“I saw you running through the warriors,” Bruno said, his face stiffening. “You were shielding yourself, using whatever this archaic energy is you have accessed. But I knew it was not enough. I knew you would die. And I could not imagine my life without you.”
“But you knew you were magic before,” she said. “You knew you were a mage.”
Bruno bowed his head. “I did. I tried to hide and control it so the others wouldn’t know. They were already so worried about you, I did not want to give them one more person to worry about. I thought perhaps there was a chance I could handle it.”
“You did handle it,” Lorelai said. “But you made a grave mistake. You should have told them.” She motioned to the other knights at the back of the ship, surrounding Reyn as he helmed the vessel.
“I know,” Bruno said.
“You have to trust all of us now,” Lorelai said. “There can be no secrets between the six of us.”
“I understand now,” Bruno said. “Even the idea we would go off without them was foolish.”
“Bruno, you must understand, I love you. You are my soulmate, but they are our family. There is no separating the six of us. Ever.”
Bruno smiled at her scolding, wrapped his arms around Lorelai, and kissed her soundly on the lips.
“You have made your point, my queen,” he said, and Lorelai could feel the chuckle ripple through his body. “You will keep all five of your knights at your beck and call. I understand.”
Lorelai rested her head on his chest and settled into his embrace.
The other four men stood at the helm, watching where the ship was headed. Bruno’s musky scent filled her nose, but the breeze brought her the scents of the other four knights. Taron, his leg steadfastly planted on the deck, arms folded as he scanned the horizon for any sign of trouble. Marrok, bent over a map, finger running across it while his right hand metered out some calculations and he spoke under his breath to Reyn. Andre sat sharpening a sword, preparing for the next battle. And Reyn, in his element, legs spread, hands on the wheel, ready to steer the boat whichever direction Marrok told him to go. His golden hair flew in the wind and a grin split his face.
These were her knights, all five of them, and she would never be without them again. She loved them all without equal, and she realized as she stood there, folded in Bruno’s arms, there was no difference between the love she had for Bruno and the love she carried for each of the other knights.
Her only concern was if the deep love she had for each of the others would tear her and Bruno apart.
To be continued…
Lorelai will return in Valor of the Knights, Book 2 in the Knights of the Harem series! Click the link below so you can be notified when the book releases on Amazon:
CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE NEW RELEASE UPDATES
Also by Jasmine Walt
Dragon’s Gift - The Trilogy:
Coauthored with May Sage
Dragon’s Gift
Dragon’s Blood
Dragon’s Curse
The Baine Chronicles Series:
Burned by Magic
Bound by Magic
Hunted by Magic
Marked by Magic
Betrayed by Magic
Deceived by Magic
Scorched by Magic
The Baine Chronicles: Fenris’s Story:
Forsaken by Magic (Novella)
Fugitive by Magic
Claimed by Magic
Saved by Magic
The Nia Rivers Adventures:
Coauthored with Ines Johnson
Dragon Bones
Demeter’s Tablet
Templar Scrolls
Serpent Mound
Eden’s Garden—Coming Soon!
The Gatekeeper Chronicles:
Coauthored with Debbie Cassidy
Marked by Sin
Hunted by Sin
Claimed by Sin
Also by Melle Amade
The Shifter Chronicles Series:
Sanctuary
Remnants
Harvest
Deluge
About the Authors
JASMINE WALT is obsessed with books, chocolate, and sharp objects. Somehow, those three things melded together in her head and transformed into a desire to write, usually fantastical stuff with a healthy dose of action and romance. Her characters are a little (okay, a lot) on the snarky side, and they swear, but they mean well. Even the villains sometimes. When she isn’t chained to her keyboard, you can find her practicing her triangle choke on the jujitsu mat, spending time with her family, or binge-watching superhero shows on Netflix. You can learn more about her at www.jasminewalt.com, and join her Facebook reader group HERE for exclusive cover reveals, excerpts, ARC copies, and more!
MELLE AMADE grew up in a magical land where the Milky Way is held aloft by a circle of mountains and the central business district consists of a bait store and a saloon. After leaving her small town life to travel the world and work for some of the finest technology firms in the world, she eventually settled in Los Angeles with her husband and two small children. She writes young adult and new adult fiction in all sorts of fantasy sub-genres, and can be found at www.melleamade.com