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“Do you still feel that way?”

“Honestly, yes. I love our relationship. I love you.” He pulled her close again. “But this has all felt like a dream and I keep waiting to wake up.” He swallowed hard and her heart clenched. “With our relationship public I’m afraid of what you’ll learn and how others are going to influence your thoughts. I’m afraid of losing this. Of losing you.”

“You’re not going to lose me,” she said. “And no one is going to influence you away from me. I won’t let them.”

Rion gave her a weak smile. “It’s not a matter of manipulation. They’ll all be justified in their actions and words. I’m afraid you’ll finally hear something that crosses a line you can’t bear. I’m afraid you’ll be disgusted by it and never want to see me again.”

Arianna silenced him with a kiss. “I’m not disgusted by you.”

“Maybe you should be.”

“You’re as much a victim to the world, you know.”

“It doesn’t excuse what I’ve done. Plenty of others have had their share of difficult lives without resorting to killing."

Arianna lowered her voice. “Let me love you. Let me in despite your demons, and let me face them myself when the time comes.”

***

Arianna stood before the door dressed in a dark tunic and pants, her heart pounding as she thought about seeing Talon. Ellie and Eoghan had delivered their breakfast as they usually did, leaving it just outside the door. They were the only ones she could trust to not poison her mate, though she doubted anyone would risk poisoning her in the process.

Food. A bed. Clean clothes. Everything felt so strange, as if they’d been thrown into an alternate world and were left grasping at the straws of their old life.

Arianna grabbed the knob and a jolt of panic swept down her spine. Irrational. The fear was irrational. They’d been out all week, but they weren’t going to the infirmary this time. And she’d finally see Talon.

She’d strapped a long knife to her thigh, as she did every morning and two smaller blades slid easily into her boots. She’d never carried blades in Levea before, but somehow with everything that had happened in the last year and a half, she needed them.

Arianna tugged at the energy in her body, pulling a fine mist from the air just to remind herself that she had another weapon in her arsenal as well.

Plus, there was Rion. She wouldn’t be put in chains again.

Her mate pressed a feather-light kiss to the side of her neck. “We don’t have to go.”

Arianna sighed, wishing she could just run back to their furs and blankets. “Ellie would have a fit.”

He chuckled and his hot breath on the back of her neck sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. “She’s had a few. We survived.”

Right, but refusing to go shopping or participate in social events was a lot different than ignoring a promise.

She braced herself and turned the knob, letting the brisk spring air wash over and through her. This was home. This was Ellie and Talon and Eoghan. Fae she could trust, even around her mate.

Rion followed Arianna as she passed the thick ice that jutted up from the swirling streams of water carved into the platform. She touched one and solidified it. The magic was constantly melting with the warm air, but the maze of swirling walls did something to bring her comfort.

Ellie and Eoghan sat at the end of the walkway, speaking to one another about something that had Ellie waving her arms with excitement. The falls, no doubt. Rion’s magic rose around her and she felt a sharp spike of irritation. Eoghan.

Her magic responded, though it wasn’t to soothe her mate, rather herself as she gazed out into the open world. They weren’t just rushing across the path to the estate today.

“You’ll let me know if this gets to be too much, right?” she asked.

He squeezed her hand. “Only if you do the same.” Right. One step at a time. That’s all either of them had to take.

She took a breath, then started toward her sister with Rion at her side. Ellie’s gaze shot toward them and her sister beamed, placing her hands on her hips. “It’s about time, I thought I was going to have to drag you out of there.”

“Most mated couples get a few months of solitude.” She hadn’t meant for the words to have such a bite to them, but her sister responded as if she didn’t notice.

“I could list a million reasons why you’re not most couples. Least of all are the sheer number of people we keep away on a daily basis. And their questions.” She threw her hands in the air. “Half of them wonder if you’re still a captive.” Her sister winced and shot an apologetic look toward Rion. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it to sound like that.”

But Rion only shook his head. “No need for apologies, captivity is exactly how it started. I won’t hide the truth.”