Aden

I'm staring in wonder through the shattered window of Tarsus' chambers as Jawbone City comes to life. After our first heavy rain in over a month, Sunlight breaks through the everlasting clouds above, blanketing the city in a warm glow while green plants immediately sprout up as Mother Terra's curse on the land lifts. Not a cloud is in the sky now, and certainly no plumes of smoke and ash.

It's almost as if the volcano never erupted.

Clav saved me.

He marched into that cavern, fully human, yet with the voice and authority of a fae sovereign. He rescued me, and then took my place as the sacrifice. Abaddon returned us here immediately, as Clav ordered. And now the planet is saved.

But Clav is gone.

I stretch my hand out on my flat belly, tears welling in my eyes. I didn't even get to tell him about the babe growing in my womb. Our baby. I didn't get to say goodbye. He just…leapt in, gave up his life for all Five Empires.

For me.

A tear skips down my cheek as I scan the city beyond. The legend of Sovereign Clavicle will forever be told. I'll make sure his child knows what their father did for the world, and for us.

Tarsus comes up behind me and wraps their arms around my waist, tugging me back against their solid form. Reaching up, I caress the back of their head and bring their face down for a kiss. They moan against my mouth, then pull away, their fingers spreading across my stomach.

"You'll need to make a prenatal appointment in the human realms, soon," they murmur.

I snort. It's strange, living in a fae realm where volcanoes are alive and magic is as normal as the air we breathe, yet having to deal with something as humanly normal as prenatal visits. This baby will certainly be a constant reminder that I'm not a fae, and still have human responsibilities to attend to.

"I wish he could have seen his child," I say, my throat going thick as I look out the window again.

Tarsus presses their lips into my hair, tightening their grip around my waist. "Me too," they say, their voice husky.

The chamber doors burst open, and we both tense.

I can sense his presence before he speaks. Clavicle carries with him a certain power that crackles off his body like lightning. Even in his human form, I could sense his authority in the bat cave. I can see now why Tarsus was so afraid of him, why I should be afraid of him.

Because when I turn and face this tall, lean creature with massive antlers and piercing silver eyes that seem to peer into my very soul, I realize I'm facing a fae sovereign powerful enough to cheat death.

His hair is no longer pink, but bone-white and cropped short. No black-rimmed glasses perch on his nose. His facial bone structure is sharper, his body leaner, and he stands several inches taller than Tarsus. He's every inch a fae king who stepped straight out of a fantasy novel. To top all that off, there's a fierce confidence in his expression that was never there before.

"Brother," Tarsus says, their grip tightening protectively around my waist. Tarsus might have wished human Clav lived, but Sovereign Clavicle is a whole other force to be reckoned with, and I can feel Tarsus' fear radiating off their body. "I thought you threw yourself into the volcano."

Clavicle lifts his chin, and even his jaw is more chiseled than it was when he was human.

"Did you change your mind?" Tarsus asks, and I note the tremor in their voice. "Because if you're here to collect , you'll be massively disappointed."

Pure torment enters Clavicle's silver eyes as he looks between us. He exudes power in every step as he crosses the room toward us. Tarsus' arms tighten protectively around my waist.

Clavicle stops less than a foot in front of us, the scent of earth and woodsmoke infiltrating the air around us. He studies Tarsus closely, and I almost think he's completely blowing me off because now that he's fae…I'm an insignificant human. And Sovereign Clavicle hates humans. To him, I'm nothing but a pet. And being a full foot shorter than both of them as they stare each other down, I feel like a pet. A child. A nothing.

Tarsus and I stand still as stones as Clavicle looks them up and down.

Then his piercing silver eyes meet mine, and I stop breathing. How could I breathe with his direct attention on me? This powerful fae, this Spine Sovereign who could turn me to dust with half a thought. I flinch when he reaches toward me, but he only pinches my chin between his thumb and his finger. His lips part in a gasp as he studies me like he's never seen me before. Like maybe there's a part of him that was hidden away, watching me from afar while Clav made love to me, and that part is finally touching me, seeing me in the flesh.

"," he says in a husky voice. Then he leans down and covers my mouth with his.

His kiss is rough and possessive as his tongue slips into my mouth, exploring me like a man who's gone too long without a lover. Tarsus' grip is still tight around my waist as Clavicle pushes into me, pressing my back into Tarsus' solid form with his body as he devours my mouth. Reaching up, I press my hands against the solid muscles of his chest, visible beneath the deep V of his black robes. I can feel Tarsus' erection on my back as they watch us make out. I'm fully receptive to Clavicle as I open my lips, allowing him access to my mouth.

Something is so familiar about him, his taste, his smell, the way his chest feels beneath my fingertips. Yet, there's something so incredibly foreign about him. He's more confident. More in control. A vessel just barely strong enough to contain all the power he exudes. He's larger than life and far more terrifying than he ever was before.

He pulls away and studies me again, his breaths ragged as if that simple kiss made him complete unhinged. He's slightly more scary without his glasses on, but when he smiles that lopsided grin, I know Clav is still in there. Tears burn my eyes, and I reach up and caress his cheek.

"Is it…you?"" I ask, my voice hoarse as I fight back tears. Because the thought of Clav being gone for good would destroy me.

He covers my hand with his own. "It's me, . All of me."

A tear skips down my cheek, and I wrap my arms around his narrow waist, pulling him in for a fierce hug. It's only then that Tarsus finally releases their iron hold from around my waist, seeming to sense that I'm safe. It's strange holding Clavicle in my arms now. His body feels foreign in my arms with how tall he is, how muscled his torso feels as I tighten my arms around him. He holds me close, rests his chin on my head as he strokes my back.

When I returned to the human realms to find Sovereign Clavicle and bring him home, I didn't expect to fall for him. I didn't expect this story to have a happy ending. But my heart is so full right now.

So. Incredibly. Full.

Tarsus, however…they treated Clav poorly. And now Clavicle could be here for revenge. I step back, allowing them to face each other. Clavicle is already staring at Tarsus, as if assessing them.

"Tarsus," Clavicle says. He takes a step toward Tarsus, but Tarsus takes a larger step back. I have never seen my fae lover so afraid. They're brave and powerful and nothing scares them. But their antlers, once large and intimidating, look small compared to Clavicle's. The power sweeping off Tarsus' body is nothing but a wisp of pale smoke compared to the whirlwind of power coming off Clavicle. "Will you…forgive me?" Clavicle asks.

Tarsus blinks, opens their mouth to respond, and promptly shuts it. "I, um. What?"

Clavicle takes another step toward them until Tarsus' back is flush against the wall. The fae sovereign presses his palms flat against the wall on either side of Tarsus' face and leans in until both their antlers click together.

"I said ‘will you forgive me?' For all the pain I caused you. For ruining your life. For betraying your love. For all of it. I am…so sorry, Tarsus."

The knot in Tarsus' throat bobs as they swallow. They straighten, realizing Clavicle isn't here for revenge.

"I'll forgive you," they say, "if you forgive me for the way I treated you when you were my prisoner. It was not right of me to lock you up, nor to order you to my chambers that night and…do the things I did to you."

Clavicle's lips tug into a rugged grin. "As if I didn't enjoy every bit of that last part."

Pink touches Tarsus' cheeks. Clavicle studies their lips, biting his own as he does so. Then he leans in and covers Tarsus' mouth with his own. These two—I never thought I'd see them together like this, but warmth floods my chest as I watch them kiss.

And my heart squeezes, because ever since I met Clav, ever since I knew he was innocent, I longed to see this reunion between them. Tarsus never got over Clavicle. There was always a part of them missing. I could sense it from the day we met. The heartache, the longing. And now, for the first time since I met him, my Tarsus is whole again. Tarsus rarely smiles, but they're smiling now, a big grin splitting across their face that makes fresh tears spring to my eyes. Gods, I'm so hormonal.

"To the bed," Clavicle orders, looking between us. "Both of you."

A thrill courses through me, and I do as I'm told.

"On your hands and knees, human."

I don't know why, but this powerful sovereign before me calling me human is so base that it nearly makes me orgasm right there. Obediently, I crawl onto my hands and knees while he removes his robes, leaving his marble-white, muscled form on display for me to admire. Clavicle tugs my trousers down, baring my ass, and he smacks it. I flinch and moan at the same time. Fuck.

"I'm going to penetrate you with my fat, fae cock, ," he says. "Where do you want it?"

"In my center," I say huskily.

He growls in response, and I feel his cock prod my entrance. It's definitely, definitely bigger than his human cock, even larger than Tarsus' cock, though I didn't know that was possible. I flinch as he slowly slides in. He has to push a little harder as I stretch to acclimate to his size, but he's gentle, watching my body language.

He pulls out, then slowly moves in deeper, forcing me to get used to him. His fingers find my clit, and he rubs it in slow, agonizing circles that makes me wet enough for him to slide in more easily. Slowly, he slides in and out, going deeper each time until our fluids have lubed us both up enough to make him slide in and out more easily.

"Tarsus," he says, his voice raw. "I want you inside me."

I blink in surprise. I've never been a part of a gay train, but holy shit, it's been on my to-do list for awhile now. I hear Tarsus moan, and look across the room at the wall-length mirror to see them grip Clavicle's shoulder with one hand while guiding their dick into Clavicle's ass with their other hand. They're both naked now, both of them powerful gods with muscled lean bodies, silky hair, and antlers stretching toward the ceiling. Tarsus is a few inches shorter than Clavicle, their long white hair falling in blankets over their shoulders as they thrust their hips forward, into Clavicle's waiting ass. I feel Clavicle's dick swell inside me from the movement as he growl in pleasure.

"Fuuuuuck," he moans. Slowly, he builds up his rhythm inside me, his fingers expertly playing with my clit, while Tarsus fucks him from behind.

In the wall-length mirror across the room, I see our reflection and nearly cream myself. Here I am, a human kneeling on the black silk sheets of a double king, four post bed, a seven-foot fae king with antlers, thrusting his massive cock in and out of me. His head is thrown back in pleasure, eyes closed as he grunts with every push of his dick. Behind him, Tarsus fucks his ass, their long fingers white as they grip Clavicle's hips, bracing themselves against him. Tarsus thrusts his dick into Clavicle, who then thrusts into me, and I brace myself, wanting to take all of him inside me.

"Damn," I breathe, staring at our reflection as if it were the best piece of art ever created. "I really am living the fantasy life, aren't I?"

Clavicle opens his hooded eyes and meets my gaze in the reflection. A lazy smile grows on his face, and his fingers tighten around my hips as he thrusts into me again, hitting that g-spot and nearly making me cum. I whimper, and that lazy smile of his turns into a feral grin.

"You sure are, sweetheart."

I shudder at the evil glint in his eyes. It's going to take some getting used to, reconciling innocent Clav and evil Clavicle into one person, but holy shit, I'm so here for it.

He leans forward until his mouth is inches from my ear, and I feel his breath on my lobe as he adds, "Promise me you'll write about it."

I nod and reach back to caress the back of his head, my fingers wrapping around one of his antlers. "Absofuckinglutely."

We build up the rhythm until the four-post bed creaks beneath the force of their thrusts. Clavicle fists the blankets on either side of my face while I grip his antler, as he pumps in and out of me, and that's my undoing, my center clenches around his cock, milking him, and I hear him moan as his cock swells and releases into me. Tarsus must feel the chain reaction, because they, too, release that familiar, deep groan they always make when they cum.

Once we're all limp-dicked and practically in pleasure-induced comas, we crawl onto the massive bed and lie down. Clavicle tucks me in between him and Tarsus. Propping himself up on one elbow, he studies me while dragging his fingertips up and down the length of my abdomen, and I'm reminded of something very important that he probably needs to know.

"Clavicle, um, there's something I have to tell you."

He hums in response while he studies me with glazed eyes, as if he never wants to forget me. This Prince of Ruin, the most powerful sovereign in the realm, who even has Mother Terra eating from the palm of his hand, is staring at me like I'm the only thing that matters.

"I'm all ears," he mutters, brushing a lock of hair from my eyes. Tarsus curls up on my other side, their arm around my waist as they nuzzle my neck in quiet support.

"So, remember when we fucked?"

His lazy grin returns. "Which time?"

I nearly choke. "That's a good question. Um. Probably the first time?"

He hums in response.

"Well, I kind of didn't use protection. Because the only folks I have sex with are fae, and they can't exactly get me pregnant, and, well, it didn't even cross my mind—"

"Holy shit, ." His fingers still on my stomach. "Are you pregnant with our baby?"

I honestly can't tell if he's horrified, shocked, or elated. Either way, he has the right to know.

"Yes," I whisper, then swallow hard. "I'm about a month along."

His brows arch, and I'm not sure, but I think I see moisture build in his eyes. "There's a little…Clavicle- hybrid growing inside you?"

I nod.

A laugh escapes him, and he wraps his arm around my waist into a fierce embrace and covers my mouth with his. He laps me up, kissing me deeply until I'm wet again, needing his cock inside me.

"I guess you're okay with that?" I mutter against his lips.

He pulls away and searches my eyes. "This is news I didn't even know I needed. But my god, ." He moves his gaze to my abdomen that's not yet swollen and covers it with his hand, and Tarsus covers his hand with their own jeweled hand. I place my hand on top of theirs, and I swear, I have never felt so full, so complete in my life.

"We're going to have a baby," I whisper, looking between Tarsus and Clavicle. "And I can't think of two better partners to help me raise them."

*

The next morning, we decide to have the official coronation ceremony. Though Clavicle has already been crowned as Spine Sovereign, the people need confirmation that he's back to rule. Rumors spread through the city like wildfire after many people saw him, and no one knows what to believe. After all, the Spine Sovereign supposedly abandoned them for twenty-three years while Tarsus took over.

I'm sitting on the throne to Clavicle's right, Tarsus on his left. And Clavicle…he sits on the Throne of Bones, his polished antlers gleaming in the sunlight that now streams through the column windows that run along the walls of the throne room.

A Spine Priest mutters some traditional nonsense, then steps up to the dais and places the Crown of Teeth upon Clavicle's brow. Because of his antlers, the crown comes in two pieces that lock together. It's made of rows and rows of white teeth of some horrible beast, and normally it would seem too big, too powerful for anyone to wear, but Clavicle owns the crown, owns the room with his powers, his presence. And as he stands with the Crown of Teeth upon his brow, everyone falls to their knees. And the ground…the ground trembles as through welcoming its master home.

He's not the same human I met weeks ago…and yet, he is. He bears the same kindness, the gentleness, hell, even the cringe dad jokes still fill the palace halls. But he's also not afraid like he was before. There's no anxiety, no uncertainty, no self-deprecating like there was before. He's confident and powerful and…beautiful.

As soon as the priest steps off the dais, Clavicle straightens and looks over the courtiers, the humans, the staff of the palace, and then finally he looks at the transcribers, who are prepared to write his first words as Spine Sovereign.

"My first law," he says, his deep, authoritative voice ringing through the large hall, "is to set all the humans free from slavery."

My heart lightens. Even though Tarsus made this law as prince regent, there was a possibility Clavicle would change it once he took back his throne.

"Humans and fae and folk will all live in the Spine Empire as equals," he continues. "Anyone who disobeys this law and treat humans as less-than will have their skulls crushed and their traitorous bones added to my throne."

The coldness in his voice sends a shudder down my spine. But nobody balks. If there were any who detested Tarsus' rule—which believe me, there were many—they certainly don't show their disapproval in the fact that Clavicle plans to rule much like Tarsus did in his absence.

"My next law is this," Clavicle adds. "Tarsus and will rule by my side as my equals. I am not above them, and they are not beneath me. And so I present you with Sovereign ," he gestures toward me, "and Sovereign Tarsus."

I stop breathing. This was not a law I'd anticipated him making. No Sovereign has ruled with another by their side—as their equal. Especially not a human. But this is apparently something Clavicle was planning. For two more priests return again, each holding a Crown of Teeth identical to the one Tarsus wears. One is latched around Tarsus' brow, and then the priest before me mounts the stairs to my throne, extends his arms, and places a crown fashioned from the razor-sharp teeth of some terrifying beast upon my own brow.

The crown is heavy, the teeth welded together by gold and silver. I straighten, surprised at how the crown fits me as if it were made for me. Which, I suppose it was.

"Bow to my co-sovereigns," Clavicle orders, and everyone in the room, noble and servant alike, falls to their knees before us.

I'm a king. I'm a fucking king in a fantasy land. I didn't even know I wanted this. I was fine being a boyfriend, or a consort, or whatever you call the companion of a king. But having this power placed in my hands…. No one will ever question again if I'm the king's plaything. Even Clavicle couldn't direct an order at me that I would have to follow.

Because we are equals now. Both of us kings, all three of us sovereigns.

And a new sort of power infiltrates my veins as I slowly accept my place as king. It's not only that Shadow Magic that's always lingering beneath my skin. It's that pure white bone magic that I've seen Tarsus wield. It's a connection to the land, to the Spine Empire, and the empire's duty to obey my commands.

The power crackles through my blood and bones, and I suddenly feel younger, stronger. I'm not fae, but I'm not fully human, either. Like many of the folk who roam these lands, I'm some hybrid in between the two. But the immortality…I can feel it. Like my bones are made of steel.

I look at Clavicle, my heart warming at the love I behold in his eyes, then I look over him at Tarsus, whose mouth is agape in shock, their silver eyes lined with fresh tears. They liked ruling, I know that much. Not for the power, but for the authority to make the empire a better place. To have that power restored, that authority restored, is the best gift Clavicle could have ever given them.

"I present you," the High Bone Priest says, "with your new Sovereigns. Sovereign , Sovereign Clavicle, and Sovereign Tarsus. You may rise."

The court all stands as a unit, all eyes wide as whispers ripple through the room. Then a large oak table is brought out, a banquet fit for three sovereigns. A large beast has been roasted over the mammoth fire, and now the chefs carve meat out of it and pass it to the guests. Large pumpkins decorate the table, pumpkin bread still steaming as it's sliced and passed out.

I accept my hearty feast, my mouth watering, and dive into the meal before washing it down with sweetened wyvern milk.

"You know," Clavicle says, seated beside me as he digs into his own meal, set on the table that was placed in front of the three of us. "I don't think I ever took the time to thank you, , for being the only one who truly believed in me, even after my swear fingers had crumbled off." He meets my gaze, his silver eyes shimmering in the sunlight. He was cute as a human, but as fae, he's utterly breathtaking. "So thank you, , for standing up for me in a world where you were outnumbered by fae and folk."

A grin tugs on my lips, and I lean in, kissing him on the cheek.

"Whenever you write your fantasy novel about this place," he adds, a tinge of pink touching his cheeks, "and it becomes an instant bestseller, please sign a copy for me."

I snort and shove him playfully. "I'm not sure I'll have time to write with all the sovereign responsibilities falling to me now."

"Oh?" Tarsus' brows shoot up as they look over at me, clearly listening in on our conversation. "What sorts of plans do you have as a sovereign, ?"

I look between my two co-sovereigns, my partners, and a wicked grin spreads across my face.

"I'll show you both tonight what my first plans as sovereign entail."