Page 56 of Tangled Threads Of Fate

I was silent too long, and Clio—who was always too astute, hence why she was the mouthpiece of our Pantheon—picked up on my unease. “Do you know something?” There was none of the laughing Demigod in her tone now. She was all politics.

“I might.”

“Do you and Wren Mahone need help?”

It burned me that the answer was yes. It tore at my pride that despite who I was, I couldn’t protect her by myself. “Yes.”

The silence on the other end of the line told me that Clio was just as shocked. It wasn’t often she was rendered speechless. “Now? Are you in immediate danger? Do I need to come over there?”

Fuck, what a question that was. I was so out of my depth right now, I wasn’t convinced I’d see danger before it was burying a sword in my gut. “I don’t think so. Besides, the Minoans aren’t ready for you.” I didn’t think anyone was ready to come face toface with the wild battle maiden that was Cliona. “You’re more valuable where you are, Clio. We’re okay for now.”

She made a rude noise in the back of her throat, and I’d known her long enough that I could imagine her face as she did it. “I’m still going to make some calls. Get some people on standby.” She was well connected, but the idea of her calling anyone I could think of off the top of my head made anger light up my veins.

“No one from the old country, Cliona.” They would kill Wren without thought for the machinations of the Fates; they’d do it to punish me for things that had happened before human memory.

“Obviously,Néit. I’m not an idiot. You call me if you need me, okay?” When I didn’t say anything, she huffed. “Say it, you big, dumb, stubborn-ass baby!”

I couldn’t help the chuckle that rolled past my lips. “I’ll call if I need help.”

“Good. Give my love to Wren. She’s too good for you.”

Even if I wanted to dispute that, she’d already hung up. I turned over what she’d said in my mind. Why would the ancients be crawling out of hiding now? Whatever the reason, it meant that things were even more dangerous for Wren, and it probably meant we were right about reaching the tail. There would always be a large group of Mythics who were reaching their final turn, falling fast into obscurity. Maybe we wouldn’t be re-weaved in the next age of men. Me included.

Sighing, I looked out the window at the Minoans down in the courtyard. I still didn’t know how I felt about any of this, whether I should trust them or if they were the enemy, but I was outnumbered and outgunned. Wren trusted them, and more than that, their lives were now tied to hers, so I had to give them the benefit of the doubt. Milo was a nice guy, and Teron seemed to care about Wren and the babies’ health, but the rest I knew far too little about to be complacent.

Wren was still hiding out in our rooms, and I decided enough was enough. Knocking on the door frame, I strode in. “Are you feeling unwell,mo stóirín?”

She huffed something under her breath. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I couldn’t hear shite through the blankets. Lifting the heavy quilt, I slid into the bed beside her. “Wren? What’s wrong?”

Her eyes were big and glassy as she looked at me, her nose pink like she’d been crying. “I slept with Milo.”

My jaw flexed at the idea of sharing my Wren with a bunch of strangers, but the poor woman already looked guilty enough. I could ease this burden. “Did he hurt you?” Her head whipped back and forth so fast, it was a wonder she didn’t injure herself. “Was he really bad? I mean, I thought what he lacked in finesse, he’d make up for in size,” I teased.

She frowned. “You aren’t mad?”

I pulled her body into mine. She was soft and warm, and I wanted to hide us beneath these covers forever. “He is tied to your soul,mo stóirín. It seemed almost inevitable that you would eventually have sex. I understand the draw he must feel to you almost viscerally.” I kissed her cheeks, her puffy eyelids. “If he feels half of what I feel for you, then there must be an ache deep in his chest when he can’t hold you in his arms.”

She let out a shaky sob, and I stroked her back, just letting her shudder and sigh against my chest, keeping her close and safe. She gripped my back tightly. “I thought you’d be mad. I felt so… disloyal afterwards. Like you’d asked me for so little, and I couldn’t even give you monogamy.”

I kissed the words from her lips. “You’ve had so little happiness, I would never begrudge you this. I can share.” Only a small lie. Icouldshare; that didn’t mean I ever had. But for Wren, I would try. “I talked to Clio. She said that big things are happening back home. I’m glad your gut told us to cometo Amourgeles. Even if it means that you’re not just my Wren anymore, at least you four are safe, healthy and finding small amounts of joy where you can.”

She kissed me softly again. “I don’t know if it was fate that tied you to me, or if we would’ve ended up here either way, Nate, but I’d choose you every single day.”

“In a thousand years, there has been no other quite like you, Wren Mahone. I choose you as well.” And I’d choose her for a million more.

Chapter 29

WREN

Growing some lady balls, I dragged myself out of my bed and went to face the rest of the house’s occupants. As I walked out onto the deck, Milo looked up at me with big, sad puppy-dog eyes. I guess I’d hurt his feelings by taking off like a scalded cat yesterday, and that made me feel even more terrible.

Pushing down my guilt, I tried to come up with something to say to him that was better thanyou dicked me so good, I had an existential crisis.

I could feel the heat of Nate’s body at my back, and I looked over my shoulder at him. He just lifted his chin, making something inside me relax. I strolled over to Milo and sat on his lap, kissing him soundly on the cheek. I could feel the weight of the stares from Erus and Tryp, from where they sat over on the other side of the pool.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—” Milo placed a finger over my mouth to stop my words, then replaced his finger with his own lips. The soft kiss had a world of feelings.

“You don’t have to be sorry. I thought I’d rushed you. I thought I’d ruined everything and that you regretted being with me.”

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