Page 57 of Fated or Knot (UnseelieVerse: The Omega Masquerade #1)

57

LARK

T he carriage bumped along. I made myself cozy against Fal as we rolled toward the event, resting my eyes since I couldn’t see anyway. Our disguised scents mingled in the air, smelling of a different pack. I was growing used to it. This way, no females would be chasing my mates at the event, either.

Fal laced his fingers through mine again. “We’re all celebrating that you’re joining our pack tonight, mo stór . Everyone else attending the event is too, even though they don’t know it.”

“It’s not like we’ve kept our infatuation with Lark a secret,” Kauz put in.

“Then they can all release the fakest gasp of surprise together when we announce her as our princess at the autumn festival.” I could practically hear the dark elf rolling his eyes. “We could just do it earlier. It’s not like anything else about finding our mate has been traditional except for our celibate train buddy time.”

“I fucking hate trains now,” Marius muttered.

A growl came from Tormund’s direction, but all he said was, “Me too.”

“Our next overnight trip on a train won’t be celibate,” I said.

“Maybe I don’t hate trains,” the redcap conceded.

“Anyway,” Fal put in. “This is still my date with you, Lark, so I’m claiming your first and last dance.”

“Okay.” With that detail, alone, I had a good idea of what kind of event we were about to attend. There had been many hints already.

“We’ll leave a little early. How does moonrise sound?”

There was a murmur of agreement around the carriage.

“All right, good. I want our omega home and claimed by the midnight bells.”

I pressed my thighs more tightly together. My skin was flushed with the promise that I would be theirs by the end of the night. This time, there wasn’t any noise from the males. But their attention was all on me, their gazes a caress I could practically feel.

“Finally,” I breathed. And forever. The next few hours would set the rest of my life on course. I had one night to preserve my fate with these males as my mates.

There was a charged quiet for a while, before Fal broke it again. “Oh, before I forget. Thank you, Marius.”

“For what?”

“You know what.”

The other male made a sound halfway between a grumble and growl. Well, I thought Fal would figure out where the silver-veined crystal came from quickly. Unless he was thanking the kelpie for something else.

At any rate, I was practically vibrating with anticipation and nerves by the time the carriage came to a stop. Fal’s breath skimmed my ear as he leaned in. “We’re here. I’m going to carry you out of the carriage for the big reveal.”

I was up and pressed to his chest before I could agree, giggling as he tucked me under his chin to duck out the door of the carriage. We bounced down a couple of stairs before he placed my slippers on the ground and whipped away the blindfold. I covered my mouth with my fingertips, taking in the estate before us with a gasp.

The front gates of a palatial residence were thrown open to a steady stream of well-dressed fae. Even though the sunlight was fading to evening, the estate appeared to be coming to full life as darkness descended. Faelights shaped like insects darted between flowers in a lush garden full of blooming flowers.

Fal made a sweeping gesture. “Duke Revantee’s spring revel. Delayed by a few days, unexpectedly. Revantee Pack received a generous donation from the crown for their difficulties.” He winked, before offering his arm. “I thought you would want to be seen in the more traditional sense, mo stór . With me.”

I made sure to shut my mouth so I didn’t gape at him as a sense of awe filled me. The dress, the spring-themed event… “We’re redoing how we met.”

He flashed his fangs in a mischievous smile. “With a different ending, I hope.”

Surely my eyes twinkled with excited stars as I took his arm. I’d been a frightened spirit back then, a depleted ghost of myself with a painful limp. Fal had been a shock, something other I’d been trained to fear.

It’d be nice to smudge the lines of the past. Take away the fear, the pain, and the uncertainty, to replace it with love and new beginnings. And pack , as we entered the event with my other three mates right behind us. “Pack Sorles,” Fal said to the servants at the gates. He barely broke his stride. Instead of checking the guest list for our names, they simply bowed and gestured us on.

As we passed through the gates, the gardens seemed to grow three times the size. Blooms gilded with essence opened our way, and the faelight insects buzzed like real ones. Trees unfolded from out of nowhere. Faelights shaped like owls hooted amongst their branches. “Whoa. Is this an illusion?” I asked.

“Aye. The Revantee Pack is a kitsune family. They always have impressive illusory work at their events,” Fal explained.

As he spoke, a cluster of flowers grown to about shoulder height unfurled their petals. Each contained a glittering letter on the inside to spell out: “Welcome revelers!”

“Fascinating.” This was a murmur of admiration from Kauz. If he was impressed, it was definitely well done.

We made our way into the mansion, and were greeted and pointed in the right direction by house moths and guards, all wearing the white and red of Duke Revantee. The flow of revelers slowed in the narrower halls, leaving me to do the same thing as many others. I admired the art on display. Antique paintings, vases, and collections under glass cases were all set out for us along the way. Probably on purpose as a flaunt of wealth.

I also chatted idly with my mates as we shuffled toward the main event. They’d come to surround me amongst this crowd and I had a feeling that was also on purpose. Marius in particular stayed alert of our surroundings. Our kelpie bond thrummed with his protective instincts, right next to his feral impulse to scoop me up and plonk me back in my nest to start my heat in privacy.

In a way, it was too bad that wasn’t the plan. In another, once we reached the party, my worries and the ache in my core faded to background noise. The live orchestra was heard throughout the mansion, but as we filed into the vast, open space of the ballroom, the music was loud enough to resonate in my soul. I tilted my head back with a coo. The ceiling had to be another vast illusion, as it seemed there was no roof, only a night sky with stars to rival the dreamlands. There had to be a real ceiling up there somewhere, as the hanging garlands of flowers and golden lanterns had to be tied to something. Their floral fragrance colored the air.

“There’s a lot of fae here,” I murmured, mostly to myself, once I was done admiring the decorations. Maybe not as many as the Omega Masquerade, but there were certainly more alphas and betas, since the masquerade imposed a few rules to shape the crowd. Here, there were clusters of full packs, but also of gossiping omegas with their mates in other corners, catching up over refreshments.

“Remember, they’re celebrating us. They just don’t know it,” Fal said, patting my arm. He was the only mate that stayed with me. At some point during my gawking, the other three had disappeared into the crowd. “How about we dance. It’s early, so the floor isn’t too crowded.”

Hmm, this felt familiar. “I still don’t know how,” I answered.

Tilting his head, he echoed what he’d said the fateful night we’d met. “Is that so? It’s not difficult.” After a moment’s pause, he added, “It shouldn’t be long before the next song.”

We waited at the edge of the dance floor. Stars, I was still in trouble. I really wanted to kiss that mischievous smile and see if the magic masking his scent would also change how he tasted. Honestly, I already knew he’d taste like wildflowers, sunshine, and every lusty thought I kept tamped down out of sheer force of will. And I craved him anyway. No, bad Lark. Don’t let your pre-heat ruin your fun tonight.

The music rose to a peak before starting to fade. He led me onto the dance floor and bowed over my hand. Our gazes met as a new song began, and despite the other couples around us and the murmur of many dozens of voices, my focus narrowed. I saw only Fal, the grace of his form, the eternal confidence in his expression, and the way he looked at me that had my heart threatening to melt.

“Move with me and relax. I’ll do the work,” he said in an undertone. He placed my hand on his shoulder and cupped my lower back, drawing us into the dance together. There was not a foot of propriety between us. Maybe three inches, as a generous estimate. Just enough space that our clothes didn’t brush.

Without the silencing band crippling half my steps, dancing was remarkably easier than what I remembered. With Fal’s guiding hand, I didn’t fumble. The rhythm of the music matched the cadence of our steps. I was light as air. I was truly dancing .

My excitement spiked, filling my blood with effervescent bubbles. I could see why Fal loved to do this, and why he sought out more challenging ways to express himself through song and dance. Maybe with a lot of practice, I could join him. Until then, being pressed up against him, moving in sync, was blissful. As soon as the first song ended, we went straight into a second.

“Feel like being shown off more directly, love?” He asked this as he looked over my shoulder and lifted his chin toward a few male voices calling his name. “As long as they don’t touch you, I think I could introduce you to some of my friends.”

“Maybe a bit,” I answered. “You’re going to know a lot of the fae here, aren’t you?”

“Aye. You tend to amass acquaintances when you talk as much as I do.” He winked at that. “A bit it is, though. I don’t want to overwhelm my shy mate.”

I nibbled on my lower lip. “It doesn’t bother you, does it?”

“Stars, no. Quite the opposite,” he said immediately. “I have peace of mind knowing that, if given the chance, you’re most likely tucked in your nest with a book. Or off gallivanting in the wilderness with Tormund. I’ve heard from him in exceptional detail about how you took a shine to your new horse.”

I brightened at the mention of Stella. “And vice versa. I think she and I really clicked.”

“Nowhere between reading and horseback riding do I hear ‘befriending unknown, potentially dangerous fae.’ That is, unfortunately, something I’ve done way too much of.”

“Were they actually dangerous?”

“Oh, aye. I inherited enemies the moment I was born, and you will have them too. It's a drawback of your royal status. Many, many others will want what you have, and sometimes they come for it with a smile on their face and a knife hidden behind their back.” He paused as he read my expression. I’d latched onto him in sudden worry. For both of us, and our family too. “This is all why I was trained to read intentions so well. As your lord, all who approach you must first talk to me. No fears, mo stór .”

“No fears,” I echoed in agreement.

The song came to a close and we stopped. He leaned down to press his forehead to mine, our hot breath mingling for a moment. I nuzzled under his jaw, marking him with…well, I wasn’t sure what scent anymore. He did the same back to me without hesitation, and didn’t leave any pheromones behind at all. But the public claim was probably noticed as other Unseelie changed partners and shuffled on or off the dance floor.

Either way, he swept me away to meet his friends, introducing me as his mate. He really came alive with a group to talk to and catch up with. I started to blank a bit, as they discussed several names of fae I didn’t know and possibly would never meet. Fal kept an arm around me, though during a lull in conversation, he pointed out a nearby stone column where Marius stood. “Why don’t you explore the event a bit? I’ll catch up with you,” he offered.

“Okay. See you soon,” I agreed, happy to leave him to some extra socializing.

Marius was talking to Theodred, who was a hulking shadow also standing with his back to the column, though facing a different section of the ballroom. As I approached, the redcap king rumbled deeply. I felt it despite all the music and conversation around us. It was short-lived enough that it had to be a laugh.

I shook the irrational fear from my head. Theodred was just too large. Maybe I’d get used to how his size and strength affected everything about him. In the meantime, Marius held his arms out to me and tucked me into the line of his body. He nuzzled my hair and murmured, “You’re not supposed to notice your guard, p’nixie.”

“But what if he’s my handsome beast?” I murmured back.

He didn’t answer, just swayed there with me in his arms.

“Daughter.” Theodred’s sudden rock fall of a voice startled me. “You’re distracting him from his duties.” He turned our way, his flame-colored eyes taking in how Marius was holding me, before something about him shifted. The barest lift of his lips, perhaps. “Perhaps you two should take the next dance. I will keep watch.”

“I’ve never danced at an event like this,” Marius said. Almost an argument, but a careful one.

“You haven’t?” I asked in surprise.

“Truly a shame, considering how much we paid for your lessons.” Though his deep tones made the redcap king sound flat, it was clear this was a bit of teasing.

Marius snorted, then drew back enough to look at me. He considered my hopeful expression and slowly gave me a lopsided smile. “Care for a dance, Lark?”

As I bobbed my head, I had a new goal solidifying in my mind: catch at least one dance with each of my mates.

Marius unstrapped his weapons and left them by Theodred’s feet. The redcap king was wearing ceremonial clan attire, just like Tormund had guessed. The knot at the center of his leather chest armor was more intricately tooled, and the cloak that hung at his side was embroidered with a symbol I couldn’t quite make out in the folds. He stood rigid and alert, watching the crowd instead of us.

I followed where his gaze pointed, which was straight at Nemensia dancing with Elion. She sashayed to the beat, her many fins undulating behind her with weightless grace. She looked like she was having a great time. It was just a bit of a surprise to see her, and realize that all of Pack Serian had to be here.

Marius wrapped an arm around me as we waited to join in on the next song. I warned him through our kelpie bond that I didn’t know any of the dances. “Don’t worry. I can teach you as we go, with our bond,” he answered.

I wiggled my shoulders in an excited shimmy. He considered me with a tilt of his head, probably wondering what I was doing, before he did a shimmy too with a questioning air. Giggling, I hugged and clung to him until the music changed.

He led me on the dance floor and bowed over my hand, all his predatory energy focused on me. “We will probably draw attention. There are a handful of noble nixies that made it a challenge to invite me to dance at every formal event. I would always say no.”

“If you don’t want to dance…”

“I do, mate. Only with you. Besides, I’ll do anything you want if you jiggle your breasts at me.”

I felt the heat rising in my face. As the song began, he named it and the dance, helping me identify the tempo and the steps. It was one of the simpler ones, where we kicked and twirled together. “I didn’t mean to do that,” I said, once I had it down.

He grinned. “Oh, I know. It’s the cut of the dress. I’m just saying.”

“Naughty beast.”

“All yours,” he purred.

Nemensia called over a hello to us. This broke the spell of how intently he and I were looking into one another’s eyes as we spoke through our bond. She and Elion had twirled their way closer, and I was taken again by how artfully she showed her nixie fins in motion. “You got him to dance!” she exclaimed.

“I did pay attention to my tutors, Mother,” he called back.

She flashed a thumbs up back and whispered something to Elion. He glanced our way and smiled warmly, before whispering back to her.

“They’re talking about us,” Marius sighed.

“Of course they are. I bet they’re happy to see you having fun.”

“Father’s been over the moon since we returned with you. He was sure I’d remain alone, and that’s not healthy for any kelpie.”

As the song concluded, Marius drew me into the hard line of his body. He leaned down to kiss me, before hesitating at the last moment and skimming his lips over my cheek instead. “I’m going to kiss you so fucking much when you’re finally in heat. You won’t escape my knot or my lips, sweet prey.”

“Ooh,” I cooed, though my physical reaction was immediate pain. My core gave a brief spasm, a warning of more lengthy cramps to come.

He helped me off the dance floor and pressed his palm to my belly, like his presence would ward off the pain like it had earlier today. “I’m okay,” I assured him.

He blew out a puff of air with a low, feral sound. I instinctively understood he was dubious. Of all my mates, he seemed to understand best how soon and intense my heat would be. He drew me close and purred while he still held my middle, filling me with comforting vibrations as the orchestra played an odd string of notes over and over. Most of the dance floor was emptying, and the fae gathered in clusters around those that remained.

“It’s a dance challenge. There’s always a few at Unseelie events. It’s a chance to show off your dancing skills against another fae, sometimes for a boon for the winner,” Marius explained.

We were being beckoned to by his parents. When we went over to stand next to them, Marius continued to purr quietly and soothe me.

“You look so nice, Metalark,” Nemensia whispered. “Give those skirts a shake.” I did, and the bells pealed gently while she smiled with delight.

We were in the cluster around Rennyn and Tanith, who were circling more like sharks than dancers as the anticipation thickened in the air for their dance challenge.

The music changed to an up-tempo piece. Rennyn nodded along before bursting into dance first, while Tanith watched with her hands poised on her hips. He seemed to be making up something new, moving his body with uncommon precision. His feet barely seemed to skim the ground. I joined in with the rest of the crowd, cheering and clapping.

He danced for maybe a minute before the music restarted from the beginning, and it was Tanith’s turn. This was the first time I’d seen her outside of nixie night. She wore a dress that curled around her tall and slender form, its glittering fabric hugging her modest curves tightly. Her dancing was just as quick, though her motions were as fluid as if she was underwater. Her red and gold fins moved with her to exaggerate each ripple and sway of her body. The wavy mass of her unbound, scarlet hair flew about her head as she tossed it.

“The second part is what you really watch for. Now they have to imitate one another’s dancing style,” Marius chuckled.

Rennyn cracked his neck and stretched while the song changed and tempo slowed for the second round. His red eyes flashed over to Nemensia before he winked at her. He danced slow and sensual, mimicking Tanith’s flowing movements with boneless grace. The fae around us whooped, while I could’ve sworn I heard my godmother sigh wistfully and Elion suppress a soft growl under the crowd noise.

When it was Tanith’s turn, she slicked back her hair and held her fins mostly stationary as she mimicked Rennyn’s earlier dance. Her heeled shoes hit a few angles that had me wincing in worry for her, but she didn’t so much as stumble. I cheered for her happily. She was doing all this in heels, for an extra challenge that the dark elf king didn’t have.

“How do we know who won?” I whispered aloud.

“Crowd noise. It’s not a perfect system,” Nemensia answered.

I saw what she meant. The music gave us cues and the crowd cheered elsewhere for other dancers too. Rennyn raised his arm first, grinning as he was surrounded by a wall of noise. The queen cheered for him, while Elion, Marius, and I raised our voices for Tanith, who still had a quieter crowd around her. She bowed her head in defeat and Rennyn went to her side to pat her on the back. His lips moved, exaggerating the words, “That’s my girl!”

Nemensia went to them, which gave Elion a moment to lean in and whisper to me, “I’ve noticed your heat must be very close. If you want to leave early, feel free to take my carriage back. It is free and hitched to the finest team of horses. I don’t want you to experience any more discomfort, mo stóirín . You’ve been through enough.”

Marius pulled me a step away with a warning growl. Even if it was his father murmuring in my ear, my mate’s continued rut said that was too close for a rival male. Elion chuckled and straightened, starting after the queen. “Think on it,” he said over his shoulder.

Another of Fal’s predictions had just fallen into place. “Elion will offer you some way out of the plan. He’ll disguise it as concern and offer you a different carriage that will remove you from any danger. Usually, he and my father are thick as thieves, but in this case, he’s the member of the royal pack who knows exactly what you mean to his son. He’s going to be the only royal willing to sabotage everything in the eleventh hour.”

It was more than tempting, to skip the risk ahead completely. But if I was going to do that, I may as well have stayed in my nest rather than come to this party. I straightened my spine and smiled up at Marius. “How do you feel about refreshments?” I asked.

“I’m sure there’s some at our table. Let’s go find it, and I’ll return to my duties.”

Fal had already mentioned that our family would have a table with a spread of drinks and finger foods, and also who would be at it. We found them in a quieter corner. Siora, artfully draped over a chair in a beautiful dress, licking her lips and making come hither gestures at males that interested her. Thalas, who was quietly enduring the evening and only here because the rest of his pack was, and finally Eletha, writing away in a journal while tapping her feet to the orchestral music.

“Of all of us, Eletha is only coming to the event because my father included her in the plan. He calls her his secret weapon,” Fal had said.

She lit up when she saw us. “Oh, hi!”

“Hi, Eletha. How’s the book coming along?” Marius asked.

“Still working! I’ll have another chapter for you to read soon,” she said cheerfully.

He smiled at her. I could feel through our bond that he was eager to read it. “Can’t wait.” He nodded her way before nuzzling my hair with a murmur of farewell.

I sat and sighed as the pressure on my feet eased. Someone had definitely taken a generous amount from the refreshments for us to graze on, and I filled a plate with things that looked good to munch on in this quiet moment.

I asked Thalas how he was holding up, since Siora and Eletha were content with their own pursuits. He smiled and held up a journal, and across both pages he’d made an elaborate ink drawing of a tree at sunset. Each individual leaf had texture. “I’m keeping myself occupied. When the magic show starts, I might sneak in a few measurements. You know how it is,” he said.

I nodded like I understood what he’d be measuring. I would’ve asked about the magic show, when a cramp struck my middle like a punch to the guts. Sucking in a breath, I hunched over in my chair. “Oh no, are you okay?” Eletha gasped.

Siora straightened. Her chair legs clacked on the floor as she leaned over, rubbing my back. “Looks like one donkey kick of a heat cramp,” she murmured.

“It is,” I groaned. The room seemed stuffy all of a sudden. I was certainly sweating. Someone else rested a hand on my shoulder, the familiarity and pressure soothing. I didn’t have to look over my shoulder to know it was Kauz.

“Is it time, sweetheart?” he murmured.

I didn’t answer for a moment, fighting a wobbly lip and a surge of emotion. I’d endured plenty of cramps just like this one—and others that were so much worse and lasted for even longer. But I’d never gotten such an immediate embrace of support because of one. “Not yet.” I leaned back to take in my mate’s concerned face. “There’s going to be a magic show.”

He pressed a kiss to my temple. “Okay. And, aye, so I’ve heard. We’re taking measurements.” He gestured between him and his father as he sat down by my side. Siora moved seats to make room for him.

“Measurements of what?” I whispered.

He dropped his voice too, wiggling his fingers to send up silvery sparkles. “You know, magic.”

Just something for essence spinners, I supposed. I was still eating when Fal said behind me, “Ah, I thought I’d find you here.” He reached past me to pluck a little cucumber sandwich off my plate to pop in his mouth. After he’d chewed it, he propped himself on the back of my chair, resting his chin atop my head.

“It’s the book nerd table,” Eletha said cheerfully.

“You said it, not me,” he chuckled. “Seems I might fit in here better than ever. Lark’s convinced me to read more, for the pleasure of reading to her.”

The librarian nixie perked up, while I covered my face to try and hide my incandescent blush.

“On a completely related note, I need recommendations for the sauciest books in the library tower,” he added in an undertone.

“Fal!” she exclaimed.

“Come now, don’t be like that. I know the type of books you like,” he teased.

“Fine,” she conceded, also blushing, but in a shade of darker purple. “I have plenty of recommendations.”

I happened to glance at Thalas, who’d pressed his lips together like he was trying not to laugh while he made more art in his journal. “Your mother was so concerned about purging the wickedness from Serian’s royal family,” he murmured, shaking his head. “I think she succeeded.”

“I’m plenty wicked, Father,” Fal said.

“Only because you try to mimic…” The dream warden king inclined his head behind us.

Fal straightened and the rest of us turned to see Rennyn coming by, holding something bubbly in a long-stemmed glass. “If it isn’t my son and all my favorite nerds in one place,” he said cheerfully. His gaze alighted on me and his smile faded to concern. “You’re looking a little warm there, Larkie. No one would mind if you disappeared a little early with the lads.”

There was a tap on the back of my chair from Fal. “When a pair of fish take our bait, my father will come by to encourage you to leave early,” he’d said earlier.

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. “Maybe after we see the magic show,” I said.

“Ah! An excellent choice. I hear wily old Duke Revantee himself will be showing off his illusion magic. Better hurry outside to get a good spot.” With that, the dark elf king wiggled his fingers in farewell and faded back into the crowd.

“Tormund’s saving us a few spots on the balcony,” Fal said, offering me a hand up. He read my expression and quirked a brow. I nodded back, still sure of the plan, even with my reservations. I took his proffered arm and walked with the rest of our table, except for Siora, toward the back of the ballroom. Several sets of glass doors were open and letting in a light breeze.

“Do you know what a dream intermediary spell is?” he’d asked earlier. I hadn’t at the time. Most dream warden magic was still a mystery to me. “Eletha is very good at it. It’s where she joins one fae’s dream with another, so they share the same headspace as long as she is there. Father likes to observe her with an intended target before he makes himself known in their dreams. He wants to see how that fae reacts to a sweet and innocent omega before coming face to face with the Clever King.”

“Who was the target for his plan?” I’d asked.

“Laurel. Allegedly, she left her blood behind when she saved his life, and that is a powerful token to grant a dream warden to access her mind. She passed my father’s test with Eletha, and he approached her with a bargain that she accepted. Because of Eletha’s magic, she hasn’t forgotten a word of his instructions. If Cymora and Pack Ellisar take the bait tonight, it’s because Laurel is on our side now.”

Now that I knew what to expect when we left the event…I had to acknowledge that the impossible was reality. Circumstances had twisted so much that we were relying on my stepsister to step up on our behalf. And she had!

“I’m not sure Lark’s going to make it to moonrise. Perhaps we should make our exit once we see this,” Kauz murmured to Fal while I came back from my wandering thoughts.

I whined in denial. “I still need to dance with you and Tormund.”

“And so you will.” Fal patted my hand, still resting in the crook of his arm. “Magic, three dances, and then we leave. We should be well ahead of the crowd.”

Meaning there won’t be many potential witnesses to what happened next.

We stepped out on the balcony and Fal snickered as he tipped his hand. “Here are the stairs, my lady, in case you wish to escape me tonight.” They were cut directly into the stone, curling around and down from the balcony.

I wrinkled my nose. I was never going to live down that fateful jump off a railing. “My wings work perfectly well for that task, my lord.”

“I would be uncouth if I didn’t at least point them out to you,” he said, catching his tongue between his teeth playfully.

“Li’l bird! Over here!” Tormund announced, his waving hand emerging overtop the heads of the growing crowd in front of us.

We made our way to the front of the balcony, where he’d saved as much space as his arms could reach. That meant I fit in next to him, with Fal on my other side, and Kauz squeezing in beside Fal with his wings tucked in tightly. The dream warden took out a couple small magical tools from his suit pocket.

“Duke Revantee’s in his fifth century. You can tell because of the tails,” Fal whispered in my ear. He pointed out the kitsune in the middle of the patio below, a white-haired figure wearing a robe. Five snowy fox tails, tipped in orange, waved behind him. “A kitsune fact for you. They’re an Unseelie race that integrated with dreamlanders early and thoroughly. Most of their bloodlines have illusion magic because of that.”

“That’s interesting. Does he show off at every spring revel?” I asked quietly.

“Aye. I suspect up to half of the magic he’s about to perform are enchantments made by the rest of his pack. It’s still quite the show.”

I couldn’t wait. But I had to, as Duke Revantee didn’t start casting any spells for a good thirty minutes. I sweated on and off, but my mates kept me talking and distracted from my creeping pre-heat. Marius eventually shouldered through the crowd to join us, standing just behind me with his hand resting on my belly again, while I leaned companionably against Fal’s side. No more cramps came for me while I was surrounded by my alphas, which I was grateful for.

When the illusions started, they exploded into life. I yelped, as I’d missed the subtle trail of light from Duke Revantee, just to see a burst of red and pink appear overhead. It unfurled into the petals of a flower, becoming a delicate bloom that was a solid fifteen feet wide. A few fae whooped around us, accompanied by a hail of polite applause.

Several more illusions launched back-to-back, forming more gigantic flowers and the image of a red and white fox above them. I cooed in awe and latched my free hand onto Tormund’s arm to share the moment with him. He looked as equally awestruck by the sight as I felt.

“Oh, yup, my father’s having a great time with this,” Kauz murmured, looking at a reading from one of his magical tools.

“Good. He was looking bored,” I giggled.

In reply, he hooked his thumb to the side of the patio. Amongst the faces turned up to the sky was the whole of Pack Serian in a cluster. Thalas had his wing around Nemensia, who rested her head on his shoulder while he gestured animatedly at the magic on display. “That could be us,” Kauz added playfully. “She probably understands a third of what he’s saying, but loves to listen anyway.”

“Do you love magic that much?” I asked.

“I love you that much. You could talk to me about anything.”

I giggled. “Love you too.”

Fal smacked his lips. “So sweet, I can practically taste it.”

Kauz nudged him. “Try it sometime.”

“And step on your toes, Kauzden?”

“You might find it suits you well, Falindel.”

I enjoyed the show while they had their back and forth, smiling so wide my face was starting to ache some. They were both plenty sweet, when they wanted to be. And so was Tormund, effortlessly so, and Marius, who was coming around to the idea. I loved my whole pack so much, I ached to have them despite how my kelpie warmed my core with the heat of his hand.

Maybe the need nestled deep in my body was the sign that my heat was upon me. But I pushed it back and out of mind. I still needed to finish dancing with my males. After the show was done, Tormund practically lifted me in his haste for us to return inside to catch the next dance.

A hint of uncertainty passed over his face when he heard the next song. “I’m okay at this one, li’l bird. I had tutors…”

We didn’t end up matching the steps perfectly, and he had to fold his big body some to dance with me. We stepped on one another’s toes until he shrugged and started doing his own thing. He spun me to hear the chime of my skirts and we giggled together as we moved out of sync with the fae around us.

It was more fun just to be in his arms and feel the heat of his body against mine. I ended up panting and sweating from exertion, just trying to keep up with him.

He held me in a big hug as the music winded down, breathing heated gusts like a bellows. “Maybe I should’ve paid more attention to the tutors,” he conceded.

“It was good just as it was. Thank you for the dance,” I giggled, making the motion of a curtsy while still held in his arms.

“No, thank you.” He grinned as he set me on my feet and motioned to Kauz, who waited expectantly to take the next one. I was glad to hear no hint of a growl from the gentle giant toward him.

Kauz bowed over my fingers. The curve of his lips was as knowing as ever. “I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s not so good at this,” he said in an undertone. “I struggled to learn as a kid with these two sails attached to my back.”

“Can’t be much worse than me. I never learned,” I whispered back.

He and I swung into motion as the music began again. He breathed a soft sigh of relief. The tempo was slower and this dance was more of a back and forth motion, as the dance floor became a sea of couples going left or right, depending on where they were standing. He led me just fine and did a wickedly good shimmy or two while I swayed my hips in his hold.

“Hey, later tonight, I want you to remember something,” he said as we moved together.

My smile faltered a bit with nerves as he mentioned later tonight .

He cupped my cheek, a move a little out of sync with the dance. But he captured me in his starry gaze. My body moved automatically, but my focus was all on him as he spoke. “Fate has bound us, forever in the depths of time. That is the promise of Always. I don’t intend to be more than two steps behind you, no matter what. And you’ve seen merely a fraction of the magic I’m going to unleash on those that would harm you.”

“And what if they harmed you instead?” I didn’t think I could bear it.

Kauz ran his fingers through my hair, petting a few times to soothe me. “They will have two much larger problems to worry about, named Tormund and Marius. One has a nearly impervious rage form, and the other is extensively combat trained. We’re all going to be fine. I can just about promise it.”

I took the reassurance and nestled into the strength of his body for a hug as there was a longer pause between songs. He didn’t envelop me in his wings like I wanted him to, not when Fal was waiting to claim my last dance of the night. We parted and I almost reached for Kauz as he stepped off the dance floor, wistful for more comfort woven into that calm voice of his.

Fal took my hand and read my expression. “You know, it would be time to go right now, regardless of our other plans,” he murmured. “We’ve tuckered you out.”

“A bit,” I agreed. In the absence of music and dancing, I hugged him next, feeling quite needy to be touched and gentled more. He held me close.

“The minute of silence is a sign that they’re going to play a slow song. Lovers and mates are grabbing one another for it as we speak,” he narrated as I buried my face in the front of his shirt.

I inhaled and mewled quietly. He didn’t smell right.

“It’s time, isn’t it?” There was a sad hush to his question.

I blinked, a little lost where I stood. What was it time for? A gentle, slow tune started to play from the orchestra and Fal tapped his foot along to the melody. He held my hips and encouraged me to loop my arms around his shoulders, leaning in so I didn’t have to reach up to the tips of my toes to do so.

We swayed, pressed together, nearly forehead to forehead. The only thing I wished for in that moment was for us to be wearing less clothes. But my thoughts were winking out one by one, leaving only Fal and the warmth stoking in my core like a raging fire just barely contained behind the molten-orange glass of a lantern.

I was a little afraid. It’d never felt like this before.

“Stay with me, Lark,” he said, threading his subtle bark into the words.

I blinked and some clarity returned. My heat. No. No no no. Not here.

His voice was without extra influence for a moment as he said urgently, “As the lord gives his queen a portion of his will to make her spine unbreakable, I need to reiterate a few things before your heat overwhelms you. Tell me that’s all right.”

“It’s all right.” I agreed readily.

He’d done this before, and I’d suspected it was something he’d been taught. To make an omega into a queen as tough as Nemensia, her mates probably had to remind her regularly to suppress the sweet and submissive behavior that came with the designation. But that wasn’t where he started.

“Listen, Lark.”

I smiled back, already an attentive audience. I submitted to his dominance with full trust.

He whispered, lower than the music and the general hush of conversation around us. “You have no reason to fear the enemies you may see within the next hour. You are stronger than Cymora, Ellisar, Dalstin, and Floris. They’ve always been bullies, controlling you by keeping you small and alone.”

“But I’m not alone anymore,” I said without any prompting. After hearing it dozens of times from Kauz, and experiencing it, I knew it instinctively.

Hi nodded. “That’s right. You will not be sweet nor submissive to any alpha except to the males of your pack. You will be queen someday. There is no force in this world that you bow to. No shadows you fear. Nothing alpha, beta, or omega in nature. Do you understand?”

“I understand.”

“And finally, if they get close enough to touch you.” He patted my arm, reminding me of the slight weight of the faebane-treated knife secreted under my sleeve. “You use this. As you have promised.”

This was the only thing that I resisted, and only a little bit. I had promised, but violence never came easily. And to ask me, so near to my instincts and heat, to do such a thing…

“I-I will,” I said faintly.

His lips pressed together as his nostrils flared. “Such a good omega. I still can hardly believe the stars blessed us so. And to—” He cut himself off, jaw tight. I whined, sensing the misery hiding just under his skin.

“I wish you hadn’t agreed to the plan, mo stór . Letting them think they’ve won you, even for a moment, is unbearable. That they even get to smell your heat…fuck. They don’t deserve it, nor a chance to get close to you.” His hold on me turned protective. “I know why you said yes, and I will honor it. But you are mine .”

“Yours,” I echoed, circling my fingertips on the back of his neck.

My alpha is in distress.

But what could I do to ease that until he laid me down to claim me by midnight?

My instincts were running the show in my head. I teared up, because I didn’t have anything better to say to reassure him. “I love you. I want you in my nest every night,” I said, sweet and lyrical.

He smiled sadly. Oh no. That’d just made it worse.

“I’d let you give me a baby?” I added. Maybe he wanted one of those.

“If you weren’t in heat, you would’ve never said that.” He stopped dancing with me to hug me tight, burying his face in my hair. He hid a small intake of breath in the white strands, and a couple of tears. I wouldn’t tell anyone they were there. “I love you too. So much it scares me.”

“Love’s not supposed to scare you,” I whispered.

“I suppose it’s not the emotion. It’s knowing I have to let you go.”

I whined, holding onto the front of his nice jacket. “Not yet.”

“Not yet,” he agreed. “I swear to you now, I will do everything in my power to ensure you come to no harm tonight.”

He held me until the end of the song, and didn’t go far as the music’s cues softened. His clawed fingers cupped my face, and the rut glow in his eyes seemed all the more dazzling with the lingering wetness filming them. This was the moment, the signal Rennyn was watching for. I wasn’t so far gone in my own instincts to miss why Fal hesitated.

He wasn’t supposed to tell me any of the plan. His role in said plan started in this moment, when he was meant to send me fully into heat and let me go for what came next. Thank the stars he’d loved me enough to warn me.

As the final bars of the slow song rang through the air, he swept me off my feet into a dramatic dip, and kissed the breath from my lungs. Our tongues twined in a desperate dance of their own as we swapped our real pheromones. My eyes rolled back as I tasted pure sunshine, floral sweetness, and the pollen-like way his fertility bloomed on my taste buds.

And he, in turn, knew that I wasn’t in heat yet, as he’d be able to taste such a change. I teetered on that edge, and while we’d talked, I’d leaned toward my instincts and needs. But the incredible taste of him reminded me that I couldn’t fully fall. Not yet. It would be so, so easy. But I didn’t want Pack Ellisar to know the scent of my full heat either, not after I’d fought to hold it back for four years.

What was one more hour if it meant I never had to suppress myself again?

Fal righted our balance and looked at me with his pupils blown as his tongue darted out to taste his lips. His brows rose in genuine shock. “You’re so strong, mo stór . I am in awe of you.” He bowed deeply before offering his arm. “Let’s find our way to our carriage. It’s time.”