Chapter One
LUCA
PRESENT DAY
(Two Days Before Teighan Epilogue)
T here were really only two things that made early mornings more bearable. The first was breakfast in bed: stacks of soft pancakes with lashings of syrup, or Chef Milo’s savory meat pies with cheese and relish brought to me on a silver tray.
The second was having Cair’s mouth on my dick.
As divine as it was to slowly blink into consciousness with my mate’s arms surrounding me in a warm, safe cocoon—one of my life’s simplest yet greatest pleasures—my lazy ass sometimes needed extra encouragement. However, as I stirred awake, squinting as the sun laser-beamed straight into my retinas, I could not smell the sweet, sticky scent of fruit and fluffy goodness in the air. Nor did I feel anything special happening between my legs.
Was Cair bored of our mated-and-in-love routine already? The fact that we’d already formed routines made me all giddy. We were adorable. It had only been six months since we came back to the Otherworld after Alex and Teighan’s mating, and if Cair was no longer feeling the honeymoon-like bliss, he never let it show. His enthusiasm spoke for itself, and seriously, how anyone could be as perky as he was at the ass crack of dawn was beyond my comprehension.
Without fail, on the mornings when he couldn’t stay in bed with me, he’d nuzzle the back of my neck, wait until I stirred, then grind up against my ass, getting me all hot and bothered before slipping under the covers to suck me dry—almost like an apology for leaving. If he deemed me too peaceful to disturb, he’d sneak out while I was dead to the world and return later to present his platter of freshly baked goods before going about his duties with the most self-satisfied smirk on his face. Either way, he always seemed eager to follow his provider instincts, and on the days when he felt particularly doting, I got both. I was out here living the dream.
Except… this morning I was awake with no food, no blow job, and no mate in sight.
Where has he gone?
Groaning, I rose to a sitting position, rubbing my eyes and almost dislocating my jaw with a yawn. There was no note on the bedside table, and his overcoat still hung by the door, so he hadn’t left for work yet. It was funny. I’d never been overly enthusiastic about the prospect of a ‘kept husband’ life. It was ingrained into every fiber of my being that earning my keep and never relying on others for anything was the only way to be. I mean, I still balked at the idea of Cair spending money on me, or lavishing me with all manner of extravagant gifts, but… the acts of service? Yeah, those were something I could enjoy, especially since it made Cair happy—let it be known that I was willing to compromise. However, as I scanned the room for any hints of where my devoted mate could be, I realized I might have got more used to the prince treatment than I’d thought. I was mourning it.
My belly even rumbled as if to say, “He’s laaaate.”
Christ, what was I thinking? I really had taken to that royal sense of entitlement like a duck to water, huh? He’d probably been called away on business. If the king needed him, he wouldn’t have had the chance to do anything else; his father was not a patient guy and would not be kept waiting. Briefly, a worry about Cair being in trouble crossed my mind, but I shook it away. Rathe, his steward, would have come to me if that were the case, and I would have felt his suffering through our bond. No, he was safe, just busy, and maybe that was a sign for me to make him breakfast for a change.
Or at least go down to the kitchens and scour the cupboards until they took pity on me. The last time I’d tried to make anything was the cake I’d had the naive idea of baking for the twins’ birthday. I’d almost burned the place down, so Mrs. Loris would probably stop me at the threshold and shoo me away, promising to send a feast up.
It was the thought that counted, though, right?
I peeled back the covers and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, stretching before shuffling to the en suite. The fizz of magic hung in the air, making my skin tingle, and with a quick snap of my fingers, the lights flickered on. Barely anything in the Otherworld operated as it did in the human realm, though they shared a few amenities. There was running water, indoor plumbing, and electric lights, but instead of physics and engineering, it all came from magic. The king preferred his land as close to its natural state as possible, but he allowed for certain necessities to be made less rudimentary—or medieval.
Technology wasn’t used here—no mobile phones or the like—and nothing that caused pollution or the unnecessary demolition of nature. Cars were a total no go, though since teleportation was a thing, there was no real need for them. It was baffling to think that I could have a hot bath in minutes, and switch on a lamp to read at night, but if I wanted to speak to Alex, I had to write a letter.
I had to admit, the transition was a little strange, but the fresher air in my lungs and the breathtaking landscapes were an acceptable compromise.
As I washed my hands, I glanced at myself in the mirror. My curls were sticking out in every direction, a result of Cair’s fingers running through them last night and how I wriggled in my sleep. There were also teeth and finger marks speckling my shoulders and chest, purple and raw. My belly heated at the memory of their sting, though I’d have to remember to cover up before heading downstairs. I’d been on the receiving end of too many knowing looks last time.
I left the bathroom and was making a beeline for my dressing robe when the bedroom door creaked open. I’d half expected one of the maids to come storming in to change the sheets or offer to bathe me—an offer I refused every time it was made—but instead, relief rushed through me as Cair’s gorgeous face came into view.
“You’re up,” he said as he entered the room, tray in hand, gently toeing the door closed behind him. He sounded shocked. Maybe even a little disappointed. “Forgive me, pet. I was ambushed in the corridor by one of my father’s chancellors. I had no intention of making you wake up alone.”
“It’s okay,” I reassured him, and with my plans foiled, I crawled back under the covers, robe forgotten. The smell of warm batter and sweet fruit compote filled my nose. I squirmed happily. “I assumed you’d been called away.”
He hummed and placed the tray on my lap. There were two plates piled high with pancakes, two glasses of iced tea with lemon, a bowl of freshly cut berries, and a big jug of syrup. It looked delicious, and I was eager to tuck in, but before I could lift my fork, Cair swooped in to kiss me hard, knocking me off balance.
My lips were all tingly by the time he withdrew.
“Good morning, my heart.”
“Morning.” I smiled, dazed, though when I looked down at the spread he’d brought, a pang of guilt made me falter. “I should make you breakfast. I feel selfish.”
“Nonsense,” he said as he lowered himself onto the bed beside me. “I enjoy doing this for you, and I am grateful that you indulge me.”
I couldn’t exactly argue with that, could I? Not with the reverent expression he aimed at me. I chewed the inside of my cheek, hesitating for a moment. “Well… if you’re sure?”
“Most definitely.” Cair bowed his head, his grin turning impish, and before I could warn him against saying exactly what he was going to say, he tacked on, “ Your Highness .”
I groaned and hid my face in my hands. The bastard chuckled, perfectly aware of how that particular bit of teasing affected me, especially since it wasn’t exactly a tease. It was a goddamn fact, and that only made the discomfort worse.
Being mated to Cair meant I was now a prince of the Fae, and whoever had spun that little thread of fate clearly had a stellar sense of humor. Thankfully, there had been no official ceremony or celebration. There was no custom for it as I was the first to be mated into the royal family in thousands of years—or at least for as long as the king had reigned—so they weren’t prepared.
Though he had never voiced it outright, the quiet integration suited the king, considering he wasn’t exactly ecstatic with my presence in the first place, but for once, his assholery worked in my favor. Normally, I would have done anything to spite him, but I wouldn’t have survived standing in front of a throne room full of creatures, accepting my new title. It was terrifying enough knowing that when the day came for Cair to ascend the throne, I would have to ascend with him. It may be a hundred, or even a thousand years from now, given the king’s stubbornness and his reluctance to have a half-blood human polluting the royal line, but naturally, I still stressed myself out about it well in advance. I mean, I barely coped with people calling me that honorific and dipping their heads in respect as I passed them in the hallway. I could only imagine what it would be like to hear “Your Majesty.”
I shivered at the thought.
“Open up,” Cair prompted. He had the fork—loaded with pancake, syrup, and fruit—hovering in the air, waiting for me to obey.
I did, and though I’d had this exact meal many times before, my eyes still rolled as the sweet and tart deliciousness hit my tongue.
Easily the best pancakes I’d ever had in my life.
“I can feed myself, you know,” I said once I’d swallowed, though I opened my mouth for the second bite.
“Yes, but why should you when you have me?”
He presented a solid argument, so I focused on chewing and watching as Cair fed himself with the same fork before preparing the next bite for me. His tongue peeked out to catch a smudge of syrup at the corner of his lips, and the tempting sight had my imagination whirring.
I grinned as a thought popped into my head.
“Well, I sure hope you brushed your fangs after eating my ass last night,” I joked, feeling much too smug when Cair paused mid-slice of pancake, peering up at me with one eyebrow raised. I probably should have known better than to think I’d ever win in a contest of wits against a Fae, but I was a little delusional at six a.m.
“Considering your penchant for riding my mouth after I’ve come inside you, sweetheart, I’d say it’s a little late to act squeamish about such things. Wouldn’t you agree?”
The instantaneous blush that heated my cheeks spread all the way down my chest.
Welp, he had me there, and since no clapback to that very rhetorical question was forthcoming, I kept quiet and opened my mouth for the next bite.
Cair obliged with a chuckle, alternating between feeding me and himself until both plates were clean. I blew out a breath and reclined against the headboard, rubbing circles over my stomach. Cair set the tray on the bedside table before scooching closer to comb his fingers through my hair.
If I were a cat, I’d have been purring.
“Do you need anything else?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No, I’m good. Think I’m going to need a nap now.”
“I’ll be in my office most of the day, though it pains me to leave your side.”
“That’s okay. I was going to check on my patch of nathrach, anyway. They’re starting to bloom. I might do some reading in my nook, too.” During one of my visits back to the human realm, Alex had given me the idea of finding a hobby when I’d expressed my discomfort with being idle. ‘Working’ wasn’t a possibility for me here, and it was rare to find someone willing to let me help out. Mrs. Loris sometimes gave me vegetables to peel when I showed her my best sad-puppy eyes—and only when there was no one else in the kitchens—so I’d come up with the idea of gardening.
I loved plants. They soothed me somehow, with all their unique shapes, scents and patterns, and though I wasn’t always perfect at nurturing them—as Teighan would attest to—it was something I found joy in and was willing to improve on.
At first, Cair had been a little uncertain, but only because it wasn’t proper etiquette for Fae royalty to get their hands dirty, and definitely not to be seen by their subjects doing so. Sure, we may have lived to be a thorn in his father’s side, testing the limits of our boundaries, but breaking the rules outright was a level of disrespect we wanted to avoid. Thankfully though, we managed to sidestep the issue by keeping me hidden from the public eye. There was a small plot of land in the palace courtyard with a sculpted water fountain, a wooden love seat, and a cobbled path, all walled off by tall hedges and secured with a locked gate. I called it my Secret Garden—a place just for me, where I could plant all sorts of flowers and herbs without being watched. It was a diversion, something to keep me occupied whenever Cair wasn’t around. It also lessened my anxieties about being a burden, as anything I grew could be used in the kitchens or for medicine.
Each plant in the Otherworld had a purpose, and it was my goal to learn them all.
That was where my nook came in handy. It was a cozy blanket and beanbag filled hideaway Cair had commissioned for me near our rooms on the top floor. The palace library was insane. It had more tomes, scrolls, and written records than I’d ever seen, but it wasn’t always vacant, so on the days when I needed peace, I would borrow as many books as I could comfortably carry and take them up to my den.
I appreciated having the option to be completely secluded, able to immerse myself in research or whatever fantasy world I wanted to explore away from any prying eyes. The winding staircase was a pain in my ass—it really gave off some ‘princess in a tower’ vibes—but was worth it for the tranquility. There was even a desk and a blackboard for whenever I found myself so absorbed in a topic that I ended up down a rabbit hole and in need of a place to map out every fine detail.
I could stay there and fixate for hours until my prince came to rescue me.
“You know how I am,” I said with a light shrug. “I can entertain myself.”
“Very well.” Cair smiled before leaning in to kiss me again, though it wasn’t the sweet and longing goodbye kiss I’d expected. It lingered. It grew impatient and greedy. His tongue swept out, demanding entry, and my lips parted for him without hesitation, every nerve in my body his to command.
His hands roamed my thighs, squeezing the delicate skin hard enough to make me moan into his mouth—a sound he swallowed with a smirk. He pulled back to nip and suck at my jaw and neck, and when he spoke again, I felt the rumble of each word vibrate deep in my chest.
“You had to wait for me this morning. It seems only fair that I make it up to you.”
I hummed, pretending to think about it, though my cock had already decided to get on board. “Yeah, I think that would be acceptable.”
Cair laved at my nipple as he lowered the waistband of my sleep shorts and palmed my dick, coaxing me to full hardness. I let out a questioning sound as he tugged down his own pants and lined his cock up against mine, taking us both into his fist.
A gasp escaped my lips at the first firm stroke.
“Today, I feel like covering you in my scent,” he said, gazing at me, his black eyes glinting with possessive hunger. “I want everyone in the palace to smell it on you.”
Fuck .
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