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“So youdoremember,” I teased.

She scoffed. “If I’d known you’d be like this, I would have thought twice about seducing you.”

“I very much doubt that.” I captured her lips in mine. “You were a female with a mission. I’ve never seen anything so sexy.”

A lazy smirk spread across her face. “Happy to please.”

I ran my hand up and down her side, relishing how her hips were the perfect handful. I’d never been more turned on, more attracted. I’d never wanted someone more.

Stars, I wanted her to be my soulmate.

Amongst the fae, once soulmates mated, a mark appeared on their skin. A twin mark signifying they belonged with one another.

That their souls twined together within the web of Fate.

Before sex, the stories claimed that one would feel strongly drawn to their soulmate. I felt that way with Neve, but perhaps that was only because she was so beautiful, so strong, and, because of her past, so unlike the ladies I’d been brought up to see as potential wives.

Plus, soulmates were rare. I didn’t know a single faerie who had met theirs, and it was possible that I never would either.

Would I be willing to give up searching for my soulmate for Neve? Would Neve even want that? Posing such a question required more courage than facing down a horde of orcs.

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

“About last night,” I admitted. “About us.”

Her eyes widened. “What about us?”

“I—”

A knock at the door startled her, and I groaned as the bell tower outside tolled the ninth bell. I swore as my father’s orders came rushing back to me. I was supposed to be in the yard, preparing to lead soldiers into the city to yank rebels from their hiding places.

“Prince Vale!” the Clawsguard at the door called out. “There’s a soldier here telling me they are waiting for you in the yard.”

“I’ll be right there!” I yelled before brushing back her hair and drinking in her beautiful face again. “I have to go.”

“Right.” Neve nodded. “Maybe we should talk later?”

“I’d like that,” I agreed and, frustrated in more ways than one, rolled out of bed.

I changed into my royal blue army uniform and went to my personal armory to retrieveSkelda, my sword. Once I was ready, I peeked into the bedroom again.

Neve sat on the bed, now covered in a silk robe, her feet tucked beneath the fur I kept over the foot of the bed as she drank from the flask filled with the Mind Rönd potion. Once she gulped down her daily dose, she waved.

“Be careful out there.”

“What are you going to do today?” I pulled on a black fur cloak and teased my wings through the slit so they remained free. Just by looking outside, I’d need the extra warmth. The snow was falling thick and fast.

“I might skip training. I feel like I could use the rest.”

“Take it then. Until later.” I yearned to kiss her but held off. We needed to talk about how we’d taken our relationship—a fake marriage—a step further last night.

And I needed to decide if I was going to be transparent with Neve about the depth of my feelings.

“Good luck,” Neve replied, and though I hated to turn my back on her, I left my room to hunt rebels.

Five bells later, my toes ached from the cold. Not only was the snow making it difficult to see, but the winds screamed off the Shivering Sea, souring everyone’s mood. I shivered, scanning the street and considering ducking into a shop to question the shopkeeper. Not that I expected any valuable information.

I was beginning to think the rebels were far more intelligent than we’d bargained for.