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Narsus had personally settled their unplanned guest in for the night. By cooking him a meal. Securing Lune’s old room by closing the slider glass wall and tying curtains into place. So Tryce could sleep in peace without a helmet wrenching his neck.

And now the stars were glittering brightly through the big, circular window of the bedroom Narsus shared with his husband. The muted sounds of the lulling surf washing away the day’s trial.

When Lune walked in from the bathroom, a mild scowl flattened his mate’s mouth. “Are you all right?” Narsus asked, worried. “No pain from your transformations?”

“No, I’m fine. Just stewing a little. Please don’t take this poorly. I’m glad we’re providing Tryce a safe place for the night. Knowing what you’ve been through with your own mask… It has me realizing how much of an exhausting responsibility it is to protect those around you— every second. But…”

“What?” Narsus sat on the mattress and peeled off his boots. He held out his arms, and Lune slid into them. Narsus reveled in the closeness and intimacy .

“Don’t you realize?” Lune motioned at the bed. “We’re back where we started.”

“What makes you say that?”

Lune patted the sheets, slight frustration in the motion. “There’s only one bed. Again.”

A sly grin washed over Narsus’s face. “That’s a problem?”

“Of course it is,” Lune argued with mild spice. “Especially since it was you who invited Tryce to spend the night.”

“I couldn’t leave my best friend’s Intended out there, alone, to sleep all exposed on the beach.

” He offered an extra squeeze and a cuddle.

Brushing his nose against Lune’s cheek. “I also recognize how much stress this throws back on you—how much stress I’ve put you under in the last few days.

You’re reliving all that same bullshit, again, through Tryce.

It’s shitty of me to make those decisions for you, and grossly unfair. I will make this up to you.”

The Brightside-Tryce pairing raced back into Narsus’s thoughts. He untangled himself from the hug and slowly started pacing back and forth.

Lune lifted an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”

Narsus ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. Tryce…doesn’t seem to fit with Bree. Ah, now it’s your turn to not mistake me. Tryce is highly respected. And liked. I’ve never heard anything bad about him.”

“You’re being a very good and protective friend. But you have to let them, and the compasses decide.”

“Maybe. Maybe I’m still traumatized by the mismatch with Cinder.”

Lune scooted to the edge of the bed. “You’re too used to Bree and Cinder’s easy camaraderie. I’ve noticed their subtle, and flamboyant flirting. Some of the sexual tension between them. They hardly ever came out of their room.”

“They were giving us our space,” Narsus clarified.

“Are you sure? They seem very good together. It would be a smart match.”

The thought of Brightside and Cinder together strangely made Narsus happy. His friends were very comfortable together. It was obvious, especially at Brightside’s cottage. But now there was the mystery of Tryce and Brightside’s compasses flashing at the same time.

“A match, possibly, but not a Compass-match. Bree and Cinder live together. Cinder’s compass has never activated.

Ah!” The idea popped into Narsus’s head.

“Maybe if I meditate, I can reach Bree via his telepathy and give him a heads up. It’d be a long shot though.

He doesn’t have much of a telepathic range. ”

Lune launched himself and plowed Narsus back into the bed. “No you don’t. You let Bree and Tryce figure it out.”

Lune was right. He had to distract himself from interfering. “Why don’t you show me the boat you named after me?”

Lune made a stink face. “The boat I named after you? ”

Narsus grinned back. “Yeah, after me. Compass-matched, remember?”

Lune flopped onto the mattress. “Sorry. Sachin still has her out on hire. The harbormaster’ll send a messenger whenever he breezes back home. I hope it’s soon, though. I miss my boat. I want my boat. I miss Sachin, too.”

“Well, if I can’t see your boat yet, I can still fly us to Temple—”

“Will you stop with that?” Lune rolled on Narsus, then sat on him, pinning his wrists against the mattress.

“This is our first night, being able to freely touch. And play. Without clothes between us,” Lune complained.

“But we’re filling our time with talk about your friends.

And you invite a stranger who’s also a distant relative to stay. ”

“It was the right thing to do.”

Lune pouted. “I get that. And I’m glad of it, too.

But I wanted us to get to know each other, in private , now that we’re actually bonded .

After everything we’ve been through. We’ve earned it.

I know it’s just one more night, but I can’t help feeling so incredibly frustrated and guilty over my selfishness. ”

“We still can play, my songbird.”

“Not while the walls are so thin.”

Narsus gasped. “I knew it. You just wanted to take advantage of me. To see me naked again while wrecking bookcases and knocking knickknacks to the floor. How would Cal put it? You…you…lustful rogue!”

“You’re so astute,” Lune said dryly, arms crossed.

“Well,” Narsus offered in all sincerity.

“I do have a wedding present for you, to put you in a better mood. Well, it’s not really from me.

Although, I have been thinking about getting you something nice.

Just not sure what yet. It’ll have to be big, though.

I meant what I said about making it up to you.

” Narsus pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket.

“I found it on the table when you were in the bath.”

With eager curiosity, Lune unfolded it. He put a hand over his mouth as he read. “It’s…from Cal.”

“I know,” Narsus reminded.

“He’s…he’s…”

“Soundproofed our bedroom via long distance magic,” Narsus confirmed. “Just like he did with the fireproofing. From where ever the God of Space and Time decided to live out his days with his own chosen mate.”

“Oh great gods. Nar, do you know what this means?”

Laughter came before the answer. “I don’t know. What?”

Lune grinned and yanked off his night robe. “ Now , without any further interruptions, or distractions, I finally get to see your butt birthmark!”