Page 97 of Bright Soul

“Maybe Wren will share that sweet, sweet stream revenue,” he suggested. “People have been throwing money at her, and she doesn’t know what to do with it. It’s not like we need it right this moment.”

“I’ll get a job once we’re out,” I sighed. Much as I’ve started to consider Wren a friend, I doubted she’d be in a position to share much of her streaming money. Considering how we’dopenly admitted we would have to start killing torchbearers and Myuna’s new ascended, it would only be right to distribute the money to the families affected.

“No, no,” Ben said. “We make Phaeron and Geo get jobs. What says eternal devotion better than working a nine to five for the two broke college students in your mating circle?”

I laughed, covering my face with my hand. “Oh, Ben, you’re awful.”

“I’m just saying!”

“I thought you weren’t a student.” I poked his belly where he was ticklish.

He tried to bat me away. “I am conveniently a student right now.”

There was a knock on the door, swiftly preceding Auric poking his head into the room. “You kids done having your moment?” he rumbled. I sucked in a breath, his sudden appearance startling. “Good, because I brought you a cupid.”

He held the door open for a woman to walk in. He’d said “cupid,” but I wondered if he meant angel, as she had a set of feathery, off-white wings and the same kind of flawless face as Dr. Aurina. Her lips formed a perfect blood-red bow in a heart-shaped face, and her pink hair fell in ringlets down her back.

The only thing that made me think something might be off about her was the shapeless white robe she wore, along with a collar of blue lace. She held herself still like a frightened deer when he reached over to unhook the collar from her slender neck. “You will be able to stay here once you perform the ritual for me. Don’t worry, you’re amongst good people,” he told her in an undertone. It was the kindest I’d heard the old dimensional sound, other than in my secondhand memories of him with Phaeron.

With a nod, her flawless face framed a shaky smile. “T-thank you,” she whispered.

Ben and I exchanged a glance. “Well, go on,” Auric said in his usual abrasive manner. “Call your mate.”

“How are you so sure I’ve agreed to join a mating circle?” I asked. He gave me the most unamused look that I nearly regretted even that small challenge.

“I hate stupid ‘what if’ questions. Call your mate,” he repeated.

I put my hand over the mating mark on my shoulder. It was already prickling with awareness, like Phaeron could sense how much I wanted him to act as a buffer between Auric and me. He was able to send me a feeling back, like a cheerful “Be right there!”

“I called him,” I chirped. I made introductions with the cupid woman while we waited. She had a soft-spoken, musical voice and seemed to have little interest in small talk but told me her name was Crissina.

Phaeron and Geo arrived through the shadows after a few minutes, taking form behind where Ben and I sat. Phaeron ran his fingers over his mating mark, and I felt a streak of possessiveness in him flare as he squeezed my shoulder.

“Where did you come from?” Geo asked Crissina.

“I found her,” Auric answered.

It was still a little disorienting to feel Phaeron’s suspicions rise separate from my own. “She was in Cerris City?” he asked.

“No, but once she does me the favor of securing you lot into a mating circle, she’s going to stay to be evacuated like she was here all along,” Auric said. “Let’s just say she is leaving a bad situation.”

Phaeron frowned. “Ah. Well, thank you,” he said to her before turning his attention on me. “You’ve both decided?”

“Let’s get married,” I said with a lot of cheer and a pinch of nerves for seasoning.

Crissina shifted her wings with the shivery sound of her feathers rubbing together. “Um. Do you have a private place to go afterward?” she murmured.

“We do,” Phaeron said.

“Come along,” Auric said, turning toward the door. “I went ahead and invited some witnesses to the establishment of your mating circle.”

Something told me “some” witnesses meant it would be the whole hospital, and as I walked out hand in hand with Ben on one side, Phaeron standing on my other side, and Geo behind us, I saw that I was right. The maze of upturned tables, chairs, and sofas had been hastily moved aside to make space for us in the foyer, and several friendly faces lined the second-floor landing, hooting and waving down at us.

Arrayed in a waiting semicircle was my coven and our closest friends, plus Mom, who looked like she’d just hastily pulled her mask off and changed into street clothes. She came forward and pulled me a step away from my men. “What’s happening, baby? They announced that you’re going through some kind of marriage ritual to save all of us?” she asked, a shade off from panicking.

“Relax. It is meant to be,” said my birth mother’s ghost as she formed next to Mom and sent tingles up my arm as she attempted to hold my other hand. Mom had no idea she was there, as only Phaeron could see her. And Lucas too, I supposed. He was with my coven, leaning against Roe heavily.

“That’s right, Mom,” I said, squeezing her hand. “It’s…well, it is a big deal, but it’s not a sacrifice. I love these three men.”

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