Page 76 of The Lost Elemental

My insides twisted. “But I’ve made Riven feel like he’s on the outside now.” And knowing what he’d been through with his father, I couldn’t live with that.

Phoenix wrapped me in his arms. “It’s not you. He hasn’t agreed with our plans for a long time.”

“Plans?”

It was Atlas who answered, looking to Kai and Phoenix before he did. “We want to unite the kingdoms again. To choose a mate who will be all of ours and help us bring our people together.”

My mouth went dry. “So, you’ve always planned to…share?”

“Only if we could find the right woman,” Phoenix said.

Kai grunted. “Finding someone who connected with all of us, who we all felt drawn to, has been harder than you might imagine.”

“Impossible, you mean,” Atlas corrected, his eyes finding mine. “Until now.”

“I’m just trying to keep my head above water, not get killed or blow everyone around me up—I’m not exactly what you would call queen material. We barely know each other—” My breaths turned into pants as I struggled to find my air.

Atlas cupped my face. “Breathe, Aura. Follow me.”

I did my best to copy his nice even breaths.

He rubbed his nose back and forth against mine. “We just take things one day at a time. We…date.”

A manic laugh escaped me. “We date. In between me blowing power grids and almost getting murdered by mean girls?”

Phoenix let out a low growl. “You won’t have to worry about Drue again.”

I shot him a look. “You promised no murder.”

He snapped his mouth closed and stared out the window.

I gaped at him. “Are you…pouting? Because I won’t let you torture and decapitate someone?”

“Maybe,” he grunted.

Kai slapped him on the shoulder. “That’s what happens when you’ve got the ole ball and chain. They never want you to have any fun.”

Atlas smacked him upside the head.

“Thank you,” I told Atlas.

He grinned at me. “Anytime.”

“Hey,” Kai said, affronted. “If we’re doing this, I demand some rules. No ganging up on me.”

I rolled my eyes. “Ganging up on you is the only way we’re going to keep you under control.”

“That’s for damn sure,” Phoenix agreed.

“You’re all a bunch of assholes,” Kai muttered.

I laughed but instantly regretted it, my ribs flaring in pain.

Atlas’s hands steadied me in a flash. “What’s wrong?”

“My ribs. They hurt like a bitch.”

Kai winced. “The healer could repair your punctured lung and the breaks, but the bruising has to heal on its own.”