Page 44

LYSANDER

J ust like I knew it would, getting on my knees for Ezra silences the tumult of the day.

His cock in my throat drowns out all coherent thought, and by the time we’re done I slump to the bed without a single bone left in my body.

The gentle noises of Ezra cleaning up lull me to sleep with his come cooling on my ass.

I have faint regrets in the morning when I wake up sore and sticky all over, but mostly I’m just… happy.

Tap tap tap .

I roll over. The tapping at the window must have been what woke me. I’m tempted to roll over and ignore it, but I suppose that would be rude to the poor bird. Reluctantly, I extract myself from Ezra’s embrace and pad to the window.

The crow on the other side of the curtain gives me a baleful look and taps the glass again.

Tap tap tap TAP.

I can’t deny a frisson of excitement at seeing Maddox’s messenger.

It could be word that the paperwork has finally been processed, which would mean the apartment Felix liked most is ready.

I’m holding out hope that he’ll come around to the idea.

I can tell he loves Ezra, and he must see how much Ezra cares about him and wants him close by.

“ Craah!” the crow says, hopping inside. It presents a leg.

“Shh,” I whisper. I untie the scroll from its leg and unroll the message.

Come to my office. I have important news.

- M

I frown. That’s more abrupt than I expected. What would Maddox need to tell me that he couldn’t send by messenger?

“Whazzat?” Ezra groans, shielding his eyes from the light.

“A missive.” I sit on the bed. The crow paces across my dresser and taps the mirror with its beak intermittently.

Ezra reaches for me. “Get back here, Your Majesty. We have a little reciprocal role-play to finish.”

His touch is tempting, but I inch away from his fingers. I’m eager to be ready for when Felix agrees to my plan, anxious to reveal everything to Ezra. I want him to know what I see in his future — friends, community, love, all the things I never had until I met him. The things he deserves.

“Up,” I tell him, standing so I can shake the nervous energy out of my wings. “I need you to drive me to Maddox’s office.”

Ezra puts a pillow over his face. “What time is it?”

“Almost eight!”

“That’s just not right.” He turns over. “Two more hours. Come cuddle — my dick is awake, but I’m not.”

The Midsummer King’s crown winks at me from the covers, tempting me.

Ezra looked so dashing last night, the gold nestled in his dark hair, his face flushed with arousal, brow furrowed while he teetered on the absolute brink of orgasm.

I shudder at the memory of his fist in my hair, pulling me back, and both of us panting.

We’re going to have to clean the crown thoroughly before returning it to Syril. In the meantime, why not add to the mess?

But impatience takes over. I yank the covers down and he yelps. “This is important. We can have sex later.”

Ezra rolls out of bed with a groan, all his golden skin on display, the dusting of dark hair over his chest and down his belly making my mouth water instantly. “Fine, fine. Is that a crow? A real crow?”

“ Crah! ” the crow agrees, bobbing.

“Maddox uses them as messengers. They’re very demanding.” I dig through my drawer for a treat and toss it to the bird, who grabs it out of midair.

Ezra pulls his boxers on quickly. “It’s weird being naked in front of a crow. Why do I feel like he’s judging me?”

“By crow standards, you must look strange. Except for your hair. And nose.”

I cover my mouth as Ezra glares.

“I don’t look anything like a crow.”

“You have a lot of shiny things in your face. Maybe he likes them.”

“ Raa-ah, ” The crow croaks, hopping along the dresser.

“Okay, I see you’ve both been taking lessons from Fitzie. I’m going to shower,” he huffs, swiping a towel from the chair.

“Wait!” I hurry after him.

An hour later, my legs still weak from a full-body orgasm Ezra gave me in the shower — because as it turns out, I have no self control around him — I crawl into the passenger seat of the truck and slump against the window. Ezra shuts the driver’s side door and chuckles at my state.

“I don’t know if you’ll be up for any role-play tonight, sweets.”

“I’ll recover.” I reach for him and his fingers entangle with mine.

“Let’s have a movie night.” He squeezes. “All of us, plus Fitzie. Larch is teaching me how to make pizza — he wants to convince Syril to get a stone oven installed. If we get the dough started early, it’ll be ready in time for everyone to DIY their own toppings.”

I smile back at him. He’s trying hard to bring Felix into the fold. “A movie night sounds perfect.”

The rumble of the vehicle lulls me half to sleep, but when Ezra parks, I perk up instantly.

“You want me to wait out here?” he asks.

“You can come in.” I stretch. “It won’t take long, I’m sure.”

Ezra gets out of the truck behind me. “It’s funny to think this is where we met. I thought you were so pretty in your human form.” He chuckles. “I had no idea.”

I’d been scared, confronted by his broad shoulders and intense gaze. I remember the thrill of fear distinctly. The whiff of his warm musk had set my pulse racing with alarm.

Or had it been something else all along?

The bell tinkles when I push the door open. Inside, the front desk is empty — Aster is absent.

“I guess I’ll sign in.”

The big guest book sits on the reception desk, as usual. I flip it open and leaf through the pages, looking for an empty spot. Names fly past — most I don’t recognize, but some I do. Owyn Maddox must know every monster in the city.

“Oh, Lysander. You’re here.” Maddox’s footsteps sound from the hall. He’s frowning, raking his loose hair back with one hand. His eyes flicker to Ezra. “You brought the human.”

Ezra lifts a hand awkwardly. “I just drove.”

“What did you want to see me for? Is it about the lease… ?”

I break off.

Behind Maddox, hooded figures take shape. Instinctively, I step in front of Ezra, my wings flaring. Blood roars in my ears.

Has Maddox betrayed me?

Black robes fill my vision. But there are no cult symbols — they’re not azeroths.

A growl slips from my throat. “Stay back!”

“Guys, please, not the theatrics.” Maddox looks around as the figures surround us.

Dark, smoke-like matter billows as the biggest figure steps forward, more than a head taller than Ezra, with massive arched black wings trailing behind him. A shadowfey, but not one I’ve ever seen.

“What’s going on?” I hiss, feeling my fangs emerge to kiss my tongue. I try to shield Ezra with my body, but it’s useless. They’re all around us now.

“I’m sorry,” Maddox says loudly as a supernatural wind sweeps through the office, rattling the pages of the sign-in book. “I had no choice.”

”Lysander, wildling prince,” the figure booms. Wickedly clawed hands lower the hood to reveal a dozen eyes and skin the color of the deep ocean. Horns made of pure shadow rise from the shadowfey’s temples. “We have been monitoring you at the behest of King Hellebore.”

My stomach sinks. The shadowfey king?

“What do you want with him? Who are you?” Ezra demands, stepping up beside me.

The Watcher’s eyes slide to him. “Ah, human. Your kind are always meddling in things you don’t understand. We are Watchers from the Monster Protection Agency. You’re in danger from the fairy.”

“What is this, some kind of intervention?” Ezra crosses his arms. “What danger? He can’t hurt me.”

I can’t find my tongue, stunned into silence.

“What Zagoth is trying to say is that there have been a few infractions lately —” Maddox begins.

The Watcher shoots Maddox a dozen looks at once, and the human falls silent, fingers going to his amulet.

He turns back to me. “We understand you have been sheltered, fairy, but nevertheless you must obey King Hellebore’s decree, for all have agreed to live by it.

No human can come to harm by a monster’s hand. ”

“I’m no danger to Ezra,” I stammer, but even as I say it, I know I’m wrong.

It was my fault he was ever in danger from the azeroths, and it was only Ann’s spear that saved us.

Zagoth holds up a shadowy hand and begins to tick off his fingers.

“You brought the human within reach of azeroths. You left the dryad’s to protection and spent nights in his home, knowing the azeroths were hunting you.

You took no precautions to stop him from absorbing your highly identifiable fairy magic.

You allowed him to risk himself rescuing you in the lake —”

“That’s ridiculous. I can swim,” Ezra says angrily.

Understanding snaps into place. What I saw on the shore wasn’t azeroths, but King Hellebore’s people. They’d been watching all along.

“Your judgment is compromised, fairy,” the Watcher interrupts as if he’s not there.

I flinch. I can’t deny it.

“Give me your amulet.” The Watcher holds out his hand, palm up. “Your enemies are close. You must stay among our kind, under protection, otherwise you endanger more than just yourself. The amulet is only for those who can be trusted to walk among humans.”

“Can’t you do something about the azeroths?” Ezra demands. “Wouldn’t that solve the problem? Without an amulet he’ll be trapped in The Sanctum.”

I lift the amulet off my neck. “They’re right. I should never have left Syril’s protection.”

“That’s bullshit.”

“We do not interfere with threats to individuals. Only threats to all,” the Watcher says. “We are here to ensure monster-human interactions don’t endanger our world.”

“How is it endangering your world if I’m the one at risk? I have the right to make my own choices.” Ezra’s eyes blaze.

Yet my heart has gone cold, because I understand. The azeroths were born because of monster-human relationships gone sour. Ezra loves our world, but not all humans will.

“If something happened to you, the humans would have the right to know what happened and why.” Ezra’s head snaps around. I push on, even though every word hurts. ”We would be forced to expose ourselves. And they could — just as rightfully — decide we’re dangerous.”

“Too dangerous to exist alongside them.” The Watcher’s voice is somber.

“You don’t give the humans enough credit,” Maddox says, but Zagoth shakes his head.

“The risk is too great. You know this.”

“I know what you think, and I disagree. But we can fight about it later.” Maddox steps into the circle and takes Ezra’s arm. “Come on. Better say your goodbyes, and they’ll take him home.”

“Wait, what?” Ezra twists to look at me, hurt clear as daylight on his handsome face. “Lysander, are you going along with this? I’ll come to The Sanctum instead of bringing you back to my place. We can figure it out together. These guys are just blowing smoke!”

Zagoth is unmoved. “He knows what is best.”

“You don’t speak for him!” Ezra growls.

My nails dig into my palms as emotions flare and die. “He’s right. I can’t bear to think of you in danger. What if I can’t protect you? What if the azeroths find you instead of me? I…” I swallow, my words coming out barely louder than a whisper. “I should never have let you become a target.”

His face twists in hurt. “Lysander…"

I have to turn away. My heart sinks like a stone, pulling my chest in on itself. Firm arms come around me and I go limp in his embrace like the weakling I am, unable to resist him. He grips me tight, his choked breaths in my ear.

“I love you,” he whispers.

I clench my fists in his shirt. “Ez, please .”

“It’s okay.” He strokes the spot where my missing wing would be with his thumb, and I feel his lips press my temple. “I understand.”

Then he’s gone.