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Of course he’d bring this back to me being a queen.

“I also heard you outfoxed Malaki.” Des’s eyes practically dance at the thought.

“He wanted to hide me away like some fainting maiden.”

“Theaudacity,” he says.

Des takes my hand and, backing up, begins to lead me forward again. “I forgive you for your reckless endangerment this morning—”

I raise my eyebrows. “You areunbelievable.”

“—just as I’m sure you forgive me for abandoning you during such a situation.”

I guffaw.

Abruptly, Des stops us in front of a bronze door, the top of it coming to a curved point.

I’ve been so invested in our conversation that I haven’t been paying attention to where the Bargainer has been leading us.

“Where are we?” I ask, eyeing the door in front of me.

Des is giving me a look, his eyes sparking. I’d say he’s either particularly dangerous right now or particularly lusty—he tends to wear the same expression for both emotions. “Open the door.”

I stare at him for several seconds, my brows furrowing, then I grab the handle and swing the door open.

Inside, warm lamps hang from the ceiling. A series of columns hold up the arching ceilings, their surfaces inlaid with blue tile. The far wall is nothing more than open archways. Resting half inside and half outside the columned archway is an infinity pool, filled to the brim with Lephys’s glowing water. It snakes through the low lit chambers before curving out of sight. I’m not entirely sure, but I think it might bisect every one of this suite’s rooms.

Beyond the pool, Somnia is laid out before me, the lights of the city glittering amber and blue and pale green in the night.

I don’t think I breathe as I take it all in. I’m used to the beauty of the Otherworld, but this truly feels magical.

“You’ve been holding out on me, Flynn,” I say, walking deeper into the room, my gaze moving back to the pool.

I had no idea there evenwasa place like this in his palace.

“Do you like your wedding gift?” he asks from behind me.

“Wedding gift?” I turn to face him.

Des’s silver eyes gleam.

I glance around again. “Wait, are these … ?”

“Our new rooms.”

He slides his hands into his pockets, stepping up next to me to survey the chambers. “It’s no ocean—I’m afraid there are limits on even what I can do—but I figured my wife needed a place for her siren to unwind.”

Our new rooms.I’m still stuck on that. He did this all for me—forus.

The gauzy curtains blow in from the windows, the wind carrying in the evening scents. I run my hand over a column.

“I love it,” I breathe.

“I’m glad.”

When I glance back at Des, he wears a small smile on his face, his eyes soft.

Genuine happiness looks good on him.