Page 42 of Vicious Fates and Vast Futures
Adi grins. “Anyone with an atelier worth their salt.”
I turn as Ossy enters, dressed in a navy-blue button-down covered by a leather vest with straps and gizmos hanging from it. His hair is braided down each side of his head with the center stripe tied partially then hanging loose. He looks oddly delectable as well.
He shakes his head looking at the three of us. His face is nervous. He takes a deep breath, looking discomfited.
“Osmund, what is it?” I start, concerned.
He pulls something out of his pocket and kneels.
He spreads his raised hands and there are three bracelets.
Adi gasps. “Is that....”
“Yes, baby. I borrowed it from your jewelry box.” Ossy takes another deep breath then makes eye contact with each of us. “Mates,” he rumbles, “I would ask you to take an oath. To me. To our family. To our bonds. In return, I promise to love you all, to strive to be a better Fae for each of you, to strive to bring out the best in each of you. I promise to love and protect you, nowand forever, for you are each more important to me than my own breath. Will you join me in marriage?”
A sob escapes Adi a moment before she throws herself on him. Nairna has a shine to her eyes and approaches him slowly, and when she gets there, he manages, without letting go of Adi, to take one of the beautifully engraved torcs and place it on En’s wrist. She leans down and kisses him deeply, all while Adelaide is curled in his lap. They all look to me, hesitation in Ossy and En’s eyes. But not Adi’s. She knows my heart best.
“Of course, my loves,” I come forwards and Ossy slides the torc on my wrist, a copy of Adi’s that he had made while we were in his stadiz. I place my hand on his face. “Is there one for you, metamour? You should have one too.”
Ossy grins his crooked grin, pulling his sleeve back to reveal it.
I blink rapidly, trying to keep tears at bay. A thought hits me, “Is that what your new tattoos are about?”
He nods, though his face is buried in En’s side, as he’s still kneeling. He turns his hand to show the runes on his knuckles. The first looks almost like a knot, the next is a longer line connected to a shorter one by a slanted line, then on his ring finger is a simple upwards-pointing arrow, and on his pinky is two lines opening like a mouth.
Adi takes his hand from where she is still sitting on his lap, “Tell us, love.” Her fingers trace the first.
Ossy’s voice is unsteady, “That’s yours, baby. Inguz. Creation, a new phase. If there’s a will there’s a way.” He kisses her deeply.
Her fingers move to the next and he answers. “Mine. Uruz. Determination, endurance.” I see Adi’s other hand fist in his shirt as if she’d pull him closer. But her other hand moves to the next knuckle.
Ossy clears his throat. “Bryn’s. Tiwaz. Leadership, honor.” His blue eyes meet mine, love swimming in them.
Someone’s cutting onions in here, I swear. I sniff.
En kneels next to Ossy, Adi between them, and she touches his last knuckle.
He looks to her, “Kenaz. Enlightenment. Seeing clearly.”
Her eyes shimmer with tears and I kneel so we’re all level. Barely six months ago, I would have said I’d never find a single partner I’d want to bind my life to. Now here I am, eager to pledge to three Fae. I wrap my arms around Ossy, before reaching one out and snagging En into the hug, Adi pinned between us all, touching our bodies and purring.
Chapter Eight
Osmund
