Chapter Twenty-One. Fallon #2
“That, Sunfire, is up to you. This is the part of this marriage where we have control, where Mab cannot dictate who or how we rule,” he said, drawing my attention back to his face.
“Every court functions a little differently. The magic flows in ways that were determined by the Primordials that brought that magic into existence and made it a tangible thing. Diell and the others chose this place for their transfer of power, where others value family bonds above all else. Only one of us needs to enter the bath, but according to Summer Court tradition, only those who have offered and been accepted, and have been given the blessing of the Primordials in return, can sit upon the throne of the Summer Court.”
“If I do not get into the water, I won’t be your wife?
” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.
It was such an unexpected turn of events that I couldn’t be sure I’d managed it, that the lilt of hope hadn’t snuck into my voice.
Etan might not have treated me poorly, aside from kidnapping me against my wishes anyway, but that didn’t mean I desired to tie myself to him without really knowing him that well.
I hadn’t had time yet to see if he kept his promises, or if they were empty entirely.
“You’ll still be my wife. It’s the only way Mab will be satisfied, but she is very aware of this tradition.
She knows as well as I do that I cannot force you into this water.
You have to enter of your own free will,” he explained, dropping his gaze to the surface, which shimmered in the sunlight.
“But if you do not enter, you will not be Queen of the Summer Court. Not unless we come back one day so that you can offer yourself when you’re ready. ”
“You would do that? Allow me to change my mind and rule alongside you, after rejecting the notion today?” I asked, leaving off the part where I would be rejecting him as well.
Though he did not speak of it, I had the feeling that this was the precipice where we determined the type of marriage we would have.
While we may not be a love match or fated mates, we still had choices as to how we continued on our path.
We could live entirely separate lives, with me as the estranged wife of the Summer King.
Or we could undertake this endeavor together as partners, as temporary as it may be, and embrace our marriage to the full extent of its capabilities.
“That depends on how much you piss me off in the meantime, but yes. I have no desire to take away your choice in this, Sunfire. I want you to choose,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest with a smirk.
He curled a brow, glancing toward the water.
I followed his gaze, staring into the slow current that seemed to keep the water moving, like it ran somewhere in spite of being an isolated pool.
“That’s a no, then,” I laughed. “What happens if I decide I want to be Queen? Am I required to share your bed?”
His eyes heated as he stared at me, keeping his distance even though I suspected he wanted to close it.
“I won’t require you to fuck me if you aren’t interested, Fallon,” he said, that heated stare drifting down my body.
“But I am certain this attraction is not one-sided. Should you decide to rule alongside me, I would ask that you be monogamous to me as your husband, whether you are in my bed or not.”
“And you? Will you fuck around while expecting me to remain celibate?” The venom in my voice shocked me. I’d never understood why women from Nothrek were upset when their husbands slept with other women—most of them didn’t desire their husbands anyway. Why be upset when it meant he left you alone?
Etan grinned, as if the show of jealousy pleased him. “No. So long as I expect monogamy from you, I will return it. I do intend to spend every waking moment buried within my wife either way. She just may make me work for it.”
I smiled, chewing on the corner of my mouth as I tugged at the laces at the back of my dress. It loosened around my chest, hanging lower in the front to reveal more of my cleavage as I paused.
“There is one thing you should know before you enter the water, Sunfire. To step into the bath is to give yourself over to the Primordials. You will no longer be in control of your body until they’re done with us,” he said, giving me pause.
“What do you mean I won’t be in control?” I asked, tipping my head to the side.
“The Primordials will be in control. We will do as they see fit until they have taken their offering and are willing to give their blessing for our sacrifice. If you get in the water, you must do so with the knowledge that anything could happen, but the most likely outcome will end with me inside of you,” he said, smiling as if thinking of stories he’d heard from Rheaghan. “Repeatedly.”
The idea of losing my control with Etan didn’t bother me as much as it should.
Sex was the easiest and simplest part of making this decision.
What made me nervous was all the unknowns, the wondering about what else the decision might affect within me, but ultimately I made the choice to take that leap of faith anyway.
The alternative would mean I was subordinate to my husband, and I wanted to be his fucking equal.
I shrugged, backing toward the pool as I slid the straps of my dress down over my shoulders.
The dress gathered at my feet, leaving me bare before Etan.
His eyes on me didn’t bother me in the slightest; I’d gotten used to being seen naked in my time with the rebellion.
“I guess it’s a good thing I don’t have to like you to fuck you, then. ”