Triad In The Stars: Sci-Fi MFM Menage Romance (Celestial Mates) Page 11

  Wishing he could somehow bear the burden of that pain for her, Vanor nodded in agreement. He lifted Chloe's head up, allowing the healer to drip some of the liquid between her pale lips.

  For a moment, it seemed nothing had happened. Then Chloe opened her eyes, the hazels bloodshot and tortured. She screamed, the shrill sound cutting through Vanor's heart like a blade.

  “Shh, my love, it is for the best,” he said, feeling the words bite as he said them. “You can fight it. This helps.”

  He stayed by her side, holding her hand to let her know they weren't going to abandon her until she stopped long, agonizing minutes later. Her skin was so hot as if it had actually burned through her, leaving some of the heat behind.

  When Chloe's head slumped and she fell against Vanor, lifeless and unmoving, he turned to the healer with a glare to turn him to cinder.

  "This is supposed to happen," the healer said, shaking his head sadly. "Her body must fight for her now. There is nothing else we can do. The only comfort I can give you is that it will build her resistance to the poison."

  That was barely any comfort, but Vanor managed to nod curtly and sent the healer away with his entourage. He gathered Chloe into his arms and waited, counting the seconds until the fate of him and his world was determined.

  At some point, Elias entered the room, his sword unbloodied and his face grim.

  "Is she alive?" he asked at once.

  "Fighting," Vanor answered simply. "Did you catch her? Does she live?"

  "For now," Elias said.

  They fell silent, sitting on the bed and watching Chloe battle for her life.

  As the day stretched on and on, the healer returned to check on her. Taking that for a bad sign, Vanor and Elias said nothing as he examined her.

  "The poison was very potent," he explained, "but she's still here. You must have faith, my lords."

  Faith, Vanor thought, exchanging a long look with Elias.

  Outside the palace, the world continued to turn. The three suns moved without pause on their endless journey across the sky, but it seemed none of the light reached the two warlords as the only flame they needed laid unresponsive between them.

  Somewhere, people went about their business and like Chloe had said, nothing catastrophic happened even though they felt it would have been just.

  "She might leave," Elias said when it was dark again behind the palace walls. "I wouldn't blame her. We were supposed to protect her. I didn't think Leah would be so bold. I will never make that mistake again, but it might not matter to Chloe."

  "This wasn't what she asked for. None of us did. She is far away from home and we should have kept her safe. How could she possibly make a home here if she has to fear for her life?"

  The other warlord nodded, a serious, determined look on his face.

  "If she doesn't pull through..." Elias began, his voice wavering as the enormity of that grim possibility rang in the room.

  Taking a deep breath, Elias went on: "It can happen. There is no use in denying that. If we should lose her... I will honor her memory as I would have honored her wishes. If you agree to stand with me, we can rule the Haverins together. We can bring forth a golden age for our people."

  This is it, Vanor thought. This is how dynasties fall.

  The idea wasn't nearly as unpleasant as he would have assumed. Instead, it was elating, promising a new and better future, even if it was shrouded in darkness.

  "I will stand with you," he promised, knowing full well he was breaking his house forever. "For all Haverins. And for Chloe."

  Elias nodded, letting out a deep breath. The enormity of that moment weighed heavy on their shoulders, but it was burden Vanor accepted willingly. He trusted Elias to do the same. They were both strong – now they could put that strength to use to work for their people instead of against each other.

  Hours passed again in silence until finally, at the break of dawn, Chloe opened her eyes.

  18

  Chloe

  The world was still there.

  It was almost impossible to believe that past the point where Chloe was certain she'd seen the light at the end of the tunnel.

  A large part of that had been the pain, so searing it seemed to take on a physical form, tearing through her with a force she'd never felt before. Nothing in her life, no broken bones or twisted arms, had prepared her for that.

  The first thing she saw were the warlords, sitting by her side, looking like they hadn't moved for anything, not even to dress. They'd all thrown something on for modesty's sake when the poisoned drinks arrived and that was what she found Vanor and Elias in. The concern in their golden eyes was bottomless and heartbreaking.

  "Clearly your first act as kings isn't going to be a popular one," she said quietly, her voice very weak.

  Both warlords spoke at once and in her feverish state, Chloe could make out every fifth word or so. Most of it seemed to be promises, oaths, declarations. It figured they came so easily to men who were used to living and dying by their word.

  She had yet to get used to that.

  "Are you alright?" Vanor finally asked when they seemed to have figured out she wasn't really listening.

  "Of course not," Chloe said, rolling her eyes as much as she could, but even that made her dizzy. "I almost died, didn't I?"

  Their silence spoke volumes.

  "So let's just assume I'm not fucking okay, right?" she asked, her voice growing stronger. "Did you catch the person who tried to kill me?"

  "Yes," Elias said, a deep frown on his face. "She's in custody. Her name is Leah. You saw her yesterday."

  That bitch. She had "crazy ex" written all over her. I should have known.

  She was taking it all way too rationally, but in her tired mindset, Chloe couldn't muster proper rage. The pain was still creeping somewhere past the edge of her vision, but it was fading. She'd lived and to her, it spoke of fate again.

  Chloe wasn't about to go so far as to jump off the roof of the palace and see if a convenient gust of wind carried her back, but a force greater than them seemed to be watching over her and her fated.

  She didn't want to squander the time they were given on fighting. Or on endless revenge, considering what Vanor and Elias had told her about their people and their tendency to hold grudges, along with leaving them to their children in their wills.

  "Am I going to be alright?" she asked, that pesky rationality taking hold again.

  "The healer said that if you pull through, you will be fine," Vanor said.

  Okay. That's good. Nothing else now but several years of therapy and perhaps I'll dare to eat something that isn't tasted under my eyes.

  All those jokes and jests in her mind couldn't drag Chloe away from the truth and heart of the matter.

  She'd just lived through the best and the worst days of her life, in a row. It put a lot of things in perspective. While everything else twisted and turned and was cast around by the invisible hands of fate, one – or rather two – stayed in place.

  Like anchors or beacons, Vanor and Elias remained by her side, unchanging in their mutual care for her.

  Chloe knew no one could control everything. Life was full of little things no one could predict, even her soon-to-be kings. The only aspect of life she could actually hope to take charge of was herself.

  And for once in her life, Chloe knew what she wanted.

  Vanor and Elias were exchanging looks, but it was Elias who finally voiced their question.

  "This is not how it's going to be, we swear. Will you give us a chance to prove to you we would care for and protect you–"

  Chloe cut in, shaking her head – or rolling it from side to side on the pillow, at least.

  "Stop, Elias," she said. "I heard you. I don't know how, but I heard you in my sleep. You said you would rule together for me, that you wouldn't duel, still risk everything even when I was gone. That's how much you care for me. I'm not going anywhere."

  She hesitated, knowing it was way by Ear
th standards, but she wasn't on Earth anymore. She wasn't even on Terra.

  "I wouldn't leave now," she said quietly. "I love you."

  It might have marked the first time Chloe genuinely saw the two warlords smile. It made them even more handsome, if that was even possible, bringing a softness to their otherwise harsh features.

  "And I love you," they chorused together, their deep voices blending together in her mind as she hoped their rule would, too.

  She'd made her choice. Now all she had to do was live with it. Looking at her fated, Chloe felt confident that was the easy part.

  More people turned up for the coronation than for any other king, Elias had told her.

  Kings, Chloe corrected in her mind as she stood between the two warlords, overlooking the crowds before the temple, stretching as far as the eye could see.

  She had wanted them to stand at the foot of the temple not to cause further problems over a non-Haverin stepping on the sacred soil. Both kings had refused, saying they would make no compromises when it came to her.

  "You have already stood there," Vanor reminded her. "Sky didn't fall, mountains didn't crumble."

  Chloe grinned, knowing he was quoting her own words to her.

  The people were quiet at first and the crown felt heavy on Chloe's head. Her two fateds stepped forward, dressed in matching armor, bearing the colors of both houses.

  "You were all expecting to see blood today, but it is enough," Elias said, raising his deep voice to be heard by everyone. "For these two weeks since the arrival of our queen, there have been many rumors about the execution of Lady Leah for treason and what will happen now. We can confirm now they are mostly true.

  “Many things will change, including the shunning of widows, driving them to the madness that destroyed Lady Leah. We bid you not to be afraid. We are Haverins and we do not let fear hold us back."

  Vanor continued.

  "It is time to put our troubled times behind us. With the coming of our queen, we believe we should open this world to others. We've tried to separate ourselves from the rest of the galaxy for so long that even fate has had to play by that.

  “Afraid of spoiling our blood, we've stagnated it, inbred and lost our power. We can still change it. Fate brought me and Lord Greole a queen who isn't a Haverin and we know you think our children will be weaker for it, but we will prove you wrong soon enough.

  "This is the dawn of a new golden age. Have faith and trust in us. All will be well."

  This time, the crowds were anything but silent. Chloe listened to them, a hidden smirk on her lips, thinking how much of their newfound faith was given because their kings dared them not to be cowards.

  What a strange world, she thought, looking at the warlords greeting their people, their eyes flicking back to her only every so often.

  The desire burning in their gazes told Chloe there would be much celebrating in the palace that night. She could barely wait.

  I never would have thought fate would bring me to this place, but now that it did – I wouldn't change it for anything.

  Epilogue

  Chloe

  That night, Chloe stood on the balcony alone.

  When Reuben appeared, it was like seeing an old friend again, despite the fact they'd known each other for a few hours before her abrupt departure for Corolon.

  "Miss Riley," he said, smiling the same infuriatingly knowing smile as back in the agency. "Excuse me. Queen Chloe."

  That will not stop sounding weird for a while.

  "Strange alien who dropped me off at an unknown planet 7000 years from my home," she greeted, but the bubble of happiness in her didn't let her even pretend to be upset.

  Reuben grinned devilishly, reminding Chloe of the joke she'd made – it seemed – a lifetime ago.

  "I see you've done well," he said. "Will the boys not be joining us?"

  "They wanted to. I said I had to do this alone," Chloe replied, finally managing a proper glare. "On that note, you couldn't have warned me? Even a little? Apparently the alien world alone wasn't too much of a culture shock in your book."

  Reuben didn't look remotely sorry with that grin still on his face.

  "We at the Celestial Mates dating agency don't meddle with the actual relationship," he said. "It needs to evolve on its own. I thought it was better if your reaction was genuine. I see it has brought you happiness. That gladdens me, but I'm still ordered to ask. You signed up for two weeks–"

  "Apparently, yes," Chloe put in. "The small print and all."

  "Exactly," Reuben continued, completely unashamed. "That time is up. You have a chance to return to Earth. What is your decision?"

  "I'm staying," Chloe said at once.

  Earth. I can barely remember it. I have almost forgotten about Mondays, thank heavens.

  Most of the two weeks leading up to the coronation – the time between being fucked to heaven and back, that was – Chloe had thought about what she would say. She had even worried that at the last moment, a part of her would hesitate or doubt a little, but nothing like that happened.

  The answer came over her lips true and clear, without a shadow of regret.

  "Good," Reuben said and the smile on his face seemed actually sincere, like he was truly as happy for her as she herself was. "That is good. I had a feeling about you."

  "What becomes of my life on Earth now?" Chloe asked, looking up at the stars as if she could see the distant planet somehow. "Will I become a missing person report?"

  "The agency will try our best to smooth it over as well as we can," Reuben said with a sympathetic smile, "but overall, yes. Another rumor for another girl to tell us when she comes to us, expecting to see the devil."

  Chloe nodded, taking that as a natural repercussion.

  "So this is it?" she asked, a little sad, a reaction she hadn't really expected.

  In an absurd way, Reuben was her last remaining link to Earth.

  "Could you come see me sometime? Tell me the news, see how I'm doing."

  "As you wish," Reuben said, already disappearing from sight. "I will visit, but I always know how you're doing. Congratulations, by the way, Your Majesty."

  "Congratulations for what?" Chloe asked, grasping after him, but the messenger was gone.

  Reuben appeared again, seven years later.

  Chloe was walking in the gardens of the palace, a soft smile on her lips. She was trying to hide her soreness after her kings had awoken her with ravenous kisses in the morning, which ultimately led to so much more. As it always did.

  The suns shone down on her favorite fountain and then she saw the man's reflection on the surface of the water.

  "I was just thinking of you," she said, turning to him.

  Reuben gave her a look that said I know. Chloe rolled her eyes, an Earth custom she hadn't been able to shake entirely.

  "Is there anything you don't know?" she asked.

  "A few things," Reuben admitted with a cheeky grin. "Not much."

  "Modest as ever," Chloe said, going over to him and they walked towards the palace together.

  "How is your daughter?" Reuben asked.

  "Daughters," Chloe corrected, giving him a stern look. "And you knew that. They are both very well, as is my son. All three have deep, golden eyes. They make the kings so happy, as they make me happy as well. They can already do things neither one of their fathers could when they were that young. Opening this world up to others has been a success no one could have predicted."

  "That is good," Reuben said with a gentle smile. "How are your own projects going? Are you still working on abolishing all the feudal rules?"

  "I am," Chloe said. "Who knew building a new world was more exciting than corporate law? We're making great progress. You wouldn't imagine how much is missing when everything in the Haverin society used to work by which house you belonged in, what gender you were and who you were bonded to.

  “Now we have laws and the domain is healthy. I swear, sometimes I feel like the air itself is getting
cleaner as we move forward. If that’s even possible."

  "And you?" Reuben asked with a clever smile. "How are you and the boys?"

  Chloe stopped, unable to keep the wide smile from her face.

  "Better every day," she admitted, hearing how her happiness sang in her voice. "I don't know how it's possible, but it's true. I never imagined something like this was possible. Even they are starting to get along."

  "It's been seven years," Reuben pointed out with a knowing smirk.

  "I'd say they're making great progress," Chloe laughed, sighing then. "I didn't thank you the last time we saw, but I will now. I have forgotten, Reuben. I have forgotten what it means not to love with all my heart and it is all thanks to you."

  "It is not," the man said, smiling to her. "You came to us and the choice was yours. Tina never said you had to sign up. We couldn't have made that decision for you. All we did was provide you with a path. You walked it."

  Chloe glimpsed Vanor and Elias coming over to her, deep in an argument as they always were when they weren't with her. At least they'd stopped drawing swords every time they disagreed. Chloe knew their respect for each other ran deep, even if they were at times reluctant to show it.

  "Do me a favor, Reuben?" Chloe asked.

  "Of course," he said, giving her a small bow.

  "Next time a girl like me walks into your agency, help her a little?" she said. "I wouldn't want anyone to miss this."

  "I always do," Reuben said with a smile and when Chloe turned to look at the warlords, the messenger was gone again.

  Chuckling, Chloe ran over to Vanor and Elias. The warlords caught her flawlessly in their embrace, leaning in to kiss her. The three suns shined down on them, crowning the rulers of the new, bright world with rays of gold.

  I can't believe I even considered leaving this for a Monday, Chloe thought.

  When Vanor pulled her skirt up while Elias lifted her sleeves over her bare shoulders, she forgot about everything save for the moment of absolute happiness she perpetually lived in.