Page 34 of Triadic

"I need a break tonight," Corbi tossed out. "No sex, just cuddling. But tomorrow if you're interested—"

"Will you let me bottom for you? Both of you?" interrupted Peter breathlessly.

He looked between us as if he couldn't believe it. I chuckled and shook my head fondly.

"What say you, Marit?" asked Corbi.

"Sure. I've been looking forward to it, too."

Peter gave a victorious whoop, then punched and kicked the air. Without another word he whipped around, smacked his bum, and sashayed away, presumably back to the kitchen. "See you at dinner!"

My partner turned to me, his joy echoing mine. "What have we gotten ourselves into?"

I pecked his lips. "I don't know, but I'm excited to find out."

Chapter Sixteen: Peter

One day later—February 24, 2448

Sliding the pamphlet back into my pocket, I walked the length of the hall, focusing on the sound of my indoor shoes on the wooden floorboards. But another tapping kept following me at one window, then the next, until the fourth or fifth window made me finally slow to a stop and glance that way with no small amount of trepidation.

A little gray-and-brown bird was pecking at the window pane. It would give a few taps, then stare right at me, gripping the sill with its tiny feet.

"You don't want in here, birdie," I cooed. "You'd hate it in here! No worms for you, or at least I hope there aren't any worms in here."

And yet as I walked a few more steps, the little thing flew to the next window, and then the next, to keep pace with me, and kept tapping at each one.

I stopped again, and it did something strange: it flattened itself against the glass as if it could maybe ooze right on through, though of course that didn't happen. The glass on the monastery windows was expensive and made by aGlasmacherin town. For a quick moment I hoped that the shadowy horseman outside from two months ago had been a trick of the light through one of the older glass panes, but I worried I was not so lucky.

The little bird seemed to really want me to open that window and let him in. Yet not even one full season after I had accidentally followed a magical creature through a veil that separated me from the physical world, should I really trust that it was just a curious bird?

"I'm three floors up," I told the bird through the glass. "I can't go flying with you. If I let you in here, I trust that you won't harm me. If you do something that makes Marit and Corbi sad, I'll come back as a ghost and haunt you. All your worms will taste like dust."

The bird tilted its head as if trying to analyze me, then went back to pecking at the window. With a sigh, I gave up and unlatched it.

The bird squeezed through the crack as I opened it, through a space that seemed too slim for its round body. I quickly closed and latched the window again, not eager to be scolded for letting out the heat with snow in every direction.

The gooey bird solidified back into a regular bird and landed on the back of my outstretched hand. I brought him close and realized why he'd looked so gooeybefore: surely this was an etheric bird! No physical bird could squeeze through a crack like that. Corbi had explained that the etheric body suffused the physical body and would feel exactly the same way physicality would. Indeed, when I closed my eyes, my hand still felt the slight weight of the little bird, the textured pressure of its tiny feet.

As it settled its wings, I examined it at the same time as it seemed to examine me. Its feathers were a sandy brown, and it had short wings speckled with white, short tail feathers held erect. I'd never been much of a bird watcher, but I knew I'd seen these in my home village. Furthermore, there was a mage I'd never met who still held a place in my new life, that supposed elephant in the room.

I brought my hand up, so we stood eye to eye.

"Are you a wren?" I asked.

Chapter Seventeen: Corbi

I excused myself from the clinic and braved the cold and snow, bundled to the brim. The forest was quiet, with only the gentlest breeze. The snow dampened all sound.

The walk had me feeling like a dog coming home with my tail between my legs. My fellow medics had finally put a stop to my distracted behavior and sent me home for lunch:go see Marit, reset, then you can come back to work.

How on earth was I supposed to focus on work, when I knew what would happen tonight? Giving Peter pleasure, the most precious mewls and sighs he'd make as Marit and I treasured him. The incredible, soothing relief that washed through me whenever Peter finally let go, trusting us to take care of him. I loved giving Peter blow jobs. And tonight, I might finally get to fuck him, too.

I smirked and shook my head, unable and frankly unwilling to banish such thoughts from my mind. I'd have lunch and check on mypartners. My heart wanted to see them, just confirm they were okay and having a good day.

"Grant us, O Holy Ones,

Thy protection, and in protection, strength."