Polyamory in the Foothills Fae Academy Series
Why is polyamory so common in the magical realms? The answer is simple—because it makes sense for some people. Not everyone, of course. Just like in our world, some relationships thrive with multiple partners while others fall apart under the weight of jealousy, control, or miscommunication.
In the magical realms, polyamory isn’t treated as taboo. It’s understood as one of many ways people can build love and family. For some, it allows bonds to flourish where a single relationship would feel restrictive. For others, it simply isn’t possible because of their personalities or the way they view love.
Take Amber, for example. If Jared had lived, it’s very possible that she, Jared, and Ben could have made a poly relationship work. Amber loved them both equally, and crucially—Jared and Ben respected each other. They had the kind of foundation that makes polyamory sustainable: mutual trust, no power struggle, and the ability to put Amber’s happiness first. Cases like theirs are exactly why polyamory thrives in the realms.
But not every couple is built for it. Gerald and Gloria, for instance, were far too toxic, too wrapped up in their own resentments to ever share love openly with a third. And Justin and Sierra—well, we all saw how possessive Sierra was of Justin’s time and attention. Even if they had managed to stay together, there was no room in their relationship for anyone else. Sierra’s jealousy would have poisoned any attempt at polyamory.
The point is: polyamory in these books is never about “more partners = better.” It’s about balance. It works when people can share without tearing each other apart, when there’s honesty, communication, and genuine respect. It fails when insecurity and control take over.
That balance—or lack of it—is part of what makes these relationships so human, even in a world filled with magic. It’s also why stories of grief, love, and chosen family in these books often circle back to questions of who gets to love whom, and how much space the heart truly has.
In the end, polyamory in the magical realms is simply one more way of showing that love is never one-size-fits-all.