as she looked around.
The chamber we were in was massive, but it was cozy and warm, and it was decorated with soft reds and purples I wouldn’t have expected the council member to like. There was a large fireplace over in the corner just to our right, with a couch and several chairs set up in front of it, and on the opposite wall was a giant four post bed with a canopy all around it.
A large wooden desk took up most of the far wall, and a wardrobe sat to our right. A vanity adorned the back wall next to another door, and above the mantle was a giant painting of Asgard. The island looked colorful and lively against the stark blue water that surrounded it, and I was reminded of what a beautiful place I lived in.
“It is.” Preyna nodded.
“I didn’t realize council members lived in the castle.” Asta cocked her head to the side inquisitively.
“We can choose to live here, or on our own,” Preyna said. “Beyer and I have chosen to stay here for the time being, but Rinbar lives out in the woods on his own.”
“You say that as if it’s a bad thing,” I chuckled.
“Not at all.” Preyna smiled. “I would like to live that way one day as well, but right now I am needed for the council so frequently I don’t see a point in living far away. I hate to travel.”
Hearing her say she wished to live that way one day gave me a glimmer of hope. I wanted to offer for her to come stay with us right then, but that wasn’t something I was comfortable doing, and not just because I wasn’t sure how the girls would take it. I also didn’t want to let Preyna know I admired her, especially not right now since we worked together so frequently. I’d hate for her to be made to feel uncomfortable.
Still, I couldn’t help but look at her, and my eyes gobbled up the sight of her and took in every tiny detail about the way she looked right then.
“Rath,” Preyna said, and her soft brown eyes met mine.
“Yes?” I cleared my throat, and I suddenly realized I’d probably been too blatant with my staring.
“How is the quest coming along?” Preyna asked, but she lowered her head and then looked up at me through her long, thick eyelashes.
“Uh, it’s going well.” I cleared my throat again. “We have two vials so far.”
“That is excellent,” the beautiful blonde said, and her eyes widened as if she were impressed.
“We are going to get the third tomorrow,” I said. “But I do want to thank you for saving us back there.”
“It was no trouble.” She smiled at me and then bit her lip. “I was glad to be of service.”
“You didn’t have to do it, though,” I said. “I want you to know it was appreciated.”
“I appreciate you as well,” Preyna said, and she took a step closer to me. “You are making my dream of seeing dragons again a reality.”
The council member reached her hand up toward my shoulder, and my stomach tightened in anticipation of her touch, but instead of laying her hand on me, she held it out for Blar.
The little blue dragoon sniffed her fingers and then leaned his head against them for attention.
Preyna happily obliged, and she stroked Blar’s neck and scratched under his chin. Her fingers moved delicately over his scaly skin, and I imagined what they would feel like on my body.
“I hope to see many more dragons in Asgard soon,” Preyna said, and as she pulled her hand back, her fingers just barely grazed my neck.
The small touch was enough to send a shiver down my spine, and my heart rate accelerated in response.
Preyna must have felt it, too, because her lips parted ever so slightly, and her cheeks flushed as she looked at me with curious light-brown eyes.
“We, uh, we should get you out of here,” she breathed, and she glanced over at Kas and Asta.
“Yes,” I said in a low voice. “I think that’s best.”
If we didn’t leave soon, I was going to take her right then and there while my other two lovers watched us, and I had a feeling she not only knew that, but she wanted it as much as I did.
“Is there a way we can get out of the castle without being seen?” Asta asked.
“I fear not.” Preyna shook her head. “There are servants and guests everywhere. It will be easier if we sneak you out in plain sight.”
“What do you mean?” Kas asked.
“I have an idea,” the council member said, and she turned around and opened the door. “Wait here.”
Preyna slipped outside and left the girls and I alone in her room.
Blar hopped down from my shoulder then, and he ran over to the fireplace and jumped up onto the couch so he could sprawl out.
Inger saw what he was doing, and she flew over to join him on the couch as they both soaked up the warmth of the fire. Uffe stayed on Kas’ shoulder and watched his twin and their friend bask in the firelight.
“Don’t get too comfortable,” I chuckled. “We aren’t staying long.”
“But I bet you’d like it if we did,” Asta whispered.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, but I could feel my cheeks grow warm with embarrassment. Had it been that obvious?
“Oh, please,” Kas scoffed playfully. “You and Preyna definitely find each other desirable. It’s been obvious for a long time, but tonight it was really bad. She was dripping with hot sensuality.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied.
Kas rolled her eyes, and Asta giggled again.
“There’s no need to be embarrassed,” the elf girl assured me. “We weren’t mad about Eira, and we aren’t mad about Preyna, either.”
“You have nothing to be mad about,” I said, and I was right. Nothing had happened, yet, and even if they weren’t mad about a little flirting, I doubted they would be accepting of another woman into our daily lives.
“We like them both,” Kas said.
“Yes, they are both very beautiful, powerful, and kind,” Asta added, and she directly contradicted my previous thought. I wasn’t sure I’d ever heard anyone refer to Eira as kind, either, but it wasn’t wrong.
“They are incredible women,” I agreed.
“You should go for it.” Kas grinned.
“Go for what?” I asked.
“Are you really going to make me say it?” the strawberry-blonde snickered.
“You should try and mate with them,” Asta said, and my eyes went wide at her use of the word ‘mate.’
“What she said,” Kas chuckled. “Make them yours. Being their power over to us so that we are all stronger.”
“They desire you, and you desire them.” Asta shrugged. “But we will not force you if that isn’t what you want.”
“You would be okay with that?” I asked as I looked back and forth between the girls.
“Of course,” Kas said. “We are bonded with you, we know you would never do anything to hurt us.”
“And since we’re bon
ded, we have no reason to be jealous.” Asta smiled. “We know you’ll always love us.”
“I will.” I smiled back and reached out to stroke the elf girl’s cheek.
I was surprised to hear the girls talk like this. I hadn’t figured they would want another woman in our bed, but they seemed fine with it, they encouraged it, even.
They’d voiced their approval of Eira, but I thought they’d been teasing me more than anything. Now, I understood they were serious, and I was grateful for their bluntness.
I had truly landed the best women ever to bond with. How many other men could honestly say their women were alright with them taking another female to bed?
Still, there were more pressing matters to attend to at the moment, and I needed to focus on them before I sought out anyone else for carnal company.
A loud clanking noise came from over by the fireplace, and I turned to see Blar in the process of lifting the lid off a large dish on the table near the couch.
“Blar!” I exclaimed. Preyna had invited us into her room, but that didn’t mean we could rummage through her things.
The little blue lizard rolled his eyes and took a step back, but he didn’t get off the table.
“It’s quite alright,” the council member said as she slid back through the door.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized with a gesture toward the little dragon.
“Blar.” Preyna looked at the little blue dragon who was still on the table. “You may have one, but you must share with Inger and Uffe.”
The little dragon nodded eagerly and scurried back over to the dish to lift the lid back up.
“You better go get yours before he eats them all,” Preyna told Uffe with a wink, and the little red dragon hopped off Kas’ shoulder and ran over to the fireplace.
Blar and Inger already had their heads in the dish, and Uffe joined in. He carefully poked his head between the other two dragons, and then his tail started to swish happily.
“What is in it?” Kas inquired.
“They are pumpkin treats the cooks made for me.” Preyna smiled. “Pumpkin is my favorite.”
“It’s Blar’s favorite, too,” Asta chuckled. “It’s no wonder he likes you so much.”
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