Eris kept an arm around Evren as they staggered into the house. Sentries followed them in. Eris waved them back. Already, he was fighting the urge to attack them for being so close to Evren. Several servants were now awake and joined them. Their eyes were wide as they took in the blood that covered Evren and Eris. It was all his, from his hands. One servant dashed outside, likely heading off to retrieve Brin.

    "My Lord, are you all right?" One of the older female servants asked. "Were you attacked?"

    Eris shook his head. "We're fine. Did Deniza go after Brin?"

    "Yes, my Lord."

    "Send Brin to my chambers when she arrives." He glanced at Evren. Her face was ashen. "Bring up some food too, please." The servant dipped her chin and Eris helped Evren up the stairs.

    His hands were stinging with pain, but he ignored it. His senses were honed in on her. They reached their rooms. Eris loosened his hold on Evren, in case she planned on going to her own. She stayed beside him though and followed him into his room.

    "You should bathe," he said. Evren nodded, taking one of his hands gently. She didn't touch the tender wound, but bit her lip with a sharp breath. "I'm all right."

    "I'm sorry." Evren blinked swiftly. Her gaze fell to his wrist. "Eris..." She touched the healing cuts. "Why?"

    "I thought I'd made you feel threatened and afraid."

    "I told you never to do this because of me. Please." She kissed the wounds. Eris winced, but didn't pull away. "Hurting yourself doesn't solve anything. It doesn't fix anything. It doesn't make you feel better." She kissed the wounds once more. "Let Brin heal them and don't cut them again."

    Eris gave her a small nod. She released him and ducked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Eris crossed his arms and proceeded to wait. He scanned the room, taking in his weapons that were in sight. Eris snapped his fingers and all of them disappeared, even the blade he kept beneath his pillow, and one beneath a floorboard. He couldn't risk leaving anything around that Evren could use against herself in case she changed her mind.

    Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock at the door. He opened it and Brin stepped inside along with the older female. The female set a tray of food on a table and left once more. "Let me see," Brin said. She held out her hands expectantly. Eris gave her his own and she flipped them over, inspecting the wounds in his palms. "What happened?"

    "Something I can't share."

    Brin raised an eyebrow but didn't question him further. She held her fingers over the wounds. Magic shimmered around them. Eris' skin tingled as it wove itself back together. Brin moved her fingers down to the cuts on his wrists.

    Eris bit back a protest as she began to heal them. "It's none of my business," she began, "but I know a self-inflicted wound when I see one. You should consider another outlet. I know you've been learning to play the piano. Perhaps you should practice when you feel the urge to do this. It's something to keep your fingers and mind busy." She let go of him and stepped back. "And my congratulations." She ducked out of the room.

    Eris furrowed his brows before understanding her meaning. I must carry the scent of a Mating Bond already, he thought.

    He looked up as the bathroom door opened. Evren paused beside the tray of food and popped a strawberry into her mouth. "Your turn," she said.

    Eris smiled and vanished into the bathroom. He filled the tub with warm water and dropped his bloodied clothes atop Evren's. The water turned red around him as he slid into the tub. He grimaced and began to scrub the blood off his hands and arms.

    He kept his ears pricked, listening for Evren's quiet movements around the room. He wanted to be sure she hadn't left again. He had to be certain she wouldn't try to hurt herself. He'd removed his weapons from the room, so hopefully, there was nothing in there for her to hurt herself with.

    The thought made him hurry and he was out of the bath in minutes. Eris opened the door that led into his closet from the bathroom. He tugged on a pair of pants, then rejoined Evren in the bedroom. He smiled at the sight of her. She was curled up on the bed wearing one of his shirts.

    She sat up as he drew near. "What happens now that I've accepted the Mating Bond?" She asked.

    "We could be officially mated, or married, or we can carry on as we have been for a while."

    "Officially mated?"

    "A mating ceremony," Eris clarified, "is like a wedding ceremony. Usually, the couple and some of their friends and family go before a priestess. The female feeds the male, or in the case of same gender couples, they both feed each other. The couples' friends and family will then bind their wrists together with a length of ribbon, which they wear until the mating is consummated. In the Autumn Court, we use red ribbon."

    "Do the other courts use different colors?"

    Eris nodded. "They use black in the Night Court, gold in the Day Court, white in the Winter Court, green in the Spring Court, blue in the Summer Court, and pink in the Dawn Court."

    "I see." Evren pursed her lips. "Do we have to have a ceremony?"

    "No, that's usually just for tradition's sake." Eris smiled. "Although, it would be good for us to have one someday, if you plan on becoming my High Lady. We'd have to have a ceremony for that following the mating one."

    "I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet. I'd like to see how all of this is going to affect me. And..." she hesitated. "I want to know what we're going to do about my lifespan."

    "I'll talk to Helion and Rhysand about it," Eris promised. "If anyone can help us figure something out, it will be them. Don't worry about it right now."

    Evren gave him a small nod. "Are there any traditions that can be carried out privately?" She asked.

    "Sometimes, the female offers the male food in private," Eris replied. "Then they'll leave it out of the ceremony or simply do it again during it. And there's the consummating." Evren swallowed. "But that will come only when you feel ready."

    She nodded and gave him a small grateful smile. His heart swelled at the sight of it. Eris sat down beside her and Evren leaned into him, closing her eyes. He held her as she drifted off to sleep.

•~ ❘ ۞ ❘ ~•

    Evren woke to see sunlight streaming in through the windows. Eris was still asleep, but on his side instead of his stomach for once. His arm was draped over her waist. He was on top of the covers instead of under them.

    A smile spread across her lips as she watched him. She'd been foolish to think she could leave him. She was lucky he found her when he did. Evren knew she would never be able to apologize enough for the panic she must have caused him.

    Her mate. Evren touched that shining Bond that lay within her chest. It was so unusual, so out of place in her Human body, but it felt so completely right. Would her instincts flare up like Eris'? Perhaps, but nowhere nearly as strong as his, she thought.

    Eris blinked his eyes open and rolled onto his back with a yawn. Evren twisted onto his chest and her curls fell against his shoulder. She leaned down, pressing a kiss to his lips.

    This was what a kiss was supposed to feel like. Sweet and claiming and full of love. Not the kisses Cadoc's friends had pressed to her lips when they used her again and again. Not the rough kisses where they nipped at her lips until they bled and forced their tongues down her throat.

    A growl rumbled in Eris' chest. "I'll hunt down every single one of them," he hissed. She didn't know how he'd known what she was thinking of. "I'll need to teach you to shield your mind so I only see and hear the things you want me to."

    "All right." Evren slid out of bed and crossed the room. The tray of food still sat on the table. She ate a few more strawberries, relishing the sweet taste they left in her mouth.

    She wouldn't think of Cadoc or his friends again today. She wouldn't let herself. She would do her best to force them from her mind. Evren scanned the assortment of food, searching for something that looked appetizing. She settled on a muffin.

    Evren sat down beside Eris again. She broke a piece off the top of it and held it up. "Are you sure?" Eris asked.

    She nodded. He closed his eyes and accepted the bite. Evren continued to break off small parts of the muffin. He took each piece she held up to his lips. His breath shook slightly. She knew this small gesture held more meaning to him than she could possibly imagine.

    Evren kissed him after he'd accepted the last bite. Eris' hand fell against the back of her neck. She twisted onto his lap and cupped his face in her hands, deepening the kiss. She kissed his lips, the corners of his mouth, his jaw, a spot beneath his ear. Evren began to trail kisses down his neck and over his throat.

    "Evren," Eris murmured.

    "Tell me what you want," she said. "You have given me everything. Let me give something back to you, my Lord. My mate. Eris."

    "I..." He fell silent as she went back to kissing him. His hands moved along her waist. Eris breathed in deeply. Evren knew he could smell the shift in her scent. His hands drifted down to her legs.

    "No," she whispered. "Let me take care of you first. Tell me what you want. Tell me what I can do for you."

    "I don't want to make you uncomfortable," he said.

    "You won't. I want to do this." She pressed kisses down his chest and readjusted her position. She began to undo the lacing on his pants. Her kisses went lower and Eris moaned. She smiled at the sound.

    "Shit," he gasped as footsteps hurried past the door. Evren laughed as he let a shield fall into place. She went back to kissing him and he balled his fists atop the sheets. "Evren."

    She moved forward again, letting her hips settle on his. She could feel the effect it had on him. He bit back a moan, but with a slight movement of her hips, it fell from his lips anyway. Evren kissed his neck and throat. "Yes?"

    He snapped his fingers and a blade appeared in her hand. Evren looked between it and him, then pressed the steel to his throat. Eris' hands moved to her hips.

    "I am an assassin, you know," she said. "I could slit your throat right here and no one would come in to check for hours."

    "Do it. I don't care." He began guiding her hips in a rolling motion. Evren gulped down a moan of her own. "Just...grant my last request first."

    "And that would be?"

    Eris let his head fall back. "Fuck me just once, Evren. Mother above, please fuck me. Please, my Lady. Shit." He moaned again. "Please, Evren."

    Evren grinned wickedly. "You have such a dirty mouth when you're begging." She bent down and kissed him, still holding the blade to his throat.