Lachlan pricked the pad of his thumb so that a drop of ruby blood welled up and then handed the dagger to Bran, who did the same. Then he began to chant.
“Marked by blood
Bound as Three
Tied together
Yet still free.
You are ours
And we are thine
Those who touch you
Pay the fine.”
Then he and Bran both pressed their thumbs to my forehead.
A cool, tingling sensation rushed over me. I felt as though I was suddenly naked in the middle of a snowstorm and tiny, cold snowflakes were caressing my skin.
Then it was over and I was back in the Common Room, looking up at my guys.
They’re mine and I’m theirs, I thought, and a sense of complete rightness washed over me. I knew it couldn’t last forever, that eventually I would have to choose between them, but right now that time seemed very far in the future—something I didn’t have to worry about yet.
“I want to Mark the two of you, too,” I said.
But Lachlan shook his head.
“It’s better if you don’t, little one. Our Mark on you will be subtle enough that not everyone can see it unless they’re looking.”
“It should be more something that other males feel when they have the urge to come up to you,” Bran added.
“If you Marked us as well, it would be blatantly obvious,” Lachlan said.
“All right,” I said reluctantly. “I’ll wait—for now. But I reserve the right to Mark you two in the future.”
“Agreed,” Lachlan said and both of them smiled.
“What did that line mean—‘those who touch you pay the fine?’” I asked Lachlan.
He gave me his one-sided sarcastic grin.
“Let’s just say that I borrowed a bit from your fence metaphor. But it will only affect those with evil intent.”
I wasn’t quite sure what he meant but I knew that his eyes were very green in the firelight and Bran’s were very blue. I could still feel the faint tingle of their Marks on me and it drew me to them—made me want to be between them, holding them both.
I couldn’t resist then—I pulled them both into a three-way hug and they hugged me back. I loved the feeling of their arms wrapped around me and each other. For a while we stayed close just like that, the three of us warm and safe and bound together.
I don’t want to choose, I thought as I breathed in Bran’s cedar and ocean scent and Lachlan’s warm, forest and spice fragrance. I never want to choose. I want both of them—always.
“A-hem.” Someone cleared their throat.
I pulled out of the hug and saw that Avery was standing there in his retro-looking maroon smoking jacket with its wide black lapels. He looked at my face and then frowned as his eyes fastened on my forehead.
“Will you excuse us?” I said to Bran and Lachlan. “I, uh, think I should talk to Avery alone.”
“Of course, little one.” Lachlan kissed my right temple and Bran kissed my left, murmuring,
“Good night, Emma.”
The two of them went into the dorm room they were sharing and I turned back to Avery. The way he was looking at me, I knew the magic of the Marking had been immediately apparent to him—maybe because he knew me so well.
“Both of them, Emmers?” he asked, arching one blond eyebrow at me. “I mean don’t get me wrong—they’re both gorgeous guys and you’re living the dream. But I guess you don’t care if people talk.”
“Let them talk,” I said defiantly. “I don’t care what anyone thinks—especially not the other Fae. They’re all stuck-up, bubble-headed snobs—I never liked them anyway.”
“But what if you go to the Realm?” Avery asked. “There are going to be a lot of questions if you show up at the Summer Court with the marks of two different males on you.”
“I’m never going there,” I said, frowning. “Why would I? I’ve lived all my life in the human world—I’m perfectly happy to stay here.”
“Are you?” He shook his head. “I suppose it’s all you know and of course I can’t talk about the Realm. No one but the Fae can pass through the Obsidian Portal to get there. But what if you want to find your true parents? Your father might still be there, at least—we know that he’s paying for your schooling so he must be somewhere.”
“We don’t know for sure that he’s the one paying,” I pointed out. “And we don’t know where either of my real parents are.” I lifted my chin defiantly. “And even if I did know where they were, I’m not sure I’d want to meet them. I mean, they abandoned me! The woman who raised me is still my mom, even if we’re not related by blood.”
Avery smiled.
“You always were fiercely loyal to the people you love. It’s one of the things that makes you such a good friend.”
I smiled back.
“Thanks, Avery. Everything is so weird now that I’ve changed. But it’s good to know our coven is still the same.”
“I think the only change is that it’s grown by two,” he said, referring to Bran and Lachlan. He gave me a serious look. “You know eventually you’ll have to choose one of them, don’t you?”
“I know.” I hung my head. “But I just can’t right now! I know Bran came first and he’s wonderful—he offered to take that awful skink for me. But Lachlan is amazing too! You don’t know the awful agony he paid to remove the geas I was under!” I sighed. “They’re both exactly who I need, in their own ways.”
“Well, you’ll know who to pick when the time comes,” Avery said comfortingly. “But for right now, are you sure you’re okay, Emmers? I know things have been rough for you lately.”
“I’ll be fine now,” I said firmly.
And I would be—I was sure. I had counted the money the two bikers had given me and I was only fifty dollars short on the rent now. I was certain that Mr. Groperson wouldn’t kick my mom out over a lousy fifty dollars, so that should be all right.
Also, now that I bore Bran and Lachlan’s Marks, the weak-minded boys and men who had been bothering me constantly ought to back off. It wouldn’t be as good as going back to my previous near-invisibility to the opposite sex, but it would be a big improvement if guys stopped coming up and harassing me all the time.
“I still feel like you’re hiding something,” Avery said. He was looking down at my nails, which had all been bitten to the quick by now.
Hastily, I shoved my hands in my pockets.
“But I won’t bother you about it—for now,” he continued, looking up to my face. “You’ll tell me and the rest of the coven when you’re ready. Night, Emmers.”
He gave me a smile and a kiss on the cheek and wandered back to bed.
Feeling a little uneasy—and a lot tired—I went to bed myself. I could always explain to my coven—and to my guys—what had been going on with Mr. Groperson and the double rent after I had the situation taken care of. That way, nobody would feel obligated to loan me any money which was what I absolutely did not want.
That way, I could keep my pride.
I had no idea how badly keeping my little secret would blow up in my face, but I was about to find out.