After they had both changed for the night, Faryn turned off the lights and crossed the room to the bed, her Elven eyesight helping her find her way. Cassian had already tucked himself into the bed.

The covers were thick and heavy, and it was good the air conditioning was turned down, because if it weren't, she'd soon be stifling.

Cassian faced away from her and so she turned on her side, away from him, putting herself at the edge of the bed. His scent was sharp in her nose, but it didn't burn as much as it had when they first met. She supposed she would learn to tolerate it over time like she had with her Fae friends at home.

It wasn't long before his breaths evened out and deepened. The bed shifted, and she rolled onto her other side to find that at some point he had turned toward her. There hadn't been a time so far that she'd been this close to him when they weren't about to rip out each other's throats. He looked so at peace, as if the past few days hadn't happened and he was asleep in his own bedroom in Eiraacia. Hopefully, he didn't know how handsome he was. How many hearts had he already broken and how many would he break in his long life? When all of this was said and done, where would she be? Would she get to see him assume the role of the Tooth Fairy or would she be locked in the dungeon in the Frozen City? There the cells were cold enough that even she'd feel it.

Cassian gave off a surprising amount of heat, considering he looked like ice incarnate. In that cell, she would want that heat, these too thick blankets.

She closed her eyes, inhaling his scent, and she'd be lying to herself if in that moment if she said it wasn't strangely comforting.

Even with the jetlag, she was too aware, too wired. Switching positions, fluffing the pillows all did nothing.

When she opened her eyes to get out of bed, Cassian's mouth was parted just slightly; he was lost in what looked like a deep sleep. At least he could sleep.

Knowing his hearing was even better than hers, she tried to be as quiet as she possible as she made her way out from underneath the covers and padded across the floor to the bathroom. Once the door was closed, she flipped on the lights and came face to face with her flushed skin. A few drops of sweat had beaded on her neck. Turning on the sink, she rubbed cold water over her face and skin before she pushed open the bathroom's window, letting a cold December breeze into the small room. It hit her skin, cooling it. She sighed, resting her hands on the windowsill.

She couldn't sleep, not when the darkness her closed eyes offered only conjured up images of dungeons. Why hadn't her mom returned the call on Peter's phone? With Nick missing—with Faryn missing, shouldn't she be answering any numbers she didn't recognize? Maybe something really had happened to her.

Faryn needed to go to Ruhnerium—even if the risk was great. Clora was her only family. Faryn wouldn't—couldn't lose her.

Something brushed against her ankle, and she jumped back. A fog like Cassian's only this one blue hovered over the ground. It weaved its way between her feet, reminding her of a cat. It was beckoning her to follow it to its owner.

She shut off the bathroom light and entered the bedroom. The magic led her across the room to the door leading out into the hall. She eased it open and found Peter, the top buttons of his shirt undone and hair ruffled. With a flex of his hand, he called his power back to him. It surged for him and vanished.

"How did you know I was awake?"

He inclined his head down the hall, a silent request to walk with him. "A major part of my powers has to do with life. I can't create it or heal it, but I can sense it. I know when those around me are asleep or awake."

"So you're the one who really should be Santa."

He chuckled. "I can also tell when they're engaged in certain activities."

She'd think on what that meant later. "Why did you want to see me?"

"I said I'd show you the workshop."

"In the middle of the night?"

"You're still on a different time than me. It's only 10:30."

She felt herself flush. "What about Cassian?"

"He's going to be my competitor one day. I want to keep some things secret."

He led her downstairs to the golden doors where she had stood only a few hours ago.

"What are the runes?"

He rolled up his sleeve revealing the blue tattoo she'd seen earlier. Now studying it, she realized it was a combination of the three runes on the door. "Kano, Inguz, and Jera."

"You're going to have to translate."

"Kano means opening. The mark on my arm allows me to open this door. Inguz represents new life and fertility. Jera has a similar meaning." He laid his hand on the door and the runes glowed blue.

"What do you have to do with fertility?"

"Ever heard of the phrase breed like rabbits?" He winked and the doors opened, leading them into a cavern that felt as if it was carved right out of the earth, but it wasn't dark or musty. She sniffed, realizing there was a spring breeze in here: a whiff of clean laundry swaying on a line and burnt sugar. Had she'd ever breathed cleaner air? Walkways built of a white rose-tinged stone stretched across the cavern. Many parts of the walkways were covered overhead and had railings to lean against. Flat bridges hovered just above the narrow streams that flowed through the cavern.

"Peter . . ."

Pride shown in his eyes as her speech failed her. "Come."

She followed him onto the walkway, a stream running alongside it. Across the water were large brass bowls on top of pedestals.

"It's how we imbue the eggs with their magic," he said.

She leaned on the railing to be able to look up at the roof of the cavern. It kept going. And going and going. Even with her Elven eyesight she couldn't see the end. It was as if she had fallen down a rabbit hole. When she recalled who exactly stood beside her, she tried not to snort. "How does this fit under your house?"

"Enchantment. If I move, this comes with me." He motioned with his hand to the cavern.

Faryn let her eyes land on the stream whose water was as clear as a diamond. The rock at the bottom was pure white. Colors of every shade of the rainbow appeared every now and then throughout the water's flow, shimmering like the scales of a fish in sunlight before winking out.

"The eggs travel through the streams to get their colors."

"And they don't break?"

He rested his hands on the railing, close to her own. "Magic."

She frowned. "Right."

"You seem uncomfortable by that."

"No, it just surprises me."

"You don't have any?"

"No." She'd rather say that she had no powers than admit to having the ones she did. Her Morozko hair felt more like a mockery than anything of which to be proud. The water ran silently past them, the colors in it rippling like streamers.

"You okay?"

She looked up at him, at those brown and blue eyes, and felt an ache in her chest. It had been a long time since someone had held her because they wanted to, because she wanted them. She just wanted to be held. And there was something about this place, about him that evoked linens and sheets and white bedroom curtains blowing in an early morning breeze. Sunlight that filtered through a room in a haze. A fan that circled around and around, in a slow dizzying circle.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, his eyes softened. "I'm flattered, Faryn, but I don't think it would be a good idea."

She blinked. "What?"

His lips pushed up into a slight smile, and he tapped the runes on his arm. "Inguz. I know when thoughts go in that direction."

She scowled and took off down the walkway, her face burning. She heard his footsteps behind her.

"You're pretty, Faryn, but I'm not . . . interested."

She squeezed her eyes shut, taking a deep breath. "Can we not talk about this? I didn't even bring it up. And I didn't try to kiss you."

"I'm not looking for a relationship."

"You really don't have to explain yourself."

"You're not my type."

If he didn't shut up right now or change the topic, she was going to chuck him into the water. "I didn't know thePeter Ton had a type."

"Only when it comes to fun I don't." He grasped her wrist and tugged her toward him. "Is that what you want? Fun?"

Considering she felt mortified, she really just wanted to see him sputtering in the water. It would have been one thing if she had actually tried to kiss him "I don't want anything anymore. Just . . . forget it. Please." She pulled out of his grasp and started walking again, with no idea where she was headed. Peter fell into step beside her.

They walked in terribly awkward silence for a few minutes before Peter said, "He'd be pissed, you know?"

Up ahead was a two-story building, made from the same stone as the walkway.

"What?"

"Cassian. If you and I slept together."

"Well, we"—she motioned between the two of them—"aren't. And the only reason Cassian would be angry is because he'd be convinced I'd use the opportunity to drive a dagger through your heart."

"That's a bit too kinky even for me. But seriously he might rip my head off. He doesn't take his eyes off you."

This was news to her, and she took a moment to process it as they stepped through an open doorway and into the building. A fuchsia rug spread across the floor, and the furniture all looked as if it were made of glass. That didn't seem practical.

"You haven't noticed?"

"If you mean, have I felt the daggers he glares through my skin, then yes."

Peter paused to look at her before heading for an open staircase.

"There's nothing between us," she said.

Hand pressed to the stone wall, his expression turned thoughtful as he climbed the stairs. "Your children would be strong and healthy."

Faryn had absolutely no words for that.

"It's part of the fertility gift—knowing things like that. I can't know if you two would be good together. That's Eros's gift."

"Were you absent the day they taught the massacre in school?" she asked as they reached the top of the stairs where a door with the rune Kano engraved in the center waited. Peter laid his hand over it, and the door opened, revealing a windowless room. She couldn't find any source of light but somehow the jewels, the diamonds, the crystals that filled the space all shimmered as if the light was coming from them.

A treasury.

And at the center of the room was a pedestal made from the same stone as the building. On top of it sat the Pine Crown. A crown that looked as if it were made of glass, wreathed in translucent pinecones that reflected bits of green and purple. Most court members possessed a crown. Her mother's was made of a hard smooth material that was red and white. Nick's was wooden with green and red gems. She'd only seen pictures of them, including her grandfather's, Father Winter's. His was like the wind given form, forever frozen in time.

Though Peter strode into the room, Faryn held back. She didn't entirely trust him not to lock her in here. He brushed his finger over the ridges of a pinecone. "I know what happened, but it doesn't mean history will repeat itself for the two of you."

"He thinks I'm a murderer, and I'm not convinced he's not helping his mom hide her guilt. I think history can only repeat itself."

"You'd be surprised at what love can overcome."

She cringed. "Can we move onto something else? Like why you brought me here?"

He shrugged. "I wanted you to see I wasn't keeping Nick locked up here. And I wanted to ask you about Cassian, which I've now done. But I also wanted to ask about Aurelius."

Faryn stiffened. "What about him?"

"What's your relationship?"

"He's like a brother."

"Really?"

"It's strictly platonic. He was in his eighties when we met."

"And you're sure he will help us?"

"He won't betray us."

"But will he help us?"

Faryn bit her lip, eyes scanning the room, as her mind sought an answer to Peter's question. There was a difference between not betraying someone verses not helping them. It was easier not to betray your friend than help them. But Aurelius was just that: her friend. He would come through for her when she needed him most.

"Yes."

After that the two of them walked back to the golden doors. The moment Peter opened the doors, a growl came from upstairs followed by a snarl. Faryn and Peter stilled.

The doors closed behind them, and the stairs thudded as someone raced down them.

Cassian's scent hit her. Sharp and burning, and then he was standing at the bottom of the stairs, breathing heavily, his grayish blue eyes fixed on hers. His hair was ragged as if he'd just woken up. She sensed his power stirring, and as his eyes slid to Peter, his power slipped out from around his bare feet like a fog.

Faryn took a step in front of Peter, and Cassian's shoulders eased.

"I woke up and you weren't there. I couldn't smell you." His hands tightened into fists and his power froze. "I thought you had run or your cousin had—"

"Peter only wanted to show me his workshop."

"I thought he'd sold us out." He sent a glare past her to Peter, his body trembling. He was more animal than Celvian right now, a state all Fae, Elves, and Thorine could experience when their instincts took over and logic and rational thought were tossed to the side in favor of fight or flight. Strength and speed were all that mattered. Cassian had felt threatened. Because of her absence.

His eyes fixed on her. His power swarmed around her legs but didn't hinder her from moving closer to him.

She held out her hand, palm down, an offering and a barrier should he decide to lash out. "We're safe, Cassian."

His nostrils flared. He was probably taking in their scents. She wasn't sure her Elven scent would help, but she kept moving forward. Slowly. One step at a time.

"Jack isn't here." Her palm was only an inch from lying flat against his chest. "Peter isn't our enemy. And right now, I'm not your enemy either."

His hand shot up, encircling her wrist, and he tugged her toward him, breathing her in. The harshness in his eyes eased as the feralness in him started to shed away. "Why couldn't I smell you?"

"My workshop is magic." Peter stepped forward. "It's . . . separate from here."

Closing his eyes, Cassian shuddered before letting go of Faryn. "I'm sorry." He ran a hand through his hair. "I just . . . I couldn't believe that someone had snatched her from a bed I was right there in."

Peter laid his hand against Faryn's back. "It was a last-minute decision to give her a tour. I sensed she was still awake and offered." He pulled away from Faryn, moving toward the stairs. "I'll bid you both goodnight."

The walk back to their room was silent and awkward, and it wasn't until they were back in the safety of the bedroom that Cassian rounded on her, startling her and causing her to stumble against the wall.

"Is there anything I need to know about?"

"I didn't see Nick in his workshop."

"What if he had handed you to Jack?"

"Until two days ago before you got dragged into this mess, you would have happily handed me over. I took a tour of his workshop. I didn't sense any danger."

Crossing his arms, he arched a brow. "A tour of his workshop or a tour of him?"

Her face swam with heat, and she yanked a pillow from the bed and chucked it at his head. He knocked it to the side.

He already thought she was a murderer or a kidnapper. Him believing that she had hooked up with Peter, shouldn't bother her. But she couldn't forget about Peter's rejection. She climbed into bed, grabbing a pillow from Cassian's side to replace the one she threw at him. Something in her gut stung. Though Peter had tried to be polite about it, she couldn't help feeling like it was done callously. He could have at least waited to see if she would have made a move instead of assuming she would.

She tucked the side of her face into the pillow and closed her eyes.

The bed dipped beside her, and Cassian's warmth filled the sheets, but she refused to let her eyes slip open. She clung to her side of the bed and willed Morpheus to come for her.

Does anyone have any song suggestions for me to add to the Spotify playlist?