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I purse my lips. “Ya fellas have seen myself-mating ritual—am I really supposed to be shy right now?”

Archie’s ridges, where eyebrows would be, raise and he turns deep violet. Nico’s fragrance becomes downright sexy. Pennie’s glistening skin sparkles and calls to be touched. And Bastien’s song becomes a symphony.

“Does that meanyes?” I ask with a saucy edge.

It’s Pennie who answers. “We will never deny you anything, Lady Bianca. Our bodies, our lives, our hearts… everything we are belongs to you for as long as you wish.”

I look at Archie and Nico. “If I go with them, is that rude to you?”

“No,” Archie says definitively and then mutters, “it will give us time to better prepare the place. Go. Have fun. We’ll see you tomorrow.” To Pennie, he adds, “Nico will see to things and we’ll have everything ready when you emerge.”

“Perfect,” Pennie says and then holds my gaze with a hint of challenge. “Are you ready to learn my secrets, Lady Bianca?”

“Oh, yes, I am.”

Chapter15

Bianca

With Nico’s encouragement, I lunge forward and wrap my arms around Bastien, as our shared song becomes decidedly gleeful. He nuzzles into my neck, inhaling deeply, which given my unwashed state should be off-putting but clearly is anything but. That’s quite a perk.

It seems impossible to be feeling what I’m feeling right now. Before crossing that portal, I felt like a key that was lost in a box of discarded things, abandoned and neglected, without the slightest hope of ever fulfilling its intended function. But there is now a song inside me that tells me without doubt that I was never abandoned and the neglect I faced was self-inflicted. A key to a magical door can never find its mate when the only locks it’s ever tried lacked any sort of magic.

I did that. I chose to never step up for the life—the magical life—I knew I was meant to live.

Idid that, smothering my own magic with an almost pathological devotion.

Isn’t it a wonderful thing that my monsters were waiting for me to be ready? A key constantly trying to cram itself into nasty, old locks wouldn’t be ready for magic. But when I was ready, they came, offering themselves and a magical life to me with no conditions. I can accept them and this life or reject them and this life. They will support me either way. I don’t know how I can be so certain of that, but I am.

I don’t understand it—I may never—but holding Bastien close feels like both my purpose and the greatest honor of my life. I was being honest. I couldn’t imagine being away from him for even a day, even somewhere in this castle. Would I hear his song if we weren’t together? I can’t even fathom what it would mean to lose our song for even a few moments, let alone forever if I were to choose to go back to my old life.

A shudder works through me at the realization that finding my magical lock, connecting truly, doesn’t mean smooth sailing and never-ending wonderment. I don’t actually know anything about my monsters, but I believe they aremymonsters if I wish to claim them. I also don’t know anything about this realm that would be my home if I chose this life, but there’s time to learn and they won’t lie to me.

What does it mean to stay here?

What do I have to sacrifice?

There is always sacrifice, even in the most wonderful things, because choices must be made. And choices are always accompanied by consequences.

So, after we get ourfreaky freakon—whatever that means—it will be high time for answers to all my questions and a super fabulous tour of every room in this castle.

Having felt my shudder, Bastien whispers in my ear, “Don’t be scared. Pennie is very good, and I am… devoted.”

“I’m not scared of that,” I say with a little snort. “And I’m officially getting out of my head and just embracing the adventure.” I pull back and gaze at his unbelievable beauty.

I feel like I’m just seeing him for the first time, now that the song has settled inside me in a way that doesn’t overpower all else. Bastien is entirely feathered, the colors breathtaking. He looks like what the most stunning opal would become if it sprouted feathers and became human-ish. His features are delicate. He’s my height and very refined, but I can tell there is power in his lithe frame. He’s wearing no clothes, but his features are concealed beneath the feathers in such a way that he doesn’t seem naked.

When I touch him, a possessiveness surges inside me, like he belongs to me and if anyone tries to take him from me, I’d tear them apart. So, that’s odd and maybe a little sketchy, but there’s time to work through all of this.

I realize Pennie is studying my face and I swear he’s catching every single one of my thoughts.

Just to check, I think really hard:Are you reading my mind?

Pennie chuckles. “No, I’m not—I don’t need to. Your face says it all and, for what it’s worth, I’m very pleased.”

A blush warms my cheeks. “I please you?” I whisper.

“More than you could possibly imagine. Are you ready?” he asks, gesturing toward a hall just inside the castle.