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Ronin
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In a way... Seeing India and Jian surprised to see both Kavya and myself waiting outside of their door hurts my heart... Because it means that they thought they would be alone in this late-night venture...
It's bad enough that it feels as though they've done sneaking similar to this before... But to feel as if they honestly believed that even after we saw how upsetting this afternoon's discovery was to them both... That we would leave them to wander the halls on their own...
And though they do not know that the person King Xiang was referring to was very likely Kavya himself... We would never leave our wife and his close friend to deal with this alone... Not even if Kavya wasn't the red-haired beauty in question...
"Are you sure you both want to do this? We risk treason even thinking about telling Qiao what we overheard..." the way Jian's voice trembles as he questions us makes me wish that he and India had never been in that damned library today... It makes me want to beg the universe to reverse time so that I could arrange for both of them to be elsewhere... That way this stress would not be resting on their shoulders...
Neither of them deserves to be fearful and treading water trying to make sense of this whole situation... Not that any of us should be put in this situation to begin with... But still...
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Kavya
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"Of course, we are sure. We would never leave India unattended during such a time... And by extension, you either, Jian. You both deserve at least this small bit of safety we can offer by way of protection." I try and keep my voice even as my eyes finally get graced by India's... His striking blue eyes touching my soul the very same way they did the first time we met... The trust in them is so clear and so obvious that it makes the very core of my being and beast tremble... Both in fear and in gratitude...
My wife...
Our wife...
The gentle scholar that agreed to court both me and my husband so swiftly and joyfully...
He should have never been exposed to such danger...
And over what?
Red hair that the King could no doubt enjoy and experience by heading out into his kingdom at any time and experiencing what it's like to walk amongst his people...
Granted not many have hair as bright as mine... But even so, seeing red-haired people even slightly during his time on the throne or even simply during his lifetime may have averted this whole situation by simply taking away the novelty of it...
If only...
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India
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It brings me great comfort to see both of my husbands waiting for us when we finally make our way out of our door to try and successfully sneak away to the kitchen... And if they are the only ones to catch us... Then I shall consider tonight's mission a success.
"We would not dream of leaving the two of you to handle this on your own... Not that you two are not capable... Just that it should not fall to you both and you both alone to keep Master Qiao safe... Especially not when we all heard what was to happen earlier..." Ronin speaks as Kavya keeps his eyes on mine as he finally answers Jian... And I find myself taking even more comfort from his gaze than I was before... Ronin's words touching my soul as he steps forward and takes my hand to add a whole new level of soothing to the way we have suddenly found ourselves...
Just as the warmth that radiates from Ronin's presence I find myself seeking peace from Kavya's gaze tonight with how steady it is... And I do not think I could find myself any more sure of my choice in the two of them than I am now...
They are showing me that my husbands will not abandon me...
Not now...
Not when it matters...
And not when it feels like I need them both by my side... Walking next to me and assuring me of a safety that I am not sure any of us actually have anymore.

YOU ARE READING
Bonded
RomanceKavya and Ronin... A bonded pair of dragon shifters who want nothing more than privacy, and the chance to live long enough to retire from their military post and grow old together find themselves waiting... And taking each day as it comes while they...