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I pull him into a hug. “Of course, I don’t mind, but do you really want to ride up there? I mean, you don’t have to. You always belong wherever I am.”

Bastien nuzzles against my neck, inspiring a pleasant shiver to tease through me. Then he admits, “I’ve never gotten to ride anything, ever, and certainly not the mounts of warriors. I’ve only ever hidden from the world, never able to be comfortably seen. That’s over now because ofyou. I can live in the world now because ofyou. I can discover everything that I missed while I was scrounging a life in the shadows.”

“Oh, Bastien, I’m so sorry.”

His grin is stunning. “It was worth it—it wasallworth it—to be with you now. To be yours now and forever.”

“Mine forever—I love those words, and I promise I won’t hold you back. We’re going to have all the adventures and do everything, just as soon as we get Nico back.”

I kiss him then, his lips tasting different to me, sweeter now in a way I don’t understand. His feathers are brighter than they ever were, and I notice the feather designs on my arms shimmering like a disco ball.

“What’s happening?” I whisper to Bastien.

“I think our bond is solidifying and will probably intensify until we…mate.” That last word is spoken in a hushed whisper, as he’s clearly aware of my father’s proximity to us.

Unable to stop myself and relieved that my father turned in the other direction, I lick Bastien’s lips and feel an edgy spark flickering inside me. Then I grab him and kiss him deeply, my eyes closing as Bastien’s feathers move swiftly enough that we’re about to leave the ground.

When I force myself to pull back, I giggle. “Riding with Pennie is a very good idea.”

Bastien’s breaths are ragged and he leans forward, resting the top of his head against my rapidly rising and falling chest. I wrap my arms around his head, while his arms envelop me. Our song is a giddy dance of love and need, wrapped in the kind of trust that has always been my dream. Bastien doesn’t feel like property to me, or to himself, but he is without question a treasure like no other and so is our bond.

“Okay, time for you to go,” I sputter while laughing, as Remy and his soldiers eye us with unbridled curiosity.

I know Tarans are rare, but I’m not sure why the knights are so intensely interested in us right now. They already saw Bastien. They chased him. They even snared him, which causes a spike of rage in my otherwise pleasant mood. But now, they’re gawking at us like we’ve sprouted alien heads and are singing show tunes about cats. When confronted by a mystery, usually I dive into the answer well, but not this time. We’ve got more than enough to deal with at the moment.

Bastien kisses my cheek and then practically skips to Pennie, his jubilance a salve on so many worries busy planting seeds inside me. No matter what happens, Bastien’s safety—his chance to thrive and own his life—has to be my top priority. Wherever Nico is, whatever he’s enduring, I know he agrees with me about that. This is what he wanted for Bastien, for me, for our family.

I watch as Pennie lifts Bastien onto the saddle before joining him up there, the two of them looking perfectly right together. That beast they’re riding better take good care with that stinger or I’m going to lop it off.

It takes a moment to realize that Archie is standing beside me, just a few feet from the carriage door.

“Are you ready, my Lady?” he asks in a cautious tone, as though assessing the level of my discomfort with our travel plans.

“I’m ready to get Nico back, whatever that means, and apparently it means going for a ride in this cushy carriage. I really appreciate it, Archie—nothaving to ride on one of those things.”

In a muffled tone, he murmurs, “They can hear you and understand every word, and they can choose not to carry us, so…”

I blow out a breath. “So, I should keep my questionable attitude to myself and just get in the carriage.”

Archie grumbles, “Well, I would have said that in a much nicer tone, butyes.” He offers me his hand, which I take, and guides me up the steps into the truly impressive carriage.

Two huge sofas are situated at the front and back, with fluffy pillows and thick blankets, all in matching emerald green. Dad and I will be living large during our journey to the queen, that’s for sure.

Archie gestures toward the ornate wood chest on the far side. “The chest contains snacks and refreshments. We’ll stop at a few towns—at least one inn—along the way. The steeds require breaks for meditation and reflection. Other than that, we’ll be traveling for about a day and a half. Please, let us know if you require anything.”

I kiss his massive hand. “Thanks, Archie.”

He blushes deep violet, releases me, nods to my father, and then shuts the door after my dad is seated on the couch opposite me.

My dad sighs contentedly, his expression thoughtful. “When I said you needed abiglife with all sorts of adventure, I truly believed it, but this is… well,wow. I had no idea this was the life that was calling to you.”

“Me either.” I run my fingertips along the green velvet sofa. “I thought there was something wrong with me, the way all of it felt so empty. The daily grind. The expected paths we’re all supposed to gladly walk… it all just feltwrong. Now, I know why.” I stare at my dad, sharing the openness and confidence I feel. “You must have questions, but I just want you to know that I belong here with these marvelous monsters who care for me in a way that’s beyond what I ever thought possible.”

“Of course, they care for you. Who wouldn’t?”

I scoff. “Manysyllable-deficient human men, that’s who.”

“Fools, but we already knew that.”