agree to take things slow with her for now. There’s so much chemistry between us—more than I’ve ever felt with any woman in my entire existence—and Isla has shown every sign of accepting us as her husbands in all ways imaginable.
There’s a brief moment between songs when Isla wraps her arms around me and rests her cheek against my chest. Her eyes are closed, and there’s a peaceful smile on her face. All the noise and people around us fade away as I allow myself to focus every bit of my attention on the beautiful girl in my arms.
Her eyes open slowly, and the look she gives me when she smiles up at me makes my heart stammer in my chest.
“Thank you, Caelan.” Her voice is quiet and slightly uncertain like she’s not sure if she’s saying the words correctly or not. She’s heard Audun and I thank numerous people today, so I know that’s how she was able to pick up the phrase.
I grin and nod down at her to let her know she’s said the words correctly, even though it should be me thanking her. I’d like to be able to tell her how happy she’s made me and my brothers, but I’ll just have to show her instead.
First, I kiss her nose, and then I lean down again to kiss each of her slightly pink cheeks that are flushed from the cold. I hardly notice the chill anymore, and the main roads of the village have been cleared of snow. Audun and I will have to be more careful to remember that Isla’s probably not used to the climate here and shouldn’t be outside for hours on end.
The music begins playing again, and I look up to search for Audun and Marieke. There are a few cafes in the village, and Isla could use a break from the cold. Besides, it’s well past lunchtime, and I’m sure she’s hungry.
My gaze lands on Maalik first, and I perk up in surprise. Finally, he and Reule have made it back. I’m ridiculously excited to tell them about our day with Isla. Mal is already standing with Audun, and he looks pissed off about something as per usual.
Before I’m able to locate him, Isla gasps and exclaims, “Reule!”
I spin around to find the idiot standing a few feet in front of us. He meets my eyes for barely a second before looking down at Isla with a nervous half-smile. He’s probably worried she’s angry at him for ditching her on our first day after the claiming. Then again, Maalik’s probably spent the entire day convincing Reule that Isla’s going to be pissed about us claiming her, period.
He has nothing to worry about. The second I loosen my hold on Isla, she launches herself at him and throws her arms around his shoulders. The stunned expression on his face is hilarious enough to distract me from my momentary jealousy.
“Isla,” Reule whispers her name and lifts her up, holding her like he’s afraid she’s going to disappear any moment. “God, I missed you so much!”
He kisses her, and a goofy smile threatens to take over my mouth. My brothers and I have spent so long talking about sharing a wife and wondering what it would be like. The Guardians in the other kingdoms have given us plenty of advice—even when we didn’t want to hear it. Experiencing it for ourselves is so different than I’d ever expected. I’m not nearly as jealous as I feared I’d be, and I’m exuberantly happy for Reule, Audun, and Maalik.
As soon as Reule sets Isla down, she grins up at him and points to the flower crown on her head. “Queen of Beasts!”
The look on Reule’s face is priceless, and I bark out a laugh. He gives me a questioning glance and I shrug in amusement. “People have been calling her that all day, and she started repeating it. She likes it.”
Reule rubs the back of his neck and smiles awkwardly down at our gorgeous little wife. “I figured it would happen at some point. Mal and I didn’t expect you guys to make such a scene here in the village today. Janak is planning some sort of big ceremony to reveal that we’ve chosen a wife. I think this might ruin the surprise factor he was going for.”
“Who cares?” I laugh. I grab Isla’s hand and quickly lead her and Reule off to the side of the street so people can continue dancing without us