Wild Magic Three: The Shade of the Earth- a M/M fantasy shifter romance

7- Be Patient

*****GUYS GUYS GUYS I found it. I found Sami and Robert's song. Listen 😭😭*****

ROBERT—

Sami stayed nearly silent the rest of the day, curled up near my feet. Every once in a while, he would wake, look around confusedly, then glance up at me. He would huff a little, make a nearly disgusted face, then lie down again, his back to me.

He was a kitten pouting, having been denied a treat. And the idea had me wanting to chuckle at his antics. Gods, the kid was never boring, I supposed.

When my shift was relieved, I dragged Sami down to Dasan and Nibley's cottage, which was just a ways away from the keep walls. It was a cozy, small space, but it was all theirs, and I had to fight a little bit of envy for their having it. Guards with families were given the spattering of cottages, or suites in the keep, while the single men were housed in the barracks beside the keep, or the small, single rooms inside the castle. I had one of the rooms inside the walls of the castle, in the barracks wing, and I'd been meaning to speak to Prince Lhiam about maybe getting a cottage to myself. The gods knew I wasn't likely to marry at this point, and I didn't want to live out my days, and the gods forbid, my retirement, among the young men in the barracks.

Sami shifted into his cat from one step to the next, leaving behind a pile of Edon's clothes the prince-consort had given him. I rolled my eyes, stopped, and turned back for the pile. I gathered them up, glaring down at the cat, before continuing on.

Both Dasan and Nibley had been injured in the ambush the day before, so they had a few weeks of medical leave, per Lady Sera. Neither was seriously injured, but they'd fought hard and exhausted themselves and needed the rest.

A few weeks, Lady Sera had said, but I knew my old friends. Dasan would be chomping at the bit in boredom within a handful of days, Nibley only a little behind him, annoyed at Dasan more than anything else.

"Robert!" Nibley called when I came into view of their cottage. They sat on rocking chairs on their porch, watching the water of the lake beside their cottage lap at the shore, a cup of tea in Nibley's big hands, a jug of mead in Dasan's.

"Oh gods, yes!" Dasan whooped, excited beyond what I thought he should be just from seeing me. "I'm bored as hell, Robert! Entertain me!"

I chuckled and shook my head, coming up on the men and sitting on the steps leading up to their chairs. Sami pattered up hesitantly, his huge eyes studying me, then the big men behind me.

"Ah, you brought your new... friend," Nibley said, his gruff voice almost sweet as he waved at the cat at my feet. Sami sat on his haunches, watching us but making no move to show he understood.

"Can't really get rid of him," I muttered with a roll of my eyes. And then, "You have dinner yet?"

"We're invalids," Dasan whined, his eyes big and bright with pleading. "We're starved 'cause you've been neglecting our care in this, our time of great need. Some friend you are."

I scoffed. "You whiny child. It's a wonder you're still alive, if those little injuries are keeping you from eating."

"We just haven't gotten around to supper yet," Nibley explained with an eye roll. "You and the cat should stay and eat with us."

"Sami," I said without thinking, making both Dasan and Nibley freeze in place, both raising their brows at me in question. "It didn't seem like he had a name, so I gave him one," I finished with a shrug, praying to any gods listening that I wasn't blushing like a little girl.